There is an urgent need to include grassroots wisdom in strategies traditionally shaped by science and policy, say academicians, policymakers, conservationists, diplomats, and ambassadors who convened the second talk in the ongoing discussion series titled “Roots to Resilience” organized by the UNESCO.

The session, which was held on Monday, emphasized on bringing age-old community practices into policy rooms. It focused on the theme ‘Understanding the Water, Energy, and Food Security Nexus’.. 

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The event, organised by UNESCO in collaboration with Springer Nature, featured panelists working across each of these interconnected sectors.

Balakrishna Pisupati, head of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said, “It has taken us 20 years to realize that we can’t solve one issue without considering the others. Even though we know what needs to be done, real progress won’t happen unless governments make the right policies and invest in solutions. Without that, the idea of working together across sectors will just remain on paper.”

He also expanded that the way farmers manage their land already reflects the kind of integrated thinking we now call the “nexus” approach—they do not separate climate, health, or food concerns; one meal addresses it all.

“While global frameworks are trying to define these connections, local communities have long been putting them into practice. The real need now is to highlight and learn from these grassroots experiences so that scientists and policymakers can better understand and support them,” he added.

His views were echoed by Anupama Madhok, Director and Editor of Water Digest, a Gurugram-based magazine focused on the water sector. Highlighting the alarming drop in per capita water availability—from 5,177 cubic meters in the 1970s to just 1,476 in 2021—Madhok emphasized the need for not only strong policy interventions but also active community and individual participation.

Madhok also applauded the work of Uma Shankar Pandey, recipient of the 2024 Padma Shri for his contributions to water conservation. She highlighted how he mobilized the farming community in Jal Jakhni, Banda district, Uttar Pradesh, by blending traditional wisdom with technical know-how.

His simple yet effective method—“Khet ke upar med, med ke upar ped” (ridges on fields, trees on ridges)—helped farmers build soil-holding ridges and plant trees on them, significantly improving water retention and preventing soil erosion.