Integrating Land Use and Community Perspectives for Sustainable Agriculture in Rural India, Dewgain

ABSTRACT Agricultural sustainability in rural India is increasingly threatened by land use change, resource scarcity, and climate variability. This study integrates satellite‐based land use/land cover (LULC) analysis with community perspectives to provide a holistic understanding of agricultural challenges in Dewgain village, Jharkhand. Sentinel‐2 imagery (2017–2024) was analyzed using Google Earth Engine and GIS to quantify LULC dynamics, while participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools captured local knowledge, livelihood strategies, and institutional gaps. Results reveal a doubling of built‐up areas (from 4.95% to 9.69%) alongside declines in cropland (−3.59%) and rangeland (−1.75%). Water bodies remain critically low (< 0.01%), indicating severe irrigation constraints. PRA findings highlight key barriers, including erratic rainfall, limited irrigation and access to energy, monocropping, a lack of composting, and weak extension services. The integration of geospatial and participatory approaches underscores the interactions between biophysical change and socio‐institutional vulnerabilities. This mixed‐method framework provides transferable insights for promoting climate‐resilient, community‐centered agricultural strategies in data‐scarce rural landscapes.