Synopsis This paper compares the experiences in India and China and draws lessons for policy formulation. The important lessons are: (a) self-financing nature of FLC/SWC is a crucial factor for achieving effective results; (b) while private incentives are important, the state ought to exercise certain control over the use of land and water, which essentially are contiguous resources; and (c) conservation of these resources alone is not sufficient; it should be systematically linked with the macro level targets for enhancing crop productivity.