I've recently come to know about Varun Arya and had a spare moment to read about some of his work. The following link is perhaps the best starting point. The pictures here show how he has transformed entirely barren and saline land. Below is an example.
Varun is almost exactly my age, both of us having completed high school in 1976. An ex-IITian (and IIMA graduate), Varun has established a leading business school in Jodhpur.