Sustainable Livelihood and Fair Climate Initiatives project for resilient communities in India
The state of Odisha, India is home to several popular tourist attractions such as the ancient city of Bhubaneswar, Harishankar waterfall, the Konark Sun Temple and Ranipur Jharial temple. Nearby these tourism landmarks, tribal and local communities that are susceptible to the effects of climate change are gaining a deeper understanding of climate-adaptive systems and sustainable lifestyles, thanks to the Sustainable Livelihood and Fair Climate Initiatives project of UDYAMA with the support of the ICCO cooperation.
Implemented in the Bolangir and Nayagarh districts, the project ensures livelihood security and supports the use of green energy among the economically challenged sections of the society, aiming towards boosting the livelihood and income of over 4,200 families through community resilient farming systems. UDYAMA worked alongside multiple stakeholders to carry out landscape-based ecological activities in harmony with natural and cultural lifestyles such as sustainable farming, local forest preservation or soil and water conservation. Biomass training was provided to facilitate understanding and use of green products readily available in the communities’ households. Solar lighting units were provided in all 28 households in the village of Gochabari to wean their dependency on traditional kerosene lamps. Through the technical support of the Orissa Renewable Energy Development Agency and crux Power Ltd, small household biogas plants were built to improve cooking facilities. Several other green solutions were introduced, such as solar dryers and home lighting systems, fuel efficient stoves and treadle pumps as micro-irrigation systems. This initiative has also helped farmers to lead agroecology development with a revenue model in which eco-tourism is one part.
