We are excited to introduce the Green Rural Livelihoods project, a collaborative effort between WELL Labs and Rainmatter Foundation. Our aim is to enable the discovery, accessibility and scalability of knowledge resources to address challenges related to land, water and livelihoods in rural India.
Success stories are limited to isolated pilots.
We need innovative solutions to address the worsening economic and environmental challenges plaguing rural India. There are solutions that work in specific contexts and for specific regions, but there is limited access to knowledge around how to take these successful pilots to other contexts. Hence, despite ongoing efforts by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), philanthropies and governments, transformative change has been limited. Currently, there are no pathways to achieve impact at scale.
Playbooks and platforms can help address this challenge.
We are creating a space that facilitates free and open access to information. A space that connects experts and seekers. For example, if a small CSO wants to help a group of millet farmers start a collective to ensure fair prices and reduced costs for inputs, what steps should they follow, who should they liaise with to establish market linkages, how can they follow sustainable methods while earning a profit? Knowledge is scattered and not in easily-digestible forms, which is why we want to unlock the potential of successful pilots by curating a platform that compiles resources and spells out how-tos on every aspect of a process
The playbooks hosted on a digital platform will be accessible to CSOs, producer collectives (farmer producer organisations, self-help groups), and government agencies, enabling them to access knowledge on themes previously unavailable to them.
The envisioned platform will consist of the following information:
- Playbooks: Comprehensive how-to manuals focusing on various thematic areas to enhance rural livelihoods and the environment. Examples include soil composting and poultry farm setup.
- Vendor Lists: Two types of vendors will be available on the platform:
- a. Service Directories: Individuals and organisations selling resources necessary for implementing activities outlined in the playbooks.
- b. Trainers: Individuals and organisations offering training to guide CSOs and other users in implementing the playbooks.
- Events: A list of live or virtual events hosted by trainers from the vendor lists.
- Forums: A space to promote organic knowledge exchange and expert advice
While some of these terminologies, like playbooks and platforms may seem open-ended and value at the moment, over the course of our next few updates, we will provide sharper definitions for what they mean.
Credit: Sameer Shisodia, Rainmatter Foundation
About WELL Labs
Water, Environment, Land and Livelihoods (WELL) Labs co-creates research and innovation for social impact in the areas of land and water sustainability. We design and curate systemic, science-based solutions using a collaborative approach to enable a high quality of human life while simultaneously nurturing the environment. Here’s more information about us.
If you have any questions, suggestions, or would like to discuss specific aspects of the project in more detail, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Your feedback and collaboration are highly valued as we work towards our shared mission. Please write to us at [email protected] or [email protected].