Introduction
This is the programme update on completion of 2.5 years of the partnership between Rainmatter Foundation and Gram Vikas. The updates pertain to the period from September 2025 to January 2026.
The Project “Localizing Climate Resilience in the Eastern Ghats region of Odisha and Jharkhand” is expected to enable Gram Vikas to build better understanding, perspective, plans and capabilities to address these issues. This process goes on in parallel with the ongoing work under the Water Secure Gram Panchayat Programme. The Project began implementation in August 2023.
The overall objective of the programme is to ‘demonstrate community-managed climate resilience efforts in the Eastern Ghats region Odisha and Jharkhand, to influence State Government policies and actions’. This is expected to be achieved through:
• building communities’ capabilities to plan, design, implement and monitor activities related to
reduce impacts of climate-related hazards and natural disasters, and
• enabling local governance system to adopt processes contributing to short-term and long-term climate resilience for rural communities
The Programme is built on the back of the Water Secure Gram Panchayat Programme of Gram
Vikas. As part of the Project, Gram Vikas has played an active role in the Climate Rise Alliance, with inputs for advancing the objectives of the bioregional and SOTH practice and learning from the work around basket of needs. Gram Vikas is also engaging with the Innovation Guild and the GRE platforms and has been part of discussions in the Odisha sandbox.
Sense of the House (SoTH) Practice
As part of our work, Gram Vikas has undertaken several initiatives to build organisation-wide
understanding of the Sense of the House (SOTH) Practice. A comprehensive SOTH facilitation guide was prepared in-house and shared with the SOTH Alliance. It was also shared widely among the participants of the Mohuda @50 event organised to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of work at Mohuda, which eventually became Gram Vikas.
Gram Vikas’ focus in the SOTH practice are in two areas.
• Build awareness, understanding, sensitivity and capabilities among staff and Gram Vikas
Saathi, as a necessary condition for SOTH practice in all aspects of Gram Vikas’ work with
community partners
• “The Koinpur Initiative”, focussing on community action for sustainability and resilience in
Koinpur Gram Panchayat in Rayagada block of Gajapati district in Odisha.
Internal processes and capacity building for SOTH
Exposure on the SoTH Implementation by PRADAN at Ranchi
Gram Vikas team visited PRADAN’s operational areas in Ranchi, Jharkhand (Jan 19-23, 2026). The team is able to see Community-led development model, Institutional innovations (SHGs, federations, producer companies) as Gram Vikas also holds the same structure and approach. Climate-smart practices in agriculture, water, and disaster management and Collaborations for scale and sustainability. The water security programme is a key initiative for Gram Vikas, aiming to make communities resilient through climate-smart agriculture. Gram Vikas’s grassroots innovations in resource management and social inclusion have empowered marginalized communities to access and integrate into mainstream development.
SoTH Exposure: Changemakers Retreat at Coonoor
The Coonoor retreat enabled Gram Vikas staff to engage in cross-sector peer learning,
contributing to organisational knowledge on collaborative leadership, innovation, and
changemaker support systems. Insights from the shared fellowship ecosystem — including access to tools, mentorship models, and diverse problem-solving approaches — can inform Gram Vikas in strengthening its internal capacity-building frameworks, fostering adaptive thinking, and integrating broader networks, resources, and co-learning practices into its programme and institutional development processes. Changemaker Retreat.
Goonj Collaboration for deepening Gram Swabhiman Approach:
Gram Vikas’ collaboration with Goonj is being positioned as an institutional step toward
deepening the Gram Swabhiman and Sense of the House (SoTH) framework within WSGP
mobilisation. The partnership supports operational integration of the Cloth for Work (CfW)
approach as a community-led engagement tool that strengthens local institutions and nurtures
development driven from within villages. At the organisational level, this collaboration enables
process refinement, cross-learning, and system strengthening through shared documentation,
technical exchange, and practice-based insights. The synergy creates a structured platform for
embedding Gram Swabhiman principles into programme design, implementation systems, and
institutional culture, ensuring community ownership remains central to organisational action.
Clean Koinpur Initiative
The Clean Koinpur Initiative seeks to develop Koinpur Gram Panchayat as a model of cleanliness and sustainability in Odisha by strengthening waste management systems, encouraging plastic- free practices, and enhancing community participation. The initiative brings together environmental conservation, livelihood generation, and tourism development in the Mahendragiri region through coordinated efforts of the Gram Panchayat, Forest Department, and local communities. It envisions a clean, healthy, and self-reliant Panchayat that showcases local pride and environmentally responsible development. The Initiative is community driven being realization of the existing resources, strengths, and opportunities at community level.
Local Economic Development for Resilient Communities
These set of activities align with the Basket of Needs approach, with scoping, mapping, and
inventorying of local consumption supply chains as one step, with intensive focus on local
economic development through local action.
Block Enterprise Profile
Gram Vikas is actively implementing the Micro Enterprise Development Programme in several
blocks within Odisha. A critical component of the programme is to understand the existing
production-distribution-consumption patterns in the local area and make reasonable estimates
about the enterprise development potential for the Block. The Block Enterprises Profile exercise is being carried out towards this.
The Block Enterprises Profile will enable Gram Vikas to make informed decisions tailored to each block and help allocate resources efficiently and design enterprise development activities that reflect local needs and aspirations. It will:
• Understand existing household consumption patterns and collect and analyse the data on local enterprises to understand the existing supply situation.
• Understand the sub-sectoral potential for enterprise development based on commodities and
demands for services
• Identify opportunities, resources, challenges, and gaps for micro enterprises development in
the Block
The Block Enterprise Profile has three components - Household Demand Assessment, Sub-sectoral. Analysis and Supply-side Assessment, that will help us collect and understand the overall consumption and demand pattern in a particular block. In the first phase stage, the profiles are being prepared for Daringbadi blocks in Kandhamal district
and Rayagada block in Gajapati district.
Weekly Haat Profiling and Assessment
Gram Vikas has also initiated the haat assessment in a structured, in-depth study of a weekly rural market conducted as part of the block profiling. It analyses how the market functions
economically, socially, and institutionally, who participates (vendors, buyers, transporters,
intermediaries), what goods and services are traded, and what constraints or opportunities affect efficiency, inclusiveness, hygiene, and income generation. It serves as a diagnosis of the rural market ecosystem. The purpose of the study is to understand market dynamics (flow of goods, people, and money), Measure livelihood impact on farmers, traders, SHGs, and rural enterprises. To understand the Market Dynamics, how products, people, and money flow through the haat. Assess Livelihood Impact, that determines how the haat supports local farmers, traders, women’s SHGs, and rural enterprises. Monitor change over time – use findings as a benchmark to measure improvement in income, infrastructure, and participation.
Micro enterprise Development
During the reporting period, the Micro-Enterprise Development Programme was implemented
across 33 blocks in the districts of Bargarh, Kalahandi, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Ganjam, Gajapati, and Kandhamal. The programme aimed to strengthen sustainable livelihoods through thepromotion of locally relevant micro-enterprises. A decentralised support system comprising 157 Gram Udyog Mitra facilitated enterprise development by providing end-to-end handholding
support, including enterprise identification, business planning, access to finance, market linkages, and convergence with government schemes. As a result, 27,795 micro-enterprises were promoted across farm, off-farm, and non-farm sectors, with a majority of enterprises being women-led, reflecting the programme’s focus on women’s economic empowerment. Beyond enterprise numbers, the programme has contributed to improved household incomes, livelihood diversification, enhanced financial inclusion, strengthened leadership and decision-making capacities of women, local employment generation, and increased economic resilience among vulnerable households.
Value Chain Development in the farm sector
Gram Vikas, in partnership with Harsha Trust and supported by Practical Action Consulting,
conducted a Value Chain Study across six districts of Odisha to strengthen sustainable and
climate-resilient agricultural value chains involving farmers, traders, enterprises, and government agencies. Focusing on crops such as maize, pigeon pea, paddy, ragi, groundnut, mustard, sunflower, mango, and cashew, the initiative promoted crop diversification, improved agronomic practices, and localized market systems to enhance income stability while supporting climate adaptation in rainfed regions.
• In the reporting period Pigeon pea seed production was adopted on 1,360 acres in Ganjam
during Kharif 2025-26. Pigeon pea cultivation expanded to 2,000 acres in Gajapati during Kharif 2025-26.
• Sunflower introduced as a rice-fallow crop on 2,000 acres in Gajapati. Mustard cultivation with improved practices adopted on 140 acres in Bargarh during Rabi 2025-26. Five weekly Haats established in Gajapati, Kandhamal, and Bargarh, led by women collectives with Gram
Panchayat and Panchayat Samiti support, strengthening local markets and community integration.
• 430 women adopted groundnut cultivation across 455 acres in Bargarh and Ganjam. 2,265
women cultivated improved turmeric varieties on 2,681 acres in Kandhamal and Gajapati.
• 5,193 women practiced oilseed cultivation (sunflower, mustard, and sesame) on 4,214 acres
during Rabi 2025-26. 2,380 women collectives strengthened through social and entrepreneurial development sessions.
• 1,235 government cadres trained through joint sessions with the Department of Mission Shakti and Odisha Livelihoods Mission (OLM). 147 local cadres developed as Business Development Service Providers together advancing inclusive, low-carbon, and climate-adaptive rural livelihoods.
Capacity building activities
Group Livelihood for Development workshop
The GLIDE (Group Livelihood for Development) workshop was conducted in two batches for key livelihood stakeholders. The first batch (August 11–13, Mohuda) trained Gram Udyog Mitras, along with selected livelihood field staff and Block Enterprise Mentors, strengthening their skills to support village-level enterprise development. The second batch (January 14–16, Rudhapadar) brought together participants from six Gram Panchayats, with Gram Vikas Saathi contributing to facilitation while also gaining hands-on learning. GLIDE is a participatory approach that helps individuals recognise local capacities and
opportunities for livelihood diversification through enterprises. Gram Vikas is trying to promote a self-realisation model, enabling participants to initiate ventures with minimal dependence on
external inputs such as formal skill training, raw materials, financial aid, or marketing support.
Engagements as part of the larger ecosystem of Rainmatter Foundation partners Gram Vikas has been an active participant in several of the strategic initiatives taken up by the Rainmatter Foundation. Updates on the engagements related to GRE, IG and Odisha sandbox are
provided below.
Green Rural Economy platform
During the reporting period, Gram Vikas initiated collaboration with the Green Rural Economy
(GRE) platform to better respond to community-raised demands captured through our internal
demand database. The database currently contains approximately 45,000 demands across 55
categories, representing articulated needs from rural communities. A preliminary review indicated that a significant number of these demands correspond with solutions already listed within the GRE Solutions Hub. The collaboration was therefore designed to bridge community demand
articulation with a structured repository of vetted solutions. Activities taken up include:
• Gram Vikas was formally enrolled on the GRE platform.
• Internal coordination was undertaken to refine and categorize priority demands for platform
integration.
• Demands around lighting the community spaces were uploaded on the GRE platform.
• Exploratory discussions were conducted to integrate GRE access within the Gram Vikas Saathi
ecosystem, enabling field-level functionaries to identify and connect community demands with
appropriate solutions in real time. The next phase of engagement will focus on systematically mapping high-frequency demand categories to relevant solution providers listed on the GRE platform and assessing their contextual suitability. Gram Vikas will also plan capacity building plan for Gram Vikas Saathi on using the GRE platform to identify solutions available to challenges they identify in their communities. Further exploration will be undertaken to streamline integration within digital field tools to ensure easier access, tracking, and responsiveness to community-raised demands.
Innovation Guild
Analysis of the community demand database indicates that most livelihood-related demands
relate to animal husbandry, farmer support services, technology use, and input access. To address these needs more structurally, Gram Vikas engaged with the Innovation Guild platform, particularly its Village Level Entrepreneur Network (VLEN), which focuses on strengthening local enterprise capacity and improving access to tools and services. The engagement was also aligned with strengthening the design and field relevance of the Jeevika
Mitra Fellowship. Activities taken
up include:
• Initiated structured engagement with the Innovation Guild team.
• Reviewed the Village Level Entrepreneur Network model to identify applicable components for Jeevika Mitra GVS fellowship.
• Identified opportunities to link Jeevika Mitra and Farmer Producer Group with innovation-led
tools and services. One problem statement has been generated in the format prescribed by
Innovation Guild and shared for identifying suitable solutions.
Going forward, Gram Vikas will work toward formalizing Jeevika Mitra as members of the Village Level Entrepreneur Network to enable structured field-level engagement. Selected geographies will be identified for piloting innovation-led tools and service models relevant to agriculture andlivestock-based livelihoods.
Odisha Sandbox:
Climate Champion Exposure to Gram Vikas Mohuda
82 team of Climate Champions from Nature’s Club along with 29 staff, 4 members from Socratus, 9 members of Natya Manch team, 36 Gram Vikas Saathi and staff members 10 met for the 3 days for cross learning, experience sharing and creating a space for changemakers to interact among themselves. Climate Champions exchanged entrepreneurial experiences, gaining insights from the GVS fellowship and Natya Manch team’s approach, and explored applying the SoTH framework in their own work. At the same time Gram Vikas as an organisation widely work on strengthening structure and models of Gram Vikas Saathi, make an instrument to address climate crises at their local level by utilising SoTH framework. Additionally, the Natya Manch and Saathi Hub are also being promoted for developing entrepreneurship at their locality, understanding the resources and opportunities & skills to utilize in an efficient manner.
Regular activities under the Project:
The Project has taken up several activities as part of the project activity framework. Progress of these activities are given in detail, in three categories – System-level activities, Community-level activities, and Implementation-level activities. The summary table provided at the end gives a quick view of the progress and plans for 2026.
System level Activities
Evidence-based Village Climate Action Plan
The Village Prosperity and Resilience Plan (VPRP) is being done in collaboration with the Gram Panchayats in all habitations. The Water Security Plan (WSP) for the habitation and the GP – the model of WSP is being tested and completed in 34 villages in Kandhamal district, 15 villages in Kalahandi, 21 villages in Gajapati and 39 villages in Ganjam. 109 villages has been completed rollout of the Water Passbook. And the Water Security Plan has completed 40 villages using the Water Passbook. A water security plan ensures sustainable access to clean water, enhancing health, livelihoods, and resilience in the community. It helps manage resources, prevent conflicts, and adapt to climate challenges.
Convergence Mela
The Convergence Melas organised at the Gram Panchayat level have evolved into a sustainable platform for generating informed demand and strengthening entitlement access for local communities. These Melas facilitate structured engagement between communities and
stakeholders at District, Block, and GP levels, enabling people to articulate their needs and claim their rightful entitlements through institutional channels. As of January 2026, 22 Convergence mela’s have been facilitated at Gram Panchayats, where GPCCs collectively submitted over 14,000 demand applications to relevant government departments, reinforcing a community-driven and system-linked model of inclusive development. Convergence Mela.
Multidimensional framework to map factors influencing climate resilience: The Rural Settlement
Study: Gram Vikas has started a study to document the patterns of growth and their drivers in rural settlements in Odisha at the Gram Panchayat level, together with identifying the planning
mechanisms and tools available to development practitioners. The scoping and data collection
related field visits have been completed. A meeting with GPCC and other key stakeholders from the community will be the next step in the study in Koinpur Gram Panchayat. The scoping and data collection was also initiated in Kandhamal district of Sirtiguda gram panchayat.
Gram Vikas will continue to collaborate with SEEDS India for the next step in Rural Settlement
Study. SEEDS and Gram Vikas will work together to develop a framework to understand and plan settlement where Water Security being the main theme. A joint scoping exercise will be
conducted in Sirtiguda later in early February. SEEDS have shared a scoping report for the Koinpur gram panchayat. For more detail: Scoping Visit Report.
Social Action Fellowship Programme
The Gram Vikas Saathi fellowship selection process is completed and streamlined at central level to coordinate and manage by the programme Unit. Gram Vikas Saathi (GVS) Fellowship is standardized and designed through a common cohort system for GVS enrolment. In 2025-26, 84 new GVS cohorts joined, out of which 69 are continuing and old cohort 71 altogether 140 till date continuing including Saathi hub members. There have been three non-thematic training programs organised and three thematic trainings to strengthen their skill and knowledge for the existing cohort. The final GVS fellowship programme cadres are 140 new and old cohorts who have undergone the training and work assignment as per the work mapping. The GVS Fellowship Programme is streamlined and systematised for creating sustainable entrepreneurship of local young men and women of WSGP intervention district across Odisha.
Gram Panchayat Migrant Registry
The GP-level migrant registry was launched, enrolling 468 migrants by December, alongside rollout of accident insurance. Centre for Migration Inclusive Development(CMID) in Kerala complemented this through organising the Kochi foresight workshop, facilitating life-history research, and delivering 7,082 primary healthcare services to migrant workers via 332 clinics, while supporting multilingual health outreach and preventive care. Both partners contributed to consortium learning events, international exchanges, policy dialogues, and knowledge outputs, with major deliverables including foresight workshops, synthesis reports, and registry rollout largely completed or on track.
Community level activities
Saathi Hub: Entreprises of Gram Vikas Saathi
The Saathi Hub is being established as a collective enterprise model, where members function as group entrepreneurs addressing their local development needs while building their own
sustainable livelihoods. Two Saathi Hubs have been initiated in three Gram Panchayats in
Kalahandi and two Gram Panchayats in Ganjam, to cater to community-level gaps in community development, resource management, and service delivery. Gram Vikas has formalised the Saathi Hub framework and Terms of Engagement, providing a structured roadmap that enables members to identify local problems, deliver development-linked services, and generate income through organised, accountable group enterprise mechanisms.
Currently, the Kalahandi Saathi Hub is engaged in ongoing WSGP-related assignments, while the Tumba Saathi Hub (Ganjam) is undertaking Baseline Surveys, Land Parcel Mapping, and Water Source Inventory work demonstrating the model’s focus on providing locally relevant technical and planning services that strengthen community self-reliance while sustaining the group enterprise. Saathi Hub Term of Engagement.
WSGP Network
Gram Vikas has launched the Network for the Water Secure Gram Panchayat for larger
collaboration with multiple stakeholders for the expansion of the WSGP intervention across
Odisha and Jharkhand. Seven partners have been identified and had meetings for the further
collaboration. The core thematic components are being identified for the Network of the Water Secure Gram Panchayat implementation looking at their geographical location and context of partners organisation profile. Partner organisation staff are oriented on 28th -30th January 2026 on the Core-Water Secure Gram Panchayat programme. This initiative will broaden the scope of the water secure gram panchayat programme, focusing on addressing key areas of water scarcity and climate action. WSGP Network.
Gram Vikas Natya Manch Community Theatre
Gram Vikas, through Natya Manch, is trying to promote a community-led theatre-based
communication platform designed to drive behavioural change and grassroots awareness. The
model uses local cultural expression as a structured tool to communicate key development
themes in an engaging and relatable manner. With a trained rural theatre team, the initiative
delivers doorstep awareness interventions across villages and panchayats, translating technical concepts into easily understood messages. Current performances focus on Social Forestry and the Water Passbook, promoting sustainable natural resource management and responsible environmental practices. The programme offers wide community outreach and participation, reaching thousands of households through live performances, while also building local capacity by positioning rural youth as communication leaders. Overall, Natya Manch provides a scalable, culturally rooted, and participatory communication approach that strengthens environmental awareness, collective learning, and sustainable behaviour at the grassroots level. During the reporting period the team has delivered an impressive 117 shows across 116 villages in Ganjam and Kandhamal districts, captivating audiences of approximately 4693 households. Their current community theatre highlights the significance of Social Forestry, inspiring communities to adopt sustainable practices and importance of water passbook. The team also performed in Odisha Vikas Conclave and Mohuda 50 during this time period. Gram Vikas Natya Manch
Weather and Crop Advisory Technology
Smallholder agriculture in Gram Vikas operational areas is largely rainfed and highly exposed to short-term weather variability. To reduce climate risk, Gram Vikas is strengthening a hyper-local weather and crop advisory system under the Water Secure Gram Panchayat (WSGP) programme. The system integrates automated weather stations (AWS), data-based advisories, and community. level dissemination to support informed farm decisions. Over the past six months, 11 AWS units have been operational across selected Gram Panchayats, generating local data on rainfall, temperature, humidity, and related parameters. Using this data,
a specialised service provider produces location-specific weekly weather and crop advisories,
shared through digital platforms. For more information: Weather and Crop Advisory Technology.
Comprehensive Source-Shed Development (CSSD)
The Comprehensive Source-Shed Development (CSSD) approach under the WSGP programme
strengthens climate-resilient communities by securing water sources, restoring ecosystems, and diversifying livelihoods at the catchment level. By combining plantation, soil and moisture
conservation, and land development through a ridge-to-valley strategy, the initiative enhances
groundwater recharge, improves soil health, and increases tree cover—reducing vulnerability to droughts, erratic rainfall, and land degradation. The promotion of local nurseries and farmer
collectives further builds adaptive capacity by generating green livelihoods and enabling
community-led resource management. Grounded in Water Source Sustainability plans, CSSD
creates an integrated system where ecological restoration and farm-based income opportunities reinforce each other, laying a strong foundation for long-term climate resilience and water security. Comprehensive sourceshed Development.
All Living Things-Environment Film Festival (ALTEFF):
The collaboration between All Living Things – Environmental Film Festival (ALT-EFF) and Gram Vikas is based on a shared commitment to environmental awareness, climate action, and empowering communities.
The mission of ALT-EFF is to increase climate awareness at scale through the emotive power of cinema by curating impactful storytelling and experiential learning which closely aligns with Gram Vikas’s goals of raising environmental and climate awareness among communities, promoting biodiversity conservation, and encouraging sustainable practices. By using films as effective tools for learning and discussion, the partnership enables critical
thinking on climate change and sustainability while making complex environmental issues
accessible and relatable. This collaboration also inspires responsible environmental behaviour and local action, especially among young people and community stakeholders, strengthening collective efforts toward building environmentally conscious and resilient communities.
The All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT‐EFF) 2025 was organised across multiple locations in Odisha with the objective of creating mass awareness on climate change,
environmental protection, and the interdependence between humans, nature, and all living
beings. Through carefully curated films, interactive discussions, and participatory learning
activities, the festival reached students, community members, local leaders, and institutions.
Across Baliguda, Rourkela, and Rudhapadar, ALT‐EFF created inclusive learning spaces where cinema became a medium to spark dialogue on climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, sustainable livelihoods, and social justice.
Implementation level activities
Dissemination of stories
Regular updates on the project progress are done monthly. The stories and documents that we
have shared on ‘All living Things Environmental Film Festival’ to broaden and deepen the
engagement for climate conscious collaboration and networking among children, and youth in the villages. Climate Changemaker retreat at Coonoor Network for the WSGP meetings, launching events, Management Group structure workshop and clean Koinpur initiatives.
Internal Staff Capacity Building
YMT-JM Retreat
The team of 40 Gram Vikas staff consist of Young Management Trainee and Junior Manager
retreat deepened understanding of Water Secure Gram Panchayats, better understanding of Gram Vika structures, innovations, and approaches by highlighting the climate-resilient water
management practices. Discussions focused on sustainable water conservation and management, aquifer recharge, and community-led governance to ensure water security amidst climate change. Junior managers explored strategies to strengthen Panchayats’ adaptive capacities, integrating water security with climate action for lasting sustainability.
Management Group Workshop
The Management Group Workshop helped Gram Vikas to review and reflect on the MG structure and performance and develop revisions / changes that are needed in the structure and system. The development of a well-functioning system and structure provides a foundation for internalizing the importance of decentralized decision-making and collective action. From the Management Leadership Programme, the shift from individuals members in the team to
management groups (MGs) was a key step. While there has been improvement in MG functioning, the 26–27th Sept meeting will need to decide the way forward, looking beyond immediate functioning and considering how programmes will be shaped in the coming years. Before visioning ahead, the reflections focused on where the MGs stand now whether institutionalisation has been possible or if functioning is still driven by individuals. A team of 27 MG members participated in the workshop held at Koinpur FCO location in Gajapati district.
Professional Effectiveness Toolkit Training
43 Gram Vikas staff members are participating in a three-phase of the Professional Effectiveness Toolkit training conducted in partnership with ETC partner. The training is aiming to strengthen the leadership qualities and managerial abilities of staff, equipping them to contribute to organisational growth and create meaningful impact. This management training supports Gram Vikas in nurturing capable human resources who can deliver outstanding contributions both personally and professionally. It also promotes growth in mindset and attitude, with greater awareness of climate action, strategic development, and value addition to existing systems and models.
Statistical Tool development
This work will be the result of the various planning and measurement activities currently ongoing. We will work towards understanding how the various data sources can be integrated to make a GP-level tool.
Carbon Credit Programme
The community carbon programme under Gram Vikas is being developed as a long-term
mechanism to reward rural communities for their tree-based land restoration efforts while
ensuring ecological and livelihood benefits. Over the last six months, substantial progress has been made on both the technical documentation and field implementation fronts. The Project Idea Note (PIN) has been approved, and the Project Design Document (PDD) is currently under final review. The project has completed its public consultation process, and the third round of technical comments has been received from Plan Vivo. Most of the comments are minor and are being addressed as part of the final documentation process. The project validation visit is scheduled for March 2026. On the field side, a total of 3,500
acres of plantations (from 2021–2025) have been surveyed so far. Out of this, more than 1,200
acres have been approved as eligible by the technical review agency. This process has helped
refine eligibility criteria, improve plantation design, and identify areas with higher survival and
carbon potential.
WSGP Initial Mobilisation Process (Spearhead Team)
The Spearhead Team operationalises the Gram Swabhiman Approach by leading early-stage
mobilisation in new WSGP areas and demonstrating participatory planning with village
institutions. Organisationally, this functions as a structured field-immersion mechanism where
cross-thematic teams, guided by the central unit, establish process standards, strengthen
community engagement systems, and build institutional readiness for WSGP implementation. The rotational deployment model further institutionalises learning, ensuring staff internalise the Sense of the House and Gram Swabhiman principles, thereby embedding community-centred, process- driven practice within the organisation’s field operations. Spearhead Document
Technology and Research Engagements
Continuing the partnerships with ACWADAM, WELL Labs, Indian Institute of Human Settlements (IIHS) and SEEDS Technical Services have been built for support on various aspects of the work of building knowledge development on Climate Resilience Communities. Additionally, Gram Vikas also initiated the proposal with WELL Labs to build better conceptual clarity around groundwater movements and how the work under WSGP has effects in a region beyond the boundaries of the gram panchayat. The basic idea is to develop greater understanding at a ‘bio-regional’ level. This is another component of the work that we have begun with Geeta Vaidyanathan and SEEDS.
The Climate Change Local Adaptation Pathways(CLAP) Year-2 project (led by IIHS with Gram Vikas and CMID) continued advancing climate migration adaptation work across Odisha and Kerala through research, community engagement, and service delivery. In Odisha, Gram Vikas nearly completed Work Packet 3 qualitative research across Surada, Daringbadi, and Rayagada through PRAs (5/6 GPs) and life-history interviews, contributed to data analysis, and co-led participatory foresight workshops in Mohuda and Kochi that mapped migration systems, identified key risks(debt pressure, unstable incomes, accidents, travel vulnerabilities, and climate-linked crop loss),and generated intervention pathways under a migration corridor approach.