Gram Vikas won the 10th Earth Care Awards for its work in Community-based Climate Action. A joint initiative of JSW and the Times of India group, the national award recognises exemplary climate stewardship of individuals, organisations and state actors. Surekha Majhi, a young community leader from village Chirikelguda in the district, and Liby Johnson, the Executive Director of Gram Vikas, received the award from Aditya Thackeray, the Minister of Tourism and Environment, Government of Maharashtra.

The award recognised Gram Vikas’ initiative, ‘Community-owned Social and Agroforestry for Protecting and Rejuvenating Water Sources‘, in Kalahandi, Odisha. Supported by the InterGlobe Foundation for the past three years, the work enables forest-dependent communities in habitations with limited access to forest resources to create, own and manage their productive forests. Through capacity building, community institutional development and technical support, Gram Vikas strengthens the resilience of communities to navigate the challenges posed by climate change.

Adivasi communities across ten habitations plant productive fruit, fodder, and fuel bearing species in 540 acres of common and privately owned land. The increase in forest cover ensures water source sustainability, improves water availability for drinking and domestic uses, increases soil moisture conservation and fertility, and enables diversification of natural resources-based livelihoods.

Over the past three years, the project has resulted in 137,000 social forestry plantations, 13,000 agroforestry plantations, and 540 acres of hilly land treated per watershed and springshed principles. There is a 15% increase in the discharge of water sources across the intervention areas.

In 105 acres, improved soil moisture has reduced the use of kerosene pumps for irrigation. Afforestation has created 130,000 tons of carbon sequestration potential, increased green cover in 100 acres, and improved water availability in 145 acres for a second crop.

Read stories from the initiative on our blog: https://www.gramvikas.org/blog/

Watch the telecast here (timestamp: 1:28:15 to 1:33:25): https://youtu.be/7FkgbixXInA