Create Sustainable Alternative Livelihoods in India

Summary

In 2024, American India Foundation (AIF) committed to provide 5,000 women and girls in India with alternative sustainable livelihood opportunities over three years to help them and their families break the cycle of generational poverty while also building climate resilience in their communities. AIF’s proposed program would provide diverse skill development opportunities and promote sustainable practices amongst vulnerable youth, especially women and girls. AIF will employ its “5E approach” which aims to build climate-resilient communities and sustainable alternative livelihoods through ecosystem building, employment opportunities, entitlements accessibility, entrepreneurship opportunities, and environmentally-friendly approaches. Through this project, alongside partners including Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) , Dhanbad and The Energy and Resources Institute, New Delhi, AIF will create knowledge products that can be disseminated to a wider stakeholder network on how to build a skilled workforce capable of driving sustainable development in vulnerable communities.

Approach

The American India Foundation (AIF) commits to provide 5,000 women and girls with alternative sustainable livelihood opportunities over three years to help them, and their families break the cycle of poverty while building climate resilience in their communities. AIF will employ its “5E approach” which aims to build climate-resilient communities through sustainable alternative livelihoods in India through ecosystem building, employment opportunities, entitlements accessibility, and entrepreneurship.
AIF will conduct research, stakeholder consultations and pilots to identify and leverage climate-resilient livelihood practices and technologies. This will involve fostering partnerships and knowledge sharing to create a supportive ecosystem for sustainable development. AIF will explore remote work options and hyper-localized livelihood generation to create employment opportunities that are adaptable to climate change impacts. This will include leveraging technology for remote work and promoting local industries that are less vulnerable to environmental risks.

AIF will also ensure access to existing government entitlements and services for community members, particularly those in vulnerable regions. This includes advocacy efforts to improve access to social welfare programs and essential services such as healthcare and education. AIF will support entrepreneurship initiatives, including climate-smart agriculture and green livelihood enterprises. This involves providing training, mentorship, and access to finance for aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to build resilient businesses that contribute to environmental sustainability.

AIF will design and develop integrated models in five select locations to promote climate-resilient green and alternative livelihoods. These models will incorporate all aspects of the 5E approach, emphasizing sustainability, community resilience, and environmental stewardship.Through collaborations with partners including Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) , Dhanbad and The Energy & Resources Institute, AIF will create knowledge products that can be disseminated to a wider stakeholder network on how to build a skilled workforce capable of driving sustainable development in vulnerable communities.

Action Plan

AIF aims to provide 5,000 women and girls with alternative livelihood opportunities over three years, helping them break the cycle of poverty and build climate resilience in their communities. This will be achieved through the ‘5E approach’ mentioned above.
In the first year, AIF will research and consult stakeholders in towns of Bokaro, Chatra, Singrauli, Korba, and Paschim Bardhhaman to identify climate-resilient livelihoods. Pilot projects will be launched based on findings, and local partnerships will be established. Training programs for remote work and hyper-localized livelihoods will be developed, and infrastructure such as Training cum Production Centers will be built. Awareness campaigns and advocacy will enhance access to social welfare. Initial training will focus on climate-smart agriculture and green enterprises. By the end of the first year, 1,500 women and girls will benefit in this phase.
In the second year, pilot projects will be refined and expanded based on feedback, and partnerships with different stakeholders will be strengthened. Remote work and hyper-localized livelihood projects will scale up, and monitoring frameworks will be implemented. Advocacy efforts and community feedback mechanisms will improve social welfare program accessibility. Training, mentorship, and financial support for entrepreneurs will continue, with workshops sharing best practices. 1,750 women and girls will benefit in this phase.
In the third year, successful climate-resilient practices will be integrated into community frameworks, and comprehensive reports will be published. Employment projects will be institutionalized within local educational programs, and continuous improvement processes will be established. All targeted community members will receive entitled benefits, with processes refined through data and feedback. Entrepreneurship support will be integrated into local economic plans, and a regional hub will provide ongoing support. 1,750 women and girls will benefit in this phase, achieving the overall goal of 5,000 beneficiaries.

Background

In India, certain environmentally sensitive regions depend on a single non-renewable energy industry for livelihoods, notably in the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh. These areas often exhibit some of the poorest Human Development Index (HDI) indicators, according to the UNDP, with populations facing numerous challenges including climate vulnerability, environmental degradation, health risks, economic instability, and limited access to sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Moreover, women and female youth in remote areas experience heightened insecurity due to long-distance travel for employment, often leading to their exclusion from the workforce. For example, Odisha has a female labor force participation rate of 15.2% which is lower than India’s national average of 18.2% (IWWAGE) . Further, families relying on a single daily wage earner face significant economic uncertainty. These communities are trapped in a cycle of generational poverty, with the younger generation entering the same unsustainable livelihood, perpetuating the cycle of economic vulnerability for the families. The lack of exposure to alternative/multiple livelihood options for the family leaves the whole family highly vulnerable.
Addressing these issues requires a program that establishes an ecosystem of alternate livelihoods, encompassing skill development and training in sustainable employment, access to finance through microfinance and credit facilities, market linkages, and support for cooperative societies and e-commerce platforms. Additionally, engaging communities through awareness campaigns and participatory decision-making will create a resilient and sustainable livelihood ecosystem in these regions

Progress Update

Partnership Opportunities

Financial Resources: AIF has secured/is close to securing $1 million of the $3 million needed to execute this project. AIF is seeking an additional $2 million to bring alternative livelihood opportunities to 5,000 women improving their economic and life prospects while at the same time building climate resilience at the community level.

Given the significance of the project and its applicability across India and other similar countries, AIF would also like to seek relevant and appropriate media support to amplify its work and its results., Research institutes, IIT-ISM and TERI, will conduct research studies, baseline, and endline surveys. AIF will provide financial resources to support these studies, ensuring thorough analysis and informed decision-making