Livelihood

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Livelihood

Securing Livelihoods with Dignity

Our Livelihood Model

Voices of Change

“I was just a daily wager. Now I sell mushrooms from my backyard. My son goes to school, and my voice matters in village meetings.”
Kalyani, SHG Member, Gajapati

Aligned with Global Goals

Key Components

Agroecological Farming

VIEWS champions agroecological farming as a sustainable, inclusive alternative to chemical-intensive agriculture. Focusing on tribal and Dalit women farmers, we promote ecologically sound practices—such as organic composting, crop rotation, intercropping, and natural pest control—that regenerate soil, conserve water, and build climate resilience. We have created a network of community resource persons and women farmer leaders who serve as social capital to mobilize change from within. Through farmer field schools, bio-resource centres, and peer learning platforms, VIEWS enables marginalized women to reduce input costs, boost productivity, and reclaim control over their land and livelihoods with dignity.

Indigenous Seed Conservation

At the heart of sustainable farming is the seed, and VIEWS is revitalizing indigenous seed systems through community-managed seed banks led by women and Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs). We work with tribal and Dalit women farmers to conserve native, climate-resilient varieties suited to local conditions. These seeds not only preserve biodiversity but also restore community control over agriculture, reducing reliance on commercial hybrids. Through seed fairs, knowledge exchanges, and training on seed selection and storage, we are empowering women as custodians of food security and ecological heritage.

Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM)

VIEWS employs an INRM approach that places marginalized communities—particularly tribal women—at the centre of land, water, and forest conservation. We mobilize village development committees and women’s collectives to develop participatory micro-plans, approved through Palli Sabhas and Gram Sabhas, and implemented under schemes like MGNREGS. Our initiatives include water harvesting, soil and moisture conservation, and common land restoration, improving resource availability and food security for vulnerable families. The inclusive process ensures that women from SC/ST communities are recognized as decision-makers and resource stewards.

Livestock Promotion

Livestock-based livelihoods are a reliable income source for landless and asset-poor women. VIEWS supports goatery and backyard poultry units for widowed, single, and deserted tribal and Dalit women, providing training, inputs, and linkages to veterinary care. These women gain regular income, nutritional security, and increased social standing. By facilitating access to markets and local animal health services, we ensure that livestock becomes a viable and dignified livelihood option in both inland and climate-vulnerable areas.

Fisheries and Coastal Livelihoods

In Odisha’s coastal belt, VIEWS supports Dalit and tribal fishing families to secure sustainable incomes through diversified marine livelihoods. We promote eco-friendly fishing, post-harvest value chains, and safety nets like insurance and early warning systems. Special focus is placed on empowering women through training in dry fish processing, net mending, boat engine repair, and home-based microenterprises. These activities reduce over-dependence on overfished marine resources and protect the coastal ecosystem, while ensuring women’s active economic participation and leadership.

Processing and Value Addition

VIEWS promotes value addition and food processing enterprises to increase rural incomes, especially for Dalit and tribal women in Self-Help Groups (SHGs). We provide skills and support for processing, packaging, branding, and market access for products like millets, pulses, spices, moringa powder, tomato-based items, and forest leaf products. By connecting women-led enterprises to financial services, FPOs, and digital marketplaces, we enable them to move up the value chain and capture higher returns. This model not only increases household income but also builds rural women’s entrepreneurship and confidence.

Small & Marginal Farmers

Unemployed Youth & Migrants

Women-headed Households

Persons with Disabilities

Forest Dwellers & Fisherfolk

Key Achievements

600 SHGs promoted across villages

18,300 farmers practicing organic farming

15,100 farmers adopting System of Rice Intensification (SRI)

8,500 farmers adopting climate-resilient practices

2,200 farmers introduced to pulses cultivation

1,650 youth trained in market-driven skills

160 ultra-poor women supported in enterprise creation

850 families supported in livestock-based livelihoods

300 households supported in fishery-based ventures

330 women trained in mushroom cultivation

6,500 households engaged in commercial vegetable farming

1 Farmer Producer Company established in Ganjam

Our Commitment

At VIEWS, we are committed to transforming vulnerable communities into hubs of opportunity, resilience, and dignity. Livelihoods are more than income—they are the foundation of freedom, food security, and future generations’ well-being.

With our partners, we will continue to promote inclusive, climate-resilient, and sustainable livelihoods that empower people—especially women, youth, and marginalized groups—to break cycles of poverty and thrive with dignity.

Together, we’re not just creating livelihoods—we’re building self-reliant, resilient, and climate-smart communities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddlkR2jGkKY%20