Ensuring Sustainable Development For Livelihoods

Building safe and resilient livelihoods for marginalised women

CARE India’s Livelihood mandate works with the women engaged in smallholder agriculture, small businesses or employed as farm or non-farm labour. Implementing a range of innovative rural livelihood initiatives, we help women build secure and resilient livelihoods and climb out of poverty permanently. The key approaches adopted in rural livelihood sector initiatives include capability enhancement, asset building, collectivisation, inclusive value chain development, and engagement of men and other influential actors. As a women’s organisation in India, we advocate the importance of women’s education and sustainable development in our livelihood initiatives.

Women’s Skilling and Entrepreneurship Development

Seed Center Led Model

SEED Centers – one stop solution to meet needs of potential women entrepreneurs and future workforce.

  • Holistic Tech-led skilling – Life skills, digital literacy, employability and entrepreneurship
  • Techno-managerial assistance for women entrepreneurs-Incubation
  • Vocational training facilitation
  • Post training employment assistance for women
  • Gender transformative enabling environment creation

Empowering Women Smallholder Farmers

She Feeds The World

She Feeds the World’s goal to improve the food/livelihoods security and nutrition of poor rural households, with a strong emphasis on women small-scale producers.

  • Nutrition sensitive agriculture
  • Community Based Adaptation
  • Farmers Field Business School
  • Extension Plus Agri Kiosks
  • Super Food System that are Sustainable, Productive
  • Gendered value chain development
  • Collectives Strengthening

Women’s Access to Clean Energy Solutions

She School Led Technology Extension Model

She School model provides the opportunity for clean Energy Pathway for women. Entrepreneurship and employment through

  • Sustaiable Energy Cluster Development
  • Agriculture (Food), Water and Energy – Nexus: AWE-some Nexus
  • Access to other renewable sources of enery for life cycle needs and livelihoods

Women’s Livelihood

187,724

Individuals reached directly through livelihood interventions across 12 states, out of which 144,709 are women.

25,623

Households supported to transition to clean energy cooking solutions under SDG 7.

31,832

Individuals received support for inclusive and sustainable economic opportunities and to have decent work (SDG 8).

33,972

CARE India worked with 33,972 people to overcome hunger and poverty (SDG 1).

3,962

To enhance resilience of communities arising from climate-based vulnerabilities, CARE India reached 3,962 individuals with Climate Smart agriculture interventions (SDG 13).

1,163

1,163 smallholder cotton growing farmers shifted to waste-water reduction technique in Buldana district of Maharashtra.

348

348 smallholder organic cotton growing farmers have improved soil fertility with reduction of excessive chemical inputs in Buldana district of Maharashtra.

Focus Areas

Key Programmes

Mathew Cherian

Secure and Resilient Livelihoods for Smallholders (SRL)

Secure and Resilient Livelihoods for Smallholders (SRL)

Promoting more secure and resilient livelihoods for poor smallholder/forest fringe households from 21 villages in Surat.

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Resources

Best Practice

Banking on change is a global partnership between Barclays…

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Chain Reaction

The Dairy Value Chain (DVC) Project was initiated in 2011…

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Banking on Change

To take forword it’s agenda on the Financial Inclusion, CARE along with…

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Gallery

Frequently Asked Questions



Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) play an important role in advancing sustainable development by addressing critical social, economic, and environmental issues. Here are some of the ways that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) contribute to sustainable development:

  • Raising Awareness: Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) work to raise public awareness about sustainability issues and their effects on people and the environment. They educate and mobilise people towards sustainable practises through various forms of media and advocacy.
  • Community and Women Empowerment: NGOs like CARE India stress the importance of women’s education in India and work with local communities to identify and address their needs, which can include healthcare, education, clean water, and sanitation, among other things. They assist communities in developing long-term solutions that promote economic development while safeguarding natural resources.
  • Advocacy and Policy Influence: NGOs advocate for policies that promote sustainable development and social justice, such as sustainable resource management, climate action, and human rights. They participate in advocacy efforts aimed at influencing decision-makers at the local, national, and international levels.
  • Capacity Building: Through training, education, and awareness-raising campaigns, NGOs increase the capacity of individuals and communities to engage in sustainable practises. They also provide technical assistance and support in the development of long-term solutions.
  • Collaborative Partnerships: NGOs collaborate with other organisations, such as governments, businesses, and civil society groups, to achieve common goals and advance sustainable development. They pool their expertise and resources to form multi-stakeholder coalitions that promote sustainable practises.



CARE India has various initiatives designed to promote sustainable development. These include:

  • Women training and entrepreneurship development
  • Empowering women smallholder Farmers
  • Promoting women’s access to clean energy



NGOs working to improve rural livelihoods and empower women face a number of challenges that can stymie their efforts to promote long-term development. Here are some of the most common challenges that NGOs working in this field face:

  • Limited Resources: NGOs working in rural areas frequently have limited financial and human resources to effectively implement their programmes. This can make it difficult for them to provide training, technical assistance, and other services to rural communities, particularly women.
  • Cultural Barriers: NGOs working in rural areas may face resistance from traditional cultural norms and practises that limit women’s participation in economic and social activities. This can make it difficult for NGOs to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.
  • Insufficient Infrastructure: Poor infrastructure, such as roads, transportation, and communication, can impede NGO programme delivery in rural areas. This can limit NGOs’ reach and make it difficult for them to serve remote communities.
  • Climate Change: Another significant challenge confronting NGOs working in rural areas is climate change. Climate-related disasters can have a negative impact on the livelihoods of rural communities, particularly women, who are frequently the most vulnerable. To assist communities in adapting to climate change, NGOs may be required to develop climate-resilient livelihood programmes.



Marginalised women in India face several challenges when it comes to livelihoods: Here are some of the major obstacles they may face:

  • Limited access to education and skills training: Many rural women in India have limited access to education and skill training, which can limit their employability and earning potential.
  • Gender discrimination: Rural women in India frequently face gender discrimination in a variety of areas, including job access, wages, and working conditions.
  • Limited financial resources: Rural women frequently lack access to financial resources such as credit, savings, and insurance, making it difficult for them to start or grow a business.
  • Social norms and cultural attitudes: Traditional social norms and cultural attitudes frequently limit rural women’s roles and opportunities, including in the workforce.
  • Lack of infrastructure and basic services: Rural women may find it difficult to work and earn a living due to poor infrastructure and limited access to basic services such as water and electricity.
  • Limited mobility: Rural women’s mobility is frequently restricted due to safety concerns or cultural norms, limiting their ability to access work or business opportunities.
  • Poor working conditions: Rural women are frequently employed in low-wage jobs with poor working conditions, such as long hours, hazardous working environments, or a lack of job security.
  • Climate change and environmental degradation: Climate change and environmental degradation have a disproportionate impact on rural communities and can have a negative impact on women’s livelihoods.
  • Limited access to land: Rural women often lack land ownership, restricting business growth and credit access. Cultural norms limit exercising legal rights, harming economic independence. Policy interventions and cultural change are needed to promote women’s land rights.

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