ECO DRR

Ecological Disaster Risk Reduction (ECO DRR)

The Mission Samriddhi ECO-DRR (Ecosystem-Based Disaster Risk Reduction) Project is a transformative initiative led by SEEDS in partnership with Mission Samriddhi, UNICEF and IIT Gandhinagar. It aims to restore rural ecosystems, reduce disaster risks, and build community resilience to climate change.

Project Locations

Focusing on the Kariapatti block in Tamil Nadu, the project spans 25 panchayats, positively impacting over 17,550 individuals, including school students, adolescents, and farmers. By integrating ecosystem restoration, climate-resilient agriculture, and disaster preparedness, the project empowers communities with nature-based solutions for sustainable development and resilience.

Key Project Interventions

1. Ecosystem Restoration

Degraded natural resources such as ponds, lakes, green corridors, and wastelands were revived to serve as natural defenses against floods and droughts. These efforts helped enhance water security, biodiversity, and soil quality across the project areas.

2. Climate-Resilient Agriculture

Farmers were trained in sustainable practices such as organic farming, crop diversification, and intercropping. Climate advisory tools like IIT Gandhinagar Weather App and TN Alert were promoted to help farmers make informed decisions. This resulted in higher yields and better income stability.

3. Community-Based Disaster Preparedness

Awareness programs, mock drills, and early warning systems were established at the village level. Youth were trained as first responders, and community institutions were strengthened to act swiftly during disaster events.

4. Livelihood Diversification

The project introduced non-farm income-generating activities such as tailoring, food processing, and micro-enterprises. Special emphasis was placed on empowering women through skill development and enterprise support.

SEEDS and the NPM network has been working on a project on “Improving the market readiness of small and marginal farmers practicing NPM (Non Pesticide Management) of Agriculture, since October 2018. NPM is supported by BRLF (Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation). BRLF being an agency, supporting farming communities in backward regions of Central & Eastern India through NPM (Non-pesticide management). This project covers 22 CSOs (Civil Society Organizations) spread across 5 states in Central and Eastern India. The main objectives of this project are to promote FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations) by training the CSOs and prepare the CSO partners who have been promoting NPM in their working areas to aggregate, value add and connect them with organized markets.

Objectives

To strengthen the capacities of inexperienced partners, who are advocating NPM, to promote community based, producer-led Farmer Producer Organizations (FPCs).

To enhance the market preparedness of partners who are already promoting FPCs and open up for them, the possibility of working at scale to connect farming communities with organized markets.