Enhancing Rural Resilience through Appropriate Development Actions (ERADA)

Change Alliance, in partnership with GIZ, has implemented the ERADA project in Bihar to build cluster-based climate-resilient livelihood models. This initiative focuses on improving rural livelihoods through sustainable interventions, capacity building, and convergence with key government schemes.

Key early achievements from some of the interventions:

  • Fisheries Development: Strengthened 35 women under the CRP model for sustainable fisheries. Activities include technical convergence, policy advocacy, and establishing resource cells for fisheries and foxnut cultivation.
  • Foxnut Cultivation: Trained 35 households in sustainable foxnut production, value chain development, and marketing.
  • Groundnut Processing: Empowered 35 farmers with entrepreneurship skills and promoted intercropping practices, sustainable farming, and value chain integration.
  • Goat Farming: Strengthened 30 Pashu Sakhi members on goat management, introduced low-cost goat shed models, and utilized IVRS systems for awareness and green fodder incorporation.
  • MGNREGA Convergence: Established 87 labor groups, conducted GIS-based planning in 30 GPs, and supported technical training for 48 MGNREGA functionaries.

Impact Story:

In Bistoria GP (Bihar), ERADA led to the renovation of a pond combined with bund plantation and fishery development, directly benefiting 38 Rishidev households, created 1,830 person-days through MGNREGA convergence, secured ₹11.12 lakhs for the initiative and estimated to enhance household income by ₹12,000 annually from March 2024 onwards.

Key Highlights:

  • Direct impact on 5,000+ households across multiple sectors, including fisheries, foxnut, groundnut, goat farming, and MGNREGA activities.
  • Strengthened community participation through meetings, gram sabhas, and policy melas, buyer-seller meets and access to finance.
  • Promoted sustainability and entrepreneurship by integrating agricultural practices with market linkages and technical support.

This project exemplifies Change Alliance’s commitment to fostering rural resilience and driving sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience in marginalized communities. What’s critical is Change Alliance implemented dual and integrated livelihood strategy as a means to diversify livelihood opportunities which ensured availability of livelihood and income access throughout the year for vulnerable and marginalized communities.