Kendrapara: Beyond their traditional social work, women in Kendrapara are emerging as climate champions, actively protecting nature by enhancing climate resilience and empowering their communities. Since 2023, they have been trained as climate champions through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-facilitated Enhancing Climate Resilience of India’s Coastal Communities (ECRICC) project. Green Climate Fund , Odisha government and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change are involved in the ECRICC project. A team of 15 IIMC students and their two mentors visited Krushna Nagar panchayat to interact with them and learn about the work accomplished by the trained climate champions. They mobilised people door-to-door, promoting crab cultivation, SRI (System of Rice Intensification) paddy cultivation and ornamental fish farming. The students also raised awareness among people about the protection and conservation of mangrove forest. Their objective was to help people improve their livelihoods and enhance their income.

In response, the village champions said earlier they faced resistance regarding changes in cultivation methods both from their families and community. But now, as many as 5,000 families are benefiting from adopting these methods in crab and SRI in paddy cultivation.

As of now, 6,907 farmers are utilising SRI cultivation method across 1,726.75 acres of land. Ten farming families have started crab cultivation operations commercially, while another 10 families have been motivated to pursue ornamental fish farming under the ECRICC project.

The climate champions have been promoting awareness on the conservation and restoration of mangrove forests, which act as a vital backbone in preventing devastation during cyclones. “We are safe during natural calamities because of mangrove forests,” said Puspalata Khamari of Krushna Nagar panchayat.

The IIMC students moved from Krushna Nagar panchayat to a mangrove forest where they covered two documentaries over a two-day programme. The students walked for several kilometres through the forest and documented crocodile conservation and research activities during their visit.

Rajnagar DFO Varadaraj Gaonkar briefed students about ECRICC project, a collaborative initiative with the Forest department where the UNDP provides quality assurance for climate resilience works.

Students Deepanshu Jha, Megha Singh and Aradhana Dash said they were happy to know about the amazing works of climate champions. They also expressed their happiness over creating documentaries, one focusing on crocodiles and the other on mangroves, which are slated for national-level presentation.