Case Study: Flood-Resilient Housing in Gorakhpur
This initiative, led by a local community organization (SEEDS India, working with the UNFCCC), addresses the severe impact of monsoon flooding in the vulnerable Mahewa ward of Gorakhpur.
Problem Addressed: The Mahewa ward is highly prone to annual flooding, which disproportionately affects poor and marginalized communities who lack resilient infrastructure.
Community-Centered Approach: The project involved local residents in the design and construction processes, leveraging indigenous knowledge and building new types of flood-resilient, affordable houses.
Adaptation Measures:
Resilient Design: Houses were designed to withstand flood impacts.
Sustainable Materials: The project used locally available, energy-efficient bricks and less cement mortar (19% fewer bricks and 54% less cement mortar), reducing costs and carbon emissions associated with transport.
Capacity Building: Project representatives held workshops and hands-on training to ensure the replicability of the building techniques within the community.
Outcome: The initiative provided low-cost, sustainable housing that enhanced safety, sanitation, and climate resilience for the beneficiaries, with a strong sense of community ownership.
Case Study: Community-led Watershed Management in Maharashtra
The Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR) has implemented extensive community-led watershed development programs in rural India to combat drought and water scarcity.
Problem Addressed: Increasing frequency and intensity of droughts in regions like Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, impacting agricultural livelihoods and water availability.
Community-Centered Approach: The project emphasizes ecosystem-based approaches (EbA) and empowers local communities to collectively manage their land, water, and forests.
Adaptation Measures:
Water Conservation: Villagers built various structures like check dams, ponds, and rainwater harvesting tanks to prevent run-off and store water.
Groundwater Recharge: These structures significantly aided in recharging local groundwater levels, replenishing wells and lakes.
Climate-Smart Agriculture: With improved water availability, farmers shifted to more profitable and climate-resilient crops (e.g., pomegranate, soybean) and adopted efficient water usage techniques like drip irrigation with diffusers.
Outcome: The approach led to increased water availability, enhanced agricultural productivity, improved livelihoods, and built long-term resilience to drought conditions, demonstrating successful integration of traditional wisdom and scientific methods.