Deadline: 18-Sep-2025
The World Food Programme (WFP) is supporting a comprehensive initiative in India that focuses on strengthening livelihoods, food security, nutrition, and social well-being while also addressing gender equality, youth leadership, and environmental sustainability.
The project is being implemented in the states of Odisha and Tamil Nadu, with the aim of empowering communities and creating resilient systems that respond to both immediate and long-term challenges.
The initiative covers multiple sectors and areas of specialization. It emphasizes gender equality and women’s empowerment, capacity building, service provision, youth participation, and the use of research and data analysis to inform decision-making. Alongside these cross-sectoral areas, the program addresses food security through agricultural inputs, early warning systems, and market analysis, while also focusing on sustainable livelihoods such as animal production, aquaculture, forestry, microfinance, and vocational training. Nutrition, social policy, and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) interventions also play a crucial role, with efforts directed at micronutrient support, social safety nets, biodiversity conservation, natural resource management, and water security.
The expected results of the program are wide-ranging and ambitious. At the household level, the initiative seeks to increase income for around 1,715 beneficiaries, representing approximately 6,840 farmers, with an average of 95 beneficiaries per village across 20 villages. In terms of diversifying farms and livelihoods, the project will directly engage 1,600 farmers, reaching about 80 participants per village. At the block level, indirect benefits will extend to over 1.5 lakh community members through livelihood management and climate services, while nearly 1.9 lakh individuals will be reached through the development of community climate adaptation plans.
Capacity building is a central component, with 100 officials and extension workers expected to co-produce tailored climate services, and 300 participants trained in adaptation planning, solar technologies, IoT solutions, and management information systems. The project also envisions the establishment of 20 watershed and integrated farming system models, with 10 facilities in each block. At the farmgate level, 30 self-help groups, divided equally across the two blocks, will engage in processing and market linkage activities, while one farmer producer organization will be established per district to strengthen collective market access.
By combining cross-sectoral strategies with targeted livelihood and food security interventions, this initiative aims to create a lasting impact on vulnerable communities in Odisha and Tamil Nadu. It seeks not only to improve household incomes and diversify livelihoods but also to build community resilience, strengthen institutions, and foster inclusive growth that benefits farmers, women, and youth across the region.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.
