Development Alternatives

At the recent WION Pulse session on “Planet Pulse: Green Growth and Climate Divide – The Business of Climate: Profit or Planet”, the discussions brought together diverse perspectives, from green growth opportunities to evolving energy realities. Amid these, Dr. Ashok Khosla’s insights stood out as a powerful reminder that the climate crisis is, at its core, a question of equity. Developing nations like India and countries across Africa are already bearing the brunt of climate impacts, despite contributing far less to the problem. This raises a fundamental question: who pays, and who bears the cost? Dr. Khosla emphasised that bridging this divide requires rethinking the global economic architecture, so that development and sustainability are not competing priorities, but aligned pathways. Integrating climate awareness into education systems and building sustainable aspirations from an early stage will be key to shaping resilient futures. As climate systems grow increasingly vulnerable, the path forward lies in aligning the economy with ecology, through informed choices, inclusive governance, and collective responsibility. Because ultimately, the question is not just about profit or planet, but about the kind of world we choose to leave behind. #ClimateAction #ClimateJustice #GreenGrowth #Sustainability #ClimateLiteracy #WIONPulse

We are all aware that when the rights to safe drinking water and sanitation are lacking, inequalities flourish. This March 22, as we celebrate World Water Day, we remind ourselves and our readers of this important reality. Read the editorial to understand the intricate landscape of water governance in India. Discover why awareness, community engagement, and easy-to-use tools, such as water-testing kits, are essential to empower communities. Explore the various initiatives taken by the country and by Development Alternatives to place water security at the core of well-being, ecological health, and resilient livelihoods. Learn how Odisha is moving towards its vision of a developed state by 2036 and 2047, and strengthening water systems is becoming a crucial strategy to mitigate the risk of future 'Day Zero' crises. Also, read about Development Alternatives’ initiative to revive 98 ponds in four Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Maharashtra. To read the newsletter, click here :  devalt.org/newsletter/88-… #WorldRadioDay #CommunityRadio #ClimateCommunication #InclusiveDevelopment #LocalVoices

Restoring Urban Water Systems through Partnership Under the Natural Ecosystem Restoration program, Development Alternatives, with support from The Lubrizol Corporation and in partnership with Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, has initiated the rejuvenation of Kille Gaothan Pond in CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai. Dewatering activities have commenced, marking the first phase of restoring the pond’s ecological and functional capacity. Over time, the waterbody has experienced reduced storage potential and environmental stress. This intervention aims to revive nearly 16,000 cubic meters of water holding capacity, improve surrounding environmental conditions, and strengthen resilience to seasonal flooding. Through Natural Ecosystem Restoration, the focus is on regenerating critical blue-green infrastructure within rapidly urbanising landscapes. Urban ponds are essential climate assets. They absorb excess rainfall, support groundwater recharge, moderate local temperatures, and create ecological breathing spaces within cities. The restoration of Kille Gaothan Pond represents a collaborative effort to rebuild natural systems that support long-term environmental stability in Navi Mumbai. We look forward to sharing the visible transformation in the weeks ahead. #Lubrizol #DevelopmentAlternatives #NaturalEcosystemRestoration #NaviMumbai #UrbanWater #ClimateResilience #CSRImpact

We were privileged to host Shri Manish Bhardwaj, IAS, Secretary, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), at TARAgram, Orchha, the rural innovation campus of Development Alternatives. During his visit, he engaged with the team at Radio Bundelkhand and interacted with listeners, emphasising the critical importance of disaster risk reduction and preparedness at the community level. He appreciated and acknowledged the recognition of Radio Bundelkhand's long-standing initiative, Shubh Kal, which has been informing and educating the population of Bundelkhand on climate change adaptation and timely weather alerts since 2008. His visit and message reaffirmed the significant role community radios play in strengthening disaster risk reduction in India. #RadioBundelkhand #ShubhKal #DisasterRiskReduction #ClimateResilience #DevelopmentAlternatives

Across districts in Uttar Pradesh, #InclusiveEntrepreneurship is assuming a clearer, more intentional shape, emerging from steady convergence among grassroots entrepreneurs, community institutions, government systems, financial actors, and local markets. What once functioned in silos is gradually learning to move in rhythm. This growing alignment is simplifying the journey for entrepreneurs- clarifying pathways, reducing friction, strengthening trust, and enabling enterprises to stabilize, diversify, and scale. As linkages become stronger, entrepreneurship shifts from being an individual journey to a supported local possibility. This piece by Kanika Verma, Lead - Sustainable Enterprise & Executive Vice President, Development Alternatives reflects on what it truly takes to build #InclusiveRuralEntrepreneurship. To Read: perspectives.devalt.org/2026/02/25/the… #SustainableEntrepreneurship #WomenLedEntrepreneurship #RuralEntrepreneurship #SocialInnovation #SystemsChange

Join us at #AIImpactSummit! The true promise of AI lies in its ability to reach the last mile and that’s exactly what we’re showcasing at #AIImpactSummit2026. Development Alternatives, together with Gram Vaani, is at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi demonstrating voice-enabled, interactive Q&A - a simple, accessible and intuitive AI feature designed to expand access to entrepreneurship, especially for women entrepreneurs. Where: Pillar 15, Hall 3, First Floor When: 16–20 February 2026 If you’re at the Summit, we invite you to drop by, explore the technology, and engage with our team to see how community networks and intelligent tools can come together to unlock opportunities for scale. #AIforRuralEntrepreneurship #InclusiveEntrepreneurship #WomensEconomicEmpowerment #SocialInnovation #SocialInnovationLedEntrepreneurship #SustainableEntrepreneurship

Jyoti Tomar from Sidipur was acknowledged at the Harit Summit for her unwavering commitment to restoring her village pond, a transformation led under the Natural Ecosystem Restoration programme through Project Transforming Ponds in collaboration with @HCL_Foundation . Her journey reflects how community leadership can turn revival into resilience and local action into lasting change.

#DANL | On #WorldRadioDay, we present this month’s edition of the Development Alternatives Newsletter, examining the transformative role of community radio in strengthening climate communication and deepening democratic participation across rural India. As climate risks intensify, community media platforms are emerging as critical last-mile institutions, translating complex policy discourse into accessible, locally relevant dialogue. Through platforms such as Radio Bundelkhand, communities are not only informed but actively engaged in governance processes and collective decision-making. This edition highlights how relatable storytelling, interactive formats, and trusted local voices are reshaping conversations around agriculture, adaptation, and development. Stories such as that of Ramdhakeli Kushwaha illustrate how programmes like Shubh Kal are catalysing behavioural shifts at the grassroots. It also situates these efforts within the broader community radio ecosystem, including initiatives such as Kisan Vani, underscoring the scale and credibility of radio as a medium for inclusive climate action. Together, these insights reaffirm the role of community radio as enabling infrastructure for resilience, accountability, and sustainable development. Read the editorial to explore how community media continues to bridge the gap between policy and people. To read the newsletter, click here : devalt.org/newsletter/87-… #WorldRadioDay #CommunityRadio #ClimateCommunication #InclusiveDevelopment #LocalVoices

We are excited to share that Rani Urja Mandala Samiti, a women-run enterprise breaking barriers in clean energy leadership, has been honoured with the #DREWomenoftheYear Award at the India Distributed Renewable Energy Summit (IDRES) 2026, hosted by Clean Energy Access Network and supported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The Samiti anchors an Urja Mandala in Patratoli, Jharkhand powering local enterprises. More than an energy solution, the model demonstrates how women-led systems can strengthen local economies while advancing decentralised renewable energy solutions. Supported by the Nawagarh Cluster Level Federation, the Samiti manages a 32.5-kWp women-led solar mini-grid, providing clean, affordable and reliable electricity to more than 45 micro and small enterprises in the village. By enabling businesses to shift from diesel to solar power, this Urja Mandala has reduced costs, improved productivity, and created 30+ local jobs while impacting over 100 livelihoods in the village. The system also mitigates 37.84 tCO₂ annually, demonstrating how decentralised renewable energy can deliver both economic returns and nurture sustainability. What makes the Urja Mandala model truly transformative is governance. Samiti members oversee smart metering, billing, customer relations, tariff negotiations, and partnerships roles traditionally dominated by men. Today, these women are negotiating with financial institutions, coordinating with government bodies, and hosting exposure visits for national and international delegations, positioning Patratoli as a learning hub for women-led DRE systems. The outcomes speak for themselves: 60% increase in average annual income among entrepreneurs buying electricity from the samiti 40% rise in incomes for women managing the Urja Mandala ₹45+ lakh in capital unlocked from local entrepreneurs, financial institutions, and ecosystem partners to support solar capacity expansion and new enterprise creation. 2,000+ individuals engaged through mobilisation and capacity building on clean energy use, enterprise development, and governance. Despite early scepticism, the Samiti has built strong community trust and demonstrated that women-led energy enterprises are both viable and scalable. #DRE #WomenInEnergy #CleanEnergy #EnergyTransition #ClimateAction #RuralEntrepreneurship #CleanTechnologyEnterprise #IDRES2026 #UrjaMandala #socialinnovation #systemicprototype #systemschange

#DADigest | This month at Development Alternatives, action unfolded across policy rooms and communities. Brave Spaces in Jhansi helped rural women voice entrepreneurial aspirations. TARA (Technology and Action for Rural Advancement) attended NITI Aayog’s dialogue on cement sector decarbonisation. On the ground, Sidipur Pond was revived and women-led SHGs in Rudraprayag were strengthened through local partnerships. To know more about these events, click here: devalt.org/DA-Digest/dige… For more of such updates, keep following Development Alternatives #BraveSpaces #SustainableEnterprises #Decarbonisation #SustainableDevelopment

#DANL | The first issue of this year’s Development Alternatives Newsletter explores how community-led platforms, collaborative ecosystems, and local institutions are reshaping India’s development pathway. Through stories of rural enterprises, street vendors, and last-mile service entrepreneurs, this edition highlights how collective systems, rather than isolated projects, are enabling inclusive, resilient, and scalable local economies. It also spotlights the role of enterprise support services, district-level entrepreneurship coalitions, and Haqdarshikas in strengthening informal markets, advancing last-mile inclusion, and accelerating progress towards the SDGs. Together, these insights reflect India’s evolving roadmap for equitable and sustainable development. To read click here: devalt.org/newsletter/86-… #InclusiveEntrepreneurship #CollectiveAction #LocalEconomy

#InternationalDayOfCleanEnergy : When do clean energy solutions truly scale?

In a small village in Birbhum, Papiya Ghosh turned discarded banana fibre into a steady livelihood, with the right skills, support, and market access. Her journey shows how traditional knowledge, when backed by strong institutions, can reshape incomes, confidence, and communities. Read more → devalt.org/story-detail/1…

Two decades. One small plot. A farming system that works. Through Radio Bundelkhand, stories of everyday farming in Bundelkhand travel far beyond individual fields. One such voice is farmer Shyampal Kashipura, who has spent over 20 years practicing agroforestry, growing fruit-bearing trees alongside traditional crops, managing land and water as shared resources rather than isolated inputs. His approach reflects the core of community resource management: fresh food for his family, surplus produce for the market, and income that remains steady over time. A participant of the Shubh Kal Leader, India's first rural reality show, Shyampal today shares not just outcomes, but processes on how small landholdings can be made productive, resilient, and sustainable. Through Radio Bundelkhand, his experience reaches other farmers, turning one working model into collective learning and long-term food security across villages.

#YearEnder | 2025 was a year of translating climate ambition into action, scaling solutions that make cities, industries, and livelihoods more sustainable and inclusive. From advancing low-carbon pathways in the built environment and commercialising LC³ cement solutions, to greening industrial systems and enabling people- and planet-positive enterprises at the grassroots, the focus remained on building systems that endure. Led by Development Alternatives, this work strengthened institutions, built local capacities, and turned clean technologies into real economic opportunities on the ground. Let’s take a closer look at the pathways we advanced together.

#HappyNewYear | 2025 was a year of transition, shaped by the question of what must change as we move forward. Across towns and villages, a quiet shift took place. Women and young entrepreneurs showed resilience in the face of external shocks, expanding what was possible for their families and communities. Today, Development Alternatives supports 125 enterprises every day, advancing the Sam-Udyam mission of one million livelihoods by 2030. The year also saw steady progress in low-carbon cement and building material technologies, with a clear target of mitigating 100 million tonnes of CO₂ over the next decade. Partnerships with governments, particularly in Odisha, helped mainstream low-carbon materials in public construction. In the brick sector, Geo-AI enabled a national first—geospatial mapping of brick kilns across India. On the ground, the focus remained on ownership, strengthening community-managed systems across ponds, landscapes, water and waste, WASH, and integrated village development, led by women and local collectives. As we step into 2026, we do so with renewed commitment, guided by community aspirations and the belief that people drive lasting change. On that note, team DA wishes you a very Happy New Year!

We’re launching JalConnect (जलConnect): Re-Storying Our Ponds Led by Development Alternatives in collaboration with HCL Foundation under Natural Ecosystem Restoration program, this campaign focuses on strengthening community-led stewardship of pond ecosystems through awareness, dialogue, and shared learning. From January to March, JalConnect will spotlight ponds as living ecosystems, amplify local knowledge, and encourage collective action to protect these vital water bodies. Join us as we re-story our ponds, with communities at the heart of the narrative. #जलConnect #ReStoryingOurPonds #CommunityStewardship #WaterConservation #LivingWaterBodies