CARM-DAKSH focuses on supporting small and marginal households that face economic poverty and social marginalization. In recent years, we have addressed two critical challenges affecting these households. First, there are poor returns from agriculture and livestock, exacerbated by climate change. Second, despite efforts to integrate women into development initiatives, their status within the household and community remains unchanged.

To create meaningful change, we advocate for a landscape-based approach. This involves promoting Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) - soil and water conservation, adopting better practices, and addressing climate change impacts. By doing so, we reduce vulnerability for those whose livelihoods depend on agriculture, livestock, and forest-based resources. Additionally, this approach enhances food security and contributes to environmental protection.

Small, marginal, and poor households—especially those headed by women, single women households, and elderly households (typically belonging to the poorest of the poor category)—are on the edge of vulnerability. The “Poorest of the Poor” occupy the last rung in the marginalized section, and they bear the brunt of climate change impacts, often lacking assets and financial leverage. To break free from this cycle, they require specialized support and guidance.

The economically poor and socially marginalised households face numerous shocks and risks throughout the year, given their limited resources and skills. CARM-DAKSH places significant emphasis on diversifying their portfolio. This involves creating productive assets, integrating other allied activities such as small livestock, fisheries and creating opportunities for Agriculture Labour at the village level, and facilitating linkages with social safety nets, government programs and financial institutions.

With regard to women, the CARM-DAKSH team has realised that despite active efforts to involve women in development initiatives, their status within households and communities remains unchanged. Women continue to bear the primary burden of care work. Even interventions such as training in agriculture and livestock rearing have added to their responsibilities. While these interventions contribute to increased family income, they do not necessarily enhance the well-being of women or lead to changes in gender relations. To address this, we have adopted a gender-transformative approach. Our teams have received training on understanding patriarchy, gender, and masculinity, as well as learning how to apply gender-transformative approaches in our ongoing programs. CARM-DAKSH has developed a training module for adopting a Gender transformative Approach in its livelihood interventions.

CARM-DAKSH also has the experience of working on increasing access to safe drinking water through a long-term project that was supported by WaterAid. It mobilised the community to protect local water bodies as well as built the capacity of local youth on maintenance of defunct handpumps, conduct regular water quality test and maintain sanitary practices around water structures.

Apart from direct implementation capacity, the team has the capability to conduct trainings in Chhattisgarhi language. It has developed training modules for Goatry, Climate resilient agriculture and Gender transformative Approach (with Livelihood Focus). The team has provided capacity building support to other organisations and Block level staff of Panchayat Department working in the region. CARM-DAKSH hopes to be recognised as a resource agency offering context specific trainings in the local language in the coming years.

Presently CARM-DAKSH is working with 22000 households across 210 villages in three blocks of Korba, Bilaspur and Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi (GPM). Our ambition is to reach 1,00,000 households from 800 villages of three districts in the next six years. We also intend to explore expanding our operation to other districts of North Chattisgarh region in the next six years.