Objective: The primary goal of the Sustainable Bundelkhand project is to empower rural communities to enhance their economic well-being and quality of life. This will be accomplished through comprehensive education and training programs targeting rural children, youth, farmers, and women. The project focuses on promoting organic farming practices, value addition to agricultural produce through product development, efficient packaging, and global marketing. By fostering happier homes and sustainable communities, the initiative aims to inspire peaceful coexistence among community members.

Region situated at the heart of India, the Bundelkhand region spans across six districts each in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Despite its rich historical significance and cultural heritage, Bundelkhand faces severe economic and social challenges today. The region grapples with poverty, low agricultural productivity, industrial underdevelopment, and gender disparities. Women and girl children face societal inequalities, while agriculture remains rain-fed, complex, and susceptible to climatic uncertainties like droughts and floods.

Need and Focus: To address the pressing challenges in Bundelkhand, a bottom-up approach emphasizing local innovation and knowledge production is essential. Previous government initiatives have often fallen short due to their top-down nature and bureaucratic inefficiencies. Direct interventions at the grassroots level, such as establishing local knowledge centers, are crucial to drive sustainable solutions in farming, biomass utilization, and educational reforms. The envisioned solution must be self-sustaining, organic, culturally aligned, globally recognized, and designed to empower farmers economically.

Solution Approach: The project introduces a hub-and-spokes model in Bundelkhand, centred around Sustainability Innovation and Knowledge Centers (SIKC) for village clusters. These centres serve as focal points for addressing agricultural challenges, fostering sustainable development, and outlining a roadmap for long-term rural prosperity encompassing economic, social, and environmental dimensions.

SIKC Vision: The SIKC model envisions direct interventions by innovative minds to conduct research and development in key areas such as air, water, soil, energy, materials, and the economy within rural communities. The first SIKC, Bharat Uday Karmyogi Ashram, has been established in the village of Chheri Basayak, district Hamirpur, Uttar Pradesh. The ashram serves as a knowledge-sharing hub, offering guidance on sustainable farming, food processing, packaging practices, and assisting farmers in product marketing. It aims to connect farmers with external markets, fostering a sustainable agricultural ecosystem in Bundelkhand.”