Livelihood

About OFSDS-OMBADC Livelihood Project

OFSDS-OMBADC Livelihood Project is one of the flagship programmes of the Forest, Environment & Climate Change Department, Government of Odisha, implemented through the Odisha Forestry Sector Development Society (OFSDS). The OFSDS-OMBADC Livelihood Project envisages strengthening community-based initiatives for the protection of forests and creating alternate livelihood opportunities for the local community in convergence with various line departments of the State Government and the Revolving Fund under the OFSDS-OMBADC Project to reduce pressure on forests. The primary focus of the programme is to ensure sustainable forest management by involving the local forest fringe community, with an emphasis on livelihood support through Revolving Funds and cooperation with various line departments. It is intended to promote sustainable forest management in the State in a participatory mode through Vana Surakshya Samiti (VSS).

Location of the Project

The OFSDS-OMBADC Livelihood Project is implemented in six Field Management Units (FMUs), namely: Bhuyan Juanga Pidha (BJP), Champua, Ghatagaon, Keonjhar, Patna, and Telkoi FMU.

The project-wise VSS undertaken under the AJY & OFSDP-I Project is depicted below:

Range Wise VSS under taken under AJY & OFSDP-I on implementation of OFSDS-OMBADC Livelihood Project
Sl No	Name of Range	AJY Scheme		OFSDP-Phase-I Scheme		Total VSS taken up under OFSDS-OMBADC Project (Col.4+6)
Sl No	Name of Range	Total VSS covered under AJY	VSS taken up under OFSDS-OMBADC Project	Total VSS covered under OFSDP-I	VSS taken up under OFSDS-OMBADC Project	Total VSS taken up under OFSDS-OMBADC Project (Col.4+6)
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
1	Barbil	8	0	0	0	0
2	BJP	25	25	35	8	33
3	Champua	31	31	0	0	31
4	Ghatagaon	31	30	44	10	40
5	Keonjhar	29	29	46	5	34
6	Patna	21	19	46	8	27
7	Telkoi	35	35	44	0	35
	Total	180	169	215	31	200

Community Mobilization and Institution Building

Community mobilization at the VSS level is a significant intervention under the OFSDS-OMBADC Livelihood Promotion Project in the Keonjhar Forest Division to enable community participation in project planning, implementation, and monitoring. The project personnel, including members of partner NGOs, assist in community mobilization and institution-building initiatives. Such initiatives contribute significantly to sensitizing VSS members about the project objectives, activities, implementation modalities, and the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder in ensuring the smooth implementation of the project for the overall development of the Keonjhar Forest Division.

Activities undertaken under community mobilization include the constitution, reconstitution, and strengthening of VSS General Bodies and Executive Committees, sensitization on the JFM mode of implementation, discussions on the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders, bookkeeping and record maintenance, participatory micro-planning, implementation of project interventions in JFM mode at the VSS level, and approaches to community development through inter-sectoral convergence. More than 200 VSSs have been formally declared as sub-committees of Gram Sabha, ensuring FRA compliance in executing forestry interventions. In addition to this, the survey and demarcation of areas assigned to the VSSs have been completed.

Capacity Building Initiatives at VSS & FMU Level

The SHGs and VSSs at the village level are the primary building blocks of the OFSDS-OMBADC Livelihood Promotion Project’s institutional design. The project mandates the VSS as the delivery institution at the village level, building its capacity to coordinate with all village-level affinity institutions such as SHGs, Common Interest Groups (CIGs), and Poorest of the Poor (POP). While organizing or reorganizing VSSs, adequate emphasis has been placed on involving women in the process of institutional governance and the delivery of project goods and services.

The project provides support to the divisions to strengthen product clusters and producer collectives, enhancing their capacity to build systems and mechanisms for good governance, planning and review, accounting, and internal, statutory, and social audits for long-term sustainability. Training and capacity building are key components of the project, ensuring that people and institutions are continuously upgraded in knowledge, skills, and awareness. The project’s approach aims at self-sustained development, making people and institutions more participative and effective in the overall project implementation process.

As of January 2025, a total of 1,200 community-level sensitization training sessions at the VSS level have been completed under this project. Capacity-building training on the preparation of livelihood plans at the VSS level has been conducted, and the plans have been submitted at the division level.

Preparation of Livelihood Plan

The Livelihood Plan is an essential tool to initiate a community-based empowerment process that prepares a roadmap for the sustainable management of resources to enhance livelihoods.
This plan is village-specific and aligns with the resources available, the aspirations of the people, market opportunities, and the provisions of the existing support system.
It is a comprehensive village document covering the current status of livelihoods, issues and opportunities, probable solutions to these issues, and the support service ecosystem. By December 2024, Product Mapping & Authentication, along with the enumeration of 1,795 SHGs across 200 VSSs, has been completed. Loan Appraisal Committees at the VSS level have also been constituted in all these VSSs. In this context, 200 Livelihood Plan books have been prepared and circulated at the VSS level.
The Livelihood Plan at the VSS level serves as a platform for optimizing Community Development activities in addition to providing direct support for IGA (Income Generating Activity) promotion by the project. Emphasis has been placed on ensuring optimum convergence with other government schemes and programs.

Income Generation Activity Promoted Through Revolving Fund Support

The OFSDS-OMBADC Livelihood Promotion Project has a provision for a Revolving Fund (RF) for 200 Project VSSs, with an allocation of ₹2,00,000 per VSS.
A total of ₹4,00,00,000 in Revolving Funds has been sanctioned across 200 VSSs through the Loan Appraisal Committee. It is a one-time grant provided to Project VSSs for offering loans to Borrowing Entities for viable Income Generating Activities (IGAs).
The Revolving Fund (RF) is one of the major mechanisms for social inclusion and promotes SHGs, CIGs, and POP forest-dependent communities towards economic growth.
The RF aims to improve access to finance for initial investments in IGAs and to cater to the financial needs of borrowing entities seeking loans for alternative livelihood activities.
The OFSDS-OMBADC aims to support both traditional and innovative IGAs across farm, off-farm, non-farm, and NTFP (Non-Timber Forest Products) sectors to strengthen the livelihood and income of poor households in the target areas. As of September 2022, the formulation of guidelines on the Revolving Fund for undertaking IGA activities through SHG, CIG, and POP, along with orientation for field functionaries, has been completed. Additionally, the preparation of business plans by borrowing entities have been completed and submitted at the DMU level.

Livelihood Activities under taken in support of Revolving Fund

Transforming Lives through Vermicomposting for Sustainable Livelihoods

Vermicompost

Vermicompost production is an alternative livelihood opportunity that requires very low capital investment and can be carried out alongside core agricultural activities. It is highly effective in increasing the income of farmers and forest-dependent tribal communities. Vermicomposting refers to the process of converting biodegradable matter into vermicast through earthworms. Vermiculture is the practice of utilizing earthworms to break down various biodegradable wastes, such as farm waste, kitchen waste, market waste, bio-waste from agro-based enterprises, and livestock waste, into a nutrient-rich medium as it passes through the worm’s digestive system.

To promote women’s empowerment through vermicompost production, reduce reliance on forest resources, mitigate human-animal conflicts, and foster a sense of ownership among forest fringe communities regarding forest and wildlife conservation while supporting the circular economy, the Forest Department of Keonjhar Division has taken significant steps. Awareness programs have been conducted among Self-Help Groups (SHGs) through frontline demonstrations and capacity-building programs to transfer vermicompost production technology using low-cost structures.

A project titled “Vermi Village” was initiated in 2021-22 across five different villages within five Forest Ranges of the Keonjhar Forest Division to scale up vermicompost adoption.

Criteria for a Vermi Village:

Abundant Resources: Each household should have an ample supply of raw cow dung and organic waste, forming a strong base for vermicomposting initiatives.
Thriving Village Community: Large-scale vermicompost production should serve as a significant alternative livelihood, particularly benefiting women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
Extensive Adoption: At least 50-70% of households in the village should actively engage in vermicompost production, demonstrating widespread community participation and environmental consciousness.

Status of Production & Selling of vermicompost in respect of Keonjhar Forest Division
Sl No.	Name of FMU	No. of VSS involved	No. of SHG involved	No. of Beneficiary involved	Total Qauntity of Vermicompost Production & Selling during 2023-24			Total Qauntity of Vermicompost Production & Selling during 2024-25
Sl No.	Name of FMU	No. of VSS involved	No. of SHG involved	No. of Beneficiary involved	Production (in Kg)	Selling (in Kg)	Amount earned @20/- Kg	Production (in Kg)	Selling (in Kg)	Amount earned @20/- Kg
1	BJP	11	60	426	54605	54605	10,92,100	161075	143834	28,76,680
2	Champua	6	26	178	65650	65650	13,13,000	126575	122075	24,41,500
3	Ghatagaon	14	97	719	57263	57263	11,45,260	144967	138480	27,69,600
4	Keonjhar	10	46	201	108439	108439	21,68,780	110150	110150	22,03,000
5	Patna	2	17	116	17732	17732	3,54,640	14369	13309	2,66,180
6	Telkoi	2	5	52	9375	9375	1,87,500	28925	24925	4,98,500
	Total	45	251	1692	313064	313064	62,61,280	586061	506849	1,10,55,460

Livelihood Promotion through Convergence with Schemes of Line Departments

The promotion of livelihood opportunities for forest fringe communities through various income-generating activities is a key component of the OFSDS-OMBADC Livelihood Project. The project aims to facilitate sustainable livelihood development and income-generation activities for people residing in forest fringe villages by leveraging convergence with schemes from Line Departments.

Communities under the OFSDS-OMBADC initiative have been linked to various socio-economic, welfare, and income-generation schemes implemented by Line Departments. Over the past few years, there has been a remarkable transformation in the livelihood patterns of tribal communities. Through Inter-sectoral Convergence, the project has enabled activities such as:

Livelihood promotion and skill development for rural youth
Support for individuals and groups in entrepreneurial ventures
Construction, repair, and renovation of roads, water bodies, and community assets
Provision of drinking water supply
Linkage to government welfare schemes
Construction of individual houses
Employment opportunities through MGNREGA-based activities

Additionally, village infrastructure development has been significantly enhanced through contributions from various departments, ensuring minimal project investment while maximizing impact.

The success of this convergence model is evident from the fact that, during 2023-24 and 2024-25, the project successfully implemented activities worth ₹7.57 crores, benefiting 39,705 individuals. The initiative has brought together resources from nine key departments, including:

MGNREGA
Mission Shakti
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)
KALIA Yojana
Swachh Bharat Mission
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)
National and State Horticulture Mission
Odisha Millets Mission

Additionally, the project has leveraged funds from CSR initiatives and other financial sources, further strengthening the impact of livelihood development efforts.

Achievement on different Convergence activity initiated at VSS Level under OFSDS-OMBADC Livelihood Project in Keonjhar Forest Division
Sl No.		Year 2023-24			Year 2024-25
Sl No.		No. of VSS covered during 2023-24	Funds Mobilised (in Rs.)	No. of Beneficiary Covered	No. of VSS covered during 2024-25	Funds Mobilised (in Rs.)	No. of Beneficiary Covered
1	BJP	26	61,81,120	2703	16	69,22,000	6278
2	Champua	24	81,84,849	2161	15	60,93,355	3438
3	Ghatagaon	28	77,82,276	3219	10	37,49,200	1134
4	Keonjhar	28	1,01,48,000	5194	12	38,80,000	2462
5	Patna	24	62,12,000	2579	20	38,30,000	2443
6	Telkoi	23	67,08,990	3775	8	60,43,718	4319
	Total	153	4,52,17,235	19631	81	3,05,18,273	20074