CInI wins in the ‘Powering Agriculture-Tackling Hunger and Poverty in the Global South’ category
- Emerges as one of the eight recipients of the prestigious award this year
15th November 2023, India: The Collectives for Integrated Livelihoods Initiatives (CInI), an Associate Organisation of Tata Trusts, has been conferred the prestigious 2023 Ashden Awards for ‘Powering Agriculture-Tackling hunger and poverty in the Global South’. With this, CInI stands as one of only eight organisations to have been awarded at the ceremony which took place at the Royal Geographical Society in London, on the 14th of November.
240 organisations applied for the 2023 Ashden Awards that have been supercharging climate pioneers for over two decades. CInI was one of seventeen applicants that reached the finals in September earlier this year, after a rigorous assessment and judging process, involving on-the-ground visits and inputs from specialists in the field.
Collectives for Integrated Livelihoods Initiatives (CInI), was established by sector experts along with Tata Trusts in 2007 to anchor the Central India Initiative which focuses on tribal communities in the central Indian tribal belt. CInI has been working with these communities, especially women, in the areas of agriculture and allied livelihoods, renewable energy, education, drinking water, sanitation and healthcare. CinI, through its aspirational Lakhpati Kisan program, has been striving to empower women in Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra and Gujarat to find and develop sustainable and viable allied livelihood practices that offer a consistent source of income for them and their families. This has enabled small and marginal farmers to move towards the ‘Lakhpati pathway’, systematically.
Speaking about this achievement, Mr Siddharth Sharma, CEO, Tata Trusts, stated, “Since their inception, Tata Trusts have dedicated themselves to improving the quality of life of underserved communities. In the last decade, CInI has played a vital role in contributing to this effort, revitalizing communities through a myriad of interventions across livelihood development, education, energy conservation and access to natural resources. CInI is honoured to have received global recognition at this year’s Ashden Awards, which stands as yet another endorsement of the exemplary work the team has delivered. The ultimate success, however, can be seen in the lives of over 100,000 farming households across four states in India that now have improved prospects and a better quality of life as a result of CInI’s dedication to the cause.”
Expressing his gratitude, Mr Ganesh Neelam, Executive Director, CInI, said, “Following the lead of our communities, CInI is committed to driving lasting positive change. By focusing on a two-pronged approach through a Production Hub model under the Sustain Plus program and the Lakhpati Kisan initiative, CInI is dedicated to fostering economic security as well as addressing climate-related challenges in India’s tribal regions. Today, it has successfully demonstrated the integration of Decentralized Renewable Energy into agriculture and allied livelihoods through these Production Hubs. CInI is grateful to the Ashden jury for granting international recognition to our endeavours as we remain steadfast in our mission of truly ‘Powering Livelihoods’ across key identified regions.”
Ashden, a UK charity, has been spotlighting transformative climate solutions for more than 20 years through their Ashden Awards scheme. This year, awardees ranged from businesses to non-profits and local authorities. Ashden Award winners receive grants, global publicity, and connections to funders, investors, and partners that can help them create even more impact.
The finalists for all awards were judged by international specialists in each category and received financial and strategic support for their significant contributions in delivering innovative climate solutions.
