Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD)

In Odisha, 22.13% of the population comprises the "Scheduled Tribe" (ST) community, whose primary means of livelihood revolve around forestry, agriculture, and animal husbandry. However, traditional implementation strategies, the absence of sustainable local institutions, inadequate infrastructure connections, and fragmented solutions in the value chain expose their livelihoods to various risks.
Within this context, the Family-based Livelihoods Development Programme (FLD) is designed to achieve the following objectives:
• Elevate the socio-economic status of the targeted tribal families.
• Enhance the capabilities of tribal youth and establish local enterprises at the village level.
• Empower ST families to access benefits from various programs.
• Implement best practices for sustainable livelihood development.

This program aims to enhance both the forest quality and the income of forest-dependent communities through the following strategies:
• Establishing robust producer collectives centered around Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) and enriching product value within the supply chain.
• Encouraging alternative livelihood options to boost the income of forest-dependent communities while reducing the reliance on forest product harvesting.
• Leveraging resources and forging strategic connections with mainstream development programs to ensure the sustainability of the program beyond the project duration.

For sustainable improvement in the livelihoods of our community members, it is imperative to not only empower them with advanced agricultural techniques but also emphasize the preservation, management, and rejuvenation of vital natural resources such as land, water, and forests. With this focus, CYSD champions initiatives such as land development, the establishment of irrigation infrastructure, and the promotion of horticulture.

CYSD actively promotes micro-irrigation and drought-proofing models aimed at enhancing groundwater recharge to expand irrigated areas and enable two crops per year on the same piece of land.
The 5% Corner Pit Model, designed for medium uplands, involves creating individual water bodies within each plot, occupying 5% of the total plot area. These pits capture rainwater that would otherwise run off, providing irrigation during water scarcity.
The 30 x 40 Model focuses on in-situ soil and water conservation by dividing uplands into small 30 x 40 ft plots, with pits dug at the lowest point in each plot. The soil excavated from the pits is used to create boundaries for the plots.

Since 1990, CYSD has been actively involved in the WASH domain, initially focusing on low-cost toilet programs and village cleanliness through work camps and awareness campaigns. Over the years, the organization expanded its efforts, engaging in community awareness to promote water conservation, developing water security plans at the village and Panchayat level, improving school hygiene, providing drinking water supply to urban slums in Bhubaneswar, testing water quality and portability, building the capacity of village-level water and sanitation committees, encouraging the use of sanitary napkins in both urban and rural areas, and conducting evaluations.

Using a 22-seater computer and IT-enabled vehicle powered by green energy, and supported by a range of software suites and cloud integration, CYSD provides accessible IT and information services to remote and marginalized communities in rural and tribal areas. This initiative not only connects them to various government programs and initiatives but also imparts computer literacy and IT-based education to rural youth.

The promotion of agro-forestry as a sustainable long-term asset for households has been focused on cultivable wastelands, leading to a significant increase in income for participating families. Intercropping not only provides immediate financial benefits but also enhances nutritional resources for household members. Additionally, participants earn wages through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) while preparing fields and digging pits.
To support these initiatives, the mobilization of resources like mango saplings, bio-fertilizers, pesticides, pitchers, and tree guards is carried out through mainstream programs such as the Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub Plan. Furthermore, hill grass plantation is initiated in forest and common lands with the active involvement of producer groups.

This program aims to improve the livelihoods and resilience of vulnerable communities, especially smallholders, marginalized individuals, and women farmers. This is achieved through participatory actions, capacity building, evidence-based research, and advocacy initiatives. The program focuses on building climate-resilient models and enhancing smallholders' productivity to ensure access to adequate and nutritious food through sustainable agricultural practices, emphasizing community farming, kitchen gardening, farm pond development, horticulture, and land improvement.

A: Agricultural Youth Graduate Training (ACABC)
CYSD serves as the primary training institute in Odisha for the implementation of the Agri-Clinic and Agri-Business Centre (ACABC) scheme, a collaborative effort with MANAGE, Hyderabad, operating under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.
B: Economic Security and Financial Inclusion
CYSD strives to promote community-managed microfinance systems, enabling women aged 18-24 to establish microenterprises and achieve financial inclusion.
C: Life Skills Training: Retail Training for Urban Unemployed Youth
CYSD aims to provide skills training to underprivileged urban youth, enhancing their employability and enabling them to earn a livelihood.
D: Entrepreneurship Development Program
Entrepreneurship is a central focus area for CYSD to boost people's income and foster economic growth.
E: Vocational Skills Training
This includes training in areas such as computer education, four-wheeler driving, and tailoring.

With the aim of fostering environmentally sustainable livelihoods for tribal farmers, village-level training programs have been conducted for members of Farmers' Clubs. These training sessions encompass topics such as the establishment and maintenance of community water bodies, solid waste management, organic farming, and the utilization of plantation techniques, including social forestry and orchards. These efforts are designed to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. Participants are strongly encouraged to embrace climate-friendly livelihoods and to advocate for water conservation methods, such as rainwater harvesting, check dams, organic farming, land bunding, plantations, and the creation of corner pits in agricultural lands. This approach aligns with the principles of sustainable agriculture and the optimal utilization of water resources.

Community level institutions, including Self-Help Groups, Producer Groups, Farmers Producer Company, Van Dhan Vikash Kendras, Labour Solidarity Groups, play a pivotal role in uplifting rural communities. However, these institutions often lack the resources for technological advancements. CYSD has been actively engaged with 2138 community-based organizations, providing capacity building, technical and financial assistance. This support focuses on value addition processes, product collectivization, enterprise promotion, climate-resilient farm practices, production enhancement, technology adoption, and governance structure improvement through better entitlement access.

Gram Panchayats (GPs) play a pivotal role in formulating & implementing locally tailored solutions, as the majority of the socio-economic issues, vulnerabilities and their consequences are inherently local. It necessitates a grassroots-driven movement for local adaptation efforts. These statutory bodies define responsibilities and obligations at the grassroots level. By engaging in village development plans and delineating local contributions to state, national, and ultimately global goals, GPs emerge as the ideal entities for localizing the SDGs. CYSD has formalized partnerships with Gram Panchayats through MOUs to facilitate participatory planning at the village level and provide technical support in finalizing Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs). Micro-level planning (MLP) at the local level, coupled with technical assistance for GPDPs, is expected to pave the way for the effective localization of SDGs through robust panchayat-level planning, execution, continuous monitoring.

Community leadership plays a crucial role in harnessing collective energy to bring about positive societal change. To empower community leaders in expressing their expectations, initiating collective action, and fostering cooperation at the local level, CYSD has been conducting an eleven-day capacity-building program for identified leaders in a phased approach. These leaders actively engage with their communities, advocate for their concerns at relevant forums, catalyze collective action, and strive to be agents of societal betterment.

The Government’s policy of saturation and our approach to reaching the last mile align seamlessly. However, obstacles often prevent entitled individuals from accessing their entitlements. These challenges include a lack of awareness regarding the process and benefits, as well as difficulties with paperwork and digital applications. CYSD, leveraging a network of Community Resource Persons (CRPs) and volunteers, actively complements the government efforts to bridge this gap.

In addition to securing basic social security entitlements, ensuring access to MSP is critical for vulnerable and marginalized communities. This access empowers them to achieve profitable returns from their agricultural products, reducing the risk of distress sales and exploitation by the middlemen. CYSD is dedicated to assisting farmers in accessing MSP for various products such as millets, NTFPs, and cereals, thereby improving their economic well-being.

CYSD's urban community outreach focuses on improving the health of high-risk groups, including women, adolescent girls, and children living in urban slums. A quick assessment in two slums uncovered unsafe maternal and menstrual health practices, along with obstacles to accessing healthcare services. Women, adolescent girls lack knowledge about menstrual hygiene and sexual health, along with obstacles to accessing healthcare services and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic have compounded these health issues. Early marriages and pregnancies are prevalent issues.

CYSD takes steps to raise awareness about health and nutrition-seeking behaviour during critical life stages and provides reproductive and sexual health education to male family members, encouraging their equal support for the health needs of women and girls during crucial phases. We educated CBOs to deliver essential maternal and child healthcare, nutrition interventions, and mental health support.

CYSD is committed to enhancing agricultural practices to boost crop productivity, ensuring year-round food security and increased income. CYSD is empowering tribal communities by strengthening their farming practices & introducing them to the concept of integrated farming system. This holistic approach ensures sustainable production and increased yields by employing ecologically suitable models and leveraging locally specific technologies. It advocates improved techniques such as line sowing, the System of Rice Intensification, utilization of organic fertilizers and pest control methods, enhanced seed varieties, mixed cropping, crop rotation, crop diversification, community farming, and kitchen gardening. Moreover, it fosters collaboration with mainstream agencies and schemes to secure top-quality inputs, agricultural tools, extension services, and more.

The outcomes are higher farm incomes, improved agronomic practices, cost-effective farm mechanization, reduced environmental risks, alleviated physical labour, elimination of chemical fertilizers/pesticides, & minimized production expenses.
This approach encompasses a wide spectrum of agricultural activities, including horticulture, allied agriculture, value addition, and the promotion of various crops. CYSD provides comprehensive solutions, supporting the cultivation of cereals, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables, fruit tree plantations, and other high-value crops. The model aims to deliver end-to-end support, fostering sustainable farming practices and economic empowerment within tribals.

For improving family planning, maternal child health and nutrition, CYSD makes effort to create digital community engagement platforms to accelerate reduction in maternal and child under-nutrition and increase the use of modern contraceptive methods especially among the tribal communities. The program aims at increasing awareness among women and PRI members to create community demand for entitlements related to maternal and child health services.
The key objectives of the intervention is to scale up of RMNCH social and behaviour change communication initiative through community based video approach; build linkages amongst women SHGs, VHSNCs and PRIs to strengthen community engagement, participation and monitor facility level services and improve access to, and the availability and accountability of RMNCH services, etc.

CYSD is actively working to encourage technological innovation and community-driven adaptation measures at the grassroots level. The aim is to establish and expand successful adaptation practices, making them a standard component of long-term adaptation strategies at both the state and national levels. In order to address climate change concerns, as per of varied efforts, the Centre has initiated promotion and practice of climate resilient models in agriculture, adaption of SRI and SMI, application of efficient water conservation techniques, forest protection / regeneration measures in tribal districts of Odisha.
Additionally, we are committed to documenting traditional climate-resilient practices and advocating for their incorporation into state development and poverty reduction strategies.

CYSD has been playing the role of a prominent regional player in disaster response and preparedness ever since 1999 super cyclone. Efforts are being made to train and develop community youth as 'Climate Change Warriors' who can stay alert and respond to any kind of disaster situation. Besides, CYSD has facilitated in preparing 530 Village Disaster Mitigation Plans (VDMPs) spreading over 89 Gram Panchayats of 7 districts of Odisha.

CYSD has been facilitating Gender Responsive Budgeting analysis in the State since 2013. This process not only helps the various stakeholders deepen their understanding as to what the State Budget holds for women, it also maps different schemes/programs and budgets from a gender lens. It is also in the process of evolving a sound methodology for gender responsive planning and budgeting, with a view to institutionalizing Gender Responsive Budgeting in the State.

CYSD facilitating promotion of Agriculture Production Cluster approach among the tribal farmers with an aim to double the their income and develop livelihood assets for round the year.

Strengthening use of demographic intelligence and disaggregated population data for national and subnational policies, plans and programs to enable India to harness the demographic dividend, advance the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action and achieve the 2030 Agenda.

Strengthening Community Participation in local governance and improving the functioning of Gram Panchayats, leading to effective service delivery (in villages of Thakurmunda block in Mayurbhanj district and Saharapada Block in Kendujhar district).

After the Covid-19 pandemic, when schools reopened many children were reluctant to return to school. Aiming at creating a learning environment among the children aged 6 -14, CYSD, linking schools, made efforts in implementing innovative learning centres equipped with child friendly learning materials and hygiene education kits to keep the tribal children engaged in supplementary education through fun-filled learning activities for their school readiness and improved life skills; Deepen engagement with parents and community ensuring all children back to school; and Create awareness on health, education, personal hygiene and overall wellbeing of children.

The Integrated Watershed Program, a part of the ST & SC Development Program initiated by the Government of Odisha, is dedicated to empowering tribal communities and ensuring year-round food security. The mission is to increase household income, reduce stress, and prevent migration. Central to this program is the restoration of ecological balance through the sustainable management of degraded natural resources. CYSD prioritizes water conservation and soil erosion prevention, aiming for both economic and financial sustainability in dryland agriculture. The key objectives of this initiative are:
• Conserving stream water adopting eco-friendly watershed and soil-water conservation measures and enhancing land productivity.
• Promoting efficient and sustainable rainwater utilization through appropriate technologies.
• Rehabilitating denuded wastelands, promoting tree-based farming, and sustainable agriculture.
• Improving livestock productivity.
• Improving economic growth through promotion of climate resilient agriculture, horticulture; and enhance capacities of farmers and CBOs/Institutions.
• Inclusion of underprivileged sections in mainstream development.

Improve production and consumption of millet, develop millet enterprises and establish market linkages to rural/urban markets with focus on women entrepreneurs.

Promoting women entrepreneurship at the individual and group levels from Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) under Mission Jeeveeka ; and digitally empowering women leaders to stay tuned with updated information, and informed decision-making.

Improving livelihood opportunities and overall quality of life for ensuring sustainable livelihood of the tribal people through land and non-land based livelihood activities.
Focused Area Development Programme (FADP) is being implemented in the State by ST & SC Development Department.

CYSD has been striving hard to strengthen the Farmers’ Producer Groups and the enterprise-oriented self-help groups along with their apex institutions of NTFP collectors. Creating an environment where the producers have a stake in the future of their products based on the principles of business ethics and practice remains the pivotal strategy of CYSD in this direction. In the livelihood sector and especially at the enterprise level, women are encouraged to perform a crucial role in facilitating the processes of collection and aggregation of agriculture and NTFP produces, value addition and establishment of market linkages. Mobilization of farmers through organizing meetings, awareness creation and timely supply of packaging and processing machinery remains the key responsibilities of CYSD. As a result, the rising social enterprises including the Producer Groups and Self Help Groups have helped transform the scene of rural livelihood, especially with regard to women power.