Uttarakhand Cooperative Development Project (UKCDP)

SUDHA is currently actively involved in the Uttarakhand Cooperative Development Project, in collaboration with the Uttarakhand State Cooperative Department, Dehradun, and with the support of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), New Delhi, serving as the Techno Management Agency. This project is presently focused on the implementation of 05 Prospective Value Chains (OSV, Pulses, Spices, Finger Millets, Bee Keeping, and Honey Production) in the Kumaon region, involving 10,000 farmers across 27 Multipurpose Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies.

In its ongoing implementation in the Kumaon Region of Uttarakhand, the project continues to promote the development of Five Prospective Value Chains in identified clusters within the region. The primary objective of this project is to foster the growth of potential value chains throughout the state of Uttarakhand through cooperative interventions. It is structured to benefit all stakeholders at every stage of the value chain. The project is presently focused on enhancing livelihood opportunities for the rural and underserved population of Uttarakhand by creating an integrated and sustainable model. SUDHA, as the Techno Management Agency, remains actively engaged in this endeavour.

The project is currently placing strong emphasis on activities such as Resource Mapping/Need Appraisal and Benchmarking for the development of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), along with the identification of Growers/Producers, the development of Cluster Level Action Plans, the identification of suitable value chains, market analysis, and providing assistance to growers in accessing finance, all while strengthening the Farmers’ Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Cooperatives.

Consultant- Owner Driven Construction of Houses (Uttarakhand Disaster Recovery Project -UDRP) WORLD BANK AIDED

The successful implementation of the Technical support and supervision consultancy for “Owner Driven Construction of Houses (ODCH)” continues to be an ongoing mission mode project with the objective of resettling families affected by the June 2013 disaster in Uttarakhand. Over a period of 3 years, 2500 Disaster Resilient Houses are being constructed with disaster-resilient features to provide relief to the families affected by the June 2013 disaster.

To address the ongoing challenges and alleviate the suffering of disaster-affected communities in the severely impacted five Districts of Uttarakhand (Almora, Bageshwar, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, and Uttarkashi), the Government of Uttarakhand, in partnership with the World Bank, is currently receiving implementation support from SUDHA in the Resilient Housing component of the Uttarakhand Disaster Recovery Project (UDRP). Throughout this process, SUDHA’s role continues to be assisting the Government of Uttarakhand in the program’s implementation at all levels, including Gram Panchayat, Development Block, Tehsil, District, and the State PMU. In its capacity as the ODCH Consultant, SUDHA remains dedicated to supporting and facilitating capacity building, facilitation, monitoring, and quality assurance of the program through the offices of the District Magistrates and the PMU.

As the ODCH consultant, SUDHA is actively engaged in providing administrative and management support to the PMU in overseeing the component. In addition to facilitating the construction of disaster-resilient houses, SUDHA, as a consultant, continues to provide support by strengthening, supervising, guiding, and mentoring the ODCH beneficiaries through its experienced and dedicated resource team in all project villages. This includes ongoing information dissemination among the beneficiaries and all relevant stakeholders regarding the policies and guidelines issued by the Government of Uttarakhand applicable to the UDRP project. SUDHA is also actively involved in facilitating the opening and operation of joint bank accounts for the beneficiaries and will further assist in converting single accounts into joint accounts by adding the name of the spouse to the bank account if necessary. Furthermore, SUDHA remains committed to facilitating the joint registration of houses and land in the names of both husband and wife, ensuring the timely receipt of installments in the ODCH beneficiary accounts, and assisting ODCH beneficiaries in meeting all the necessary conditions required for the release of payments. Additionally, the focus on rehabilitation extends to addressing issues related to health, gender equity, and preventive activities, among others.

1. II) GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE OF SUDHA:

SUDHA’s work continues to extend across the entire Uttarakhand state, with a particular focus on three main Districts: Nainital, Almora, Bageshwar, Chamoli, and Pithoragarh. In these areas, several distinct characteristics define the landscape:

1. Inaccessibility: The region’s high altitude and challenging terrain still hinder mobility, isolating and creating a sense of remoteness within the system.
2. Fragility: The verticality, steep slopes, and other associated biophysical conditions make mountainous areas highly susceptible to environmental degradation. These conditions also limit the intensity of land use and constrain both the physical and economic potential for input utilization.

• Marginality: This aspect shares many implications with fragility, including limited and low-yield options and the high cost associated with resource improvement. These factors present significant obstacles to achieving sustainable resource use, productivity, and poverty alleviation.

1. Diversity: The region is characterized by a high degree of spatial, temporal, physical, and biological variability over short distances. If harnessed effectively, this diversity holds the potential for increased productivity. However, specialization becomes challenging due to these variations.
2. Niche: There exists the potential for products and activities in this region to have a comparative advantage over the plains. However, interventions aimed at harnessing this potential must prioritize protection as well.

Although SUDHA’s project area continues to present complexities in approach and development, the local populace is increasingly eager for a shift in the direction of development assistance. A growing tradition of cooperation through the Self-Help Groups (SHGs) movement, particularly among women, provides a robust foundation from which innovative initiatives can be launched. Additionally, high levels of literacy among the population hold promise for the rapid adoption of improved methods and relevant technologies necessary for sustainable livelihood development.