Forest Trees and Sustainable Livelihoods – VPA 02

Society for the Upliftment of Villagers & Development of Himalayan Areas (SUVIDHA), CME of the PoA 11857, intends to initiate VPA-02 to the proposed PoA. SUVIDHA is a non-governmental organization in India with experience spanning over a decade in the field of agriculture, water resources, environment, health, unemployment, climate change, poverty alleviation, and rural micro-finance services headquartered in Haldwani (Uttarakhand). Fair Climate Services Pvt. Ltd. (FCS) will be the VPA Implementer for VPA-02, which has implemented several carbon projects in India for rural communities is association with grassroot level NGOs. The VPA-02 plans reforestation/afforestation with multipurpose tree species and plantation of fruit trees in villagers private lands of smallholder farmers in the Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai District, Andhra Pradesh State. The districts marks as the driest district in the country with 552 mm of average annual rainfall, which is not sufficient for more than 50% of the standing crop. This situation of scanty rainfall and increased droughts have been prevailing for the past 10 years. The increased climate-related risks and challenges have forced the marginal and small farmers to desert their farmlands and migrate to the cities. The increased weather aberrations and uncertain climatic conditions such as irregular rainfall, failure of monsoon, frequent drought, non-availability of other livelihood options etc., is the reason for taking up planting activities.