A grassroots women's organisation in Andhra Pradesh is among the 22 winners of a prestigious United Nations award given biennially to recognise outstanding efforts towards local, innovative, nature-based climate solutions.
The Deccan Development Society has been awarded the Equator Prize 2019, organised by the Equator Initiative within the United Nations Development Programme. Each of the 22 winners represents outstanding community and indigenous initiatives that are advancing nature-based solutions for climate change and local sustainable development.
"In the Zaheerabad region of India, the Deccan Development Society promotes women-led regenerative agriculture and community-seed banks to empower Dalit and tribal women, promote sustainable land use, and achieve food security," the citation said.
According to information on its website, the Deccan Development Society (DDS) is a two and half decade old grassroots organisation working in about 75 villages with women's voluntary village level associations in Medak District of Andhra Pradesh.
"The 5000 women members of the Society represent the poorest of the poor in their village communities. Most of them are dalits, the lowest group in the Indian social hierarchy," it said.
The women of the DDS sanghams have worked towards autonomy over food production, seeds, natural resources, market and media.
Other winners of the prize include 'Solar Freeze' of Kenya, an initiative that is pioneering the production of portable solar cold rooms that reduce post-harvest losses of food grown primarily by women smallholder farmers by 90 per cent, increase household incomes, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through food loss.
'Indigenous Group of Dayak Iban Sungai Utik Long House'- Indonesia that has protected an estimated 1.31 million tonnes of carbon in their 9,504-hectare customary forest and for decades fought against corporate interests; Hui Maka'ainana o Makana', Hawaii, a native Hawaiian grassroots initiative has woven together traditional, place-based knowledge and policy advocacy to sustainably manage their near-shore fisheries and