Greening Rural Development in India

Poverty reduction and economic growth can be sustained only if natural resources are managed on a sustainable basis. Greening rural development can stimulate rural economies, create jobs and help maintain critical ecosystem services and strengthen and strengthen climate resilience of the rural poor. Conversely, environmental challenges can limit the attainment of development goals. Recognizing the national and global imperatives for regenerating natural resources and conserving ecosystems, the Indian Ministry of Rural Development requested UNDP to examine the environmental implications of its schemes and assess the potential of these schemes to deliver green results. This Report defines ‘green’ outcomes for major RD schemes, reviews the design and evidence from the field to highlight potential green results and recommends steps to improve green results.