Development Alternatives

The official Development Alternatives (DA) twitter feed. Creating sustainable livelihoods in large numbers and delivering eco-solutions since 1982.

[Climate Action Network South Asia @CANSouthAsia]

Join us tomorrow at #COP31!
Explore how climate finance can advance a just transition, address loss & damage, and enable a low-carbon built environment at our official UNFCCC Side Event
📅 12 Nov | 6:30–8 PM (Türkiye)
📍 Side Event Room 5, HATTUŞ, Blue Zone
#ClimateFinance #COP31

[Development Alternatives @DAperspectives]

Agricultural residues hold potential beyond the harvest, offering an opportunity to connect resource efficiency with rural enterprises.

Through the #Jeevika2030 project, Development Alternatives is exploring biomass briquetting in Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh, to transform underutilised crop residues into a productive resource, with potential benefits for local livelihoods and circular resource use.

This is where Innovations Meets Impact: in rethinking existing resources to unlock new possibilities for people and the planet.

#DevelopmentAlternatives #CircularEconomy #RuralLivelihoods #MadhyaPradesh #InnovationMeetsImpact

[Prerna UPSRLM @Prerna_UPSRLM]

#UPSRLM #SHG #SuccessStory

[Development Alternatives @DAperspectives]

Development finance is shaping the priorities of nations, yet the communities it is meant to serve are often missing from the rooms where decisions are made.

This was the central message when our Chairman, Dr. Ashok Khosla (@akhosla40), delivered the keynote address at the National Workshop on Strengthening CSOs’ Engagement in Development Finance Platforms on 28 October 2026 at Vishwa Yuvak Kendra, New Delhi.

Dr. Khosla set the tone for the two-day workshop by reflecting on how civil society, especially grassroots organisations, can move from being beneficiaries and consultees to becoming informed, credible and influential voices in development finance.

At Development Alternatives, we have seen over decades that grassroots knowledge, lived experience and community-led evidence make development finance more inclusive, accountable and effective. Genuine participation goes beyond a seat at the table. It means a real say in shaping outcomes.

The question at the heart of the workshop stays with us: how can grassroots experiences reach global platforms, and how can global finance respond to grassroots realities?

#DevelopmentFinance #CivilSociety #GrassrootsVoices #InclusiveDevelopment #DevelopmentAlternatives

[Development Alternatives @DAperspectives]

#HappeningNow | Roundtable on South-South Dialogue on Just Transition & Green Industrialisation
Bringing together diverse perspectives from across the Global South, the roundtable explores pathways to a just transition and greener, more inclusive industrialisation.

Stay tuned for more updates!

#JustTransition #GreenIndustrialisation #SouthSouthCooperation

[Development Alternatives @DAperspectives]

#HappeningNow | How do we build systems that listen better, learn faster and respond to what communities are telling us?

That is the question bringing us together this morning at Listening Better, Acting Faster, our UNGA side event at The Yale Club in New York.

Bringing together perspectives from philanthropy, social innovation, investment and development, today’s conversation will explore what it takes to move from collaboration as an intention to collaboration that can respond to change on the ground.

The morning will look at the shift from systems thinking to intelligence-driven systems, the potential of AI to accelerate learning and adaptability, and how we can build ecosystems that continuously learn, adapt and respond.

Across these conversations, we will explore how technology, community intelligence and cross-sector collaboration can help institutions understand emerging needs, learn from what is happening on the ground and translate those insights into action.

Because listening better matters when it helps us act better and act faster.

#UNGA2026 #SystemsChange #SocialInnovation #Collaboration #AIForSocialImpact #ListeningBetterActingFaster

[Development Alternatives @DAperspectives]

It was an inspiring experience to see the World Circular Economy Forum (#WCEF2026) hosted in India for the very first time!

While it was encouraging to witness the energy at WCEF, much of the conversation focused heavily on end-of-pipe solutions like recycling and waste management. While critical, recycling is only one piece of the puzzle. To drive a true transition from a linear to a circular economy, we must activate both the big and small loops of circularity and entrepreneurship sits at the very core of this shift.

Micro-entrepreneurs and MSMEs are pivotal in making circularity practical, viable, and scalable. At Development Alternatives, enabling circular business models to emerge and scale at the grassroots is one of our key priority-

Initiating new work around the repair business models, adding to our ongoing push in Energy Transition and Biomass.

Enabling MSMEs to turn underutilized resources and waste streams into localized economic value.

The path to circularity isn't just about managing waste & resources, it's about empowering entrepreneurs to build sustainable, resilient businesses from the ground up.

We look forward to bringing circular businesses to the grassroots and driving systemic change together and would love to have you partner with us!

#WCEF2026 #CircularEconomy #Entrepreneurship #MSMEs #GrassrootsInnovation #DevelopmentAlternatives #RepairEconomy #EnergyTransition #SustainableDevelopment

[Development Alternatives @DAperspectives]

From a modest enterprise to a thriving livelihood, Kavita Devi’s journey shows the power of skills, opportunity and the right support.

With support from @Prerna_UPSRLM and Development Alternatives, she now earns ₹16,000 a month while creating livelihoods for others.

A story of women’s enterprise and economic agency.

#WomenEmpowerment #Livelihoods

[Prerna UPSRLM @Prerna_UPSRLM]

#UPSRLM #SHG #SuccessStory

[Development Alternatives @DAperspectives]

Accounting standards are not neutral.

They shape what we count, what we value, and ultimately what businesses are incentivised to prioritise.

At the India launch of #TheAccountingParadox by Jeremy Nicholls, Dr. @akhosla40 , Chairman, Development Alternatives, joined a roundtable that brought together leaders from business, sustainability and impact measurement to examine a critical question: Can financial statements give a true and fair view when they exclude the real costs of doing business?

The conversation explored how social and environmental costs, from carbon and waste to unpaid labour, often remain invisible in conventional accounts, and what it would take to build systems of measurement that better reflect the value businesses create, and the impacts they leave behind.

#TheAccountingParadox #DevelopmentAlternatives #GISTImpact #SocialValue #Sustainability

[Development Alternatives @DAperspectives]

#DABlog | What if water security begins not with managing water, but with restoring the landscapes that hold it?

In this blog, Maj Gen Bhardwaj Rahul makes the case for a more ecological approach to water resilience, one that brings together nature-based solutions, community stewardship and landscape-scale restoration.

By reconnecting fragmented ecosystems and revitalising water commons, we can strengthen climate resilience while restoring the ecological, economic and cultural value of water.

The future of water security lies in restoring the systems that sustain it.

Read the blog here: https://t.co/68hszgSndZ

#WaterSecurity #ClimateResilience #NatureBasedSolutions #EcosystemRestoration #WaterCommons #CommunityStewardship #SustainableFutures #NaturePositive #ResilientLandscapes #DevelopmentAlternatives

[Development Alternatives @DAperspectives]

We often think about electronics from the moment they reach our hands, the phone we use, the laptop we work on, the appliances we rely on every day.

But every device has a story that begins much earlier.

It starts with resources, materials and people. From the materials that go into making a device to the people and processes involved in bringing it to us, every electronic product has a footprint long before it becomes part of our everyday lives.

Understanding this journey is the first step towards rethinking how we consume, use and eventually discard electronics.

As we begin a new chapter in circularity through our partnership with @karosambhav and @haqdarshak , we are looking at electronics not just as products, but as part of a larger ecosystem, one where resources can be valued, products can have longer lives, and waste can be reimagined.

The journey towards a circular electronics economy begins by understanding where it all starts.

Watch this space for more updates.

#CircularEconomy #EWaste #Repair #Refurbishment #Entrepreneurship #MissionMillionLivelihood #AtmanirbharBharat #ViksitBharat #InnovationMeetsImpact

[TERI @teriin]

Multilateralism & Agenda 2030: What Lies Beyond?

As the world marks a decade of implementing the SDGs, the question of whether multilateralism can still deliver on the promise of Agenda 2030 has never been more urgent. With the UN SDG Report showing only 12% of targets on track, TERI convened an eminent panel of global experts to deliberate on pathways for sustainable development beyond 2030, with a strong focus on Global South perspectives.

Moderated by Dr Shailly Kedia, Director TERI) and framed by welcome remarks from Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri, Distinguished Fellow, TERI alongside a context presentation by Ishita Srivastava, Research Associate, TERI, the session brought together critical insights on resilience, governance, financing, and systemic reform. The webinar saw over 280 participants join this vital and timely conversation.

Key Keynote Takeaways:
Prof Dr Phoebe Koundouri (Co-Chair, GSDR 2027 / Athens University of Economics and Business), emphasized that instead of merely defining targets, the global community must build science-driven, fully costed action plans that turn public goals into investable, real-world projects.
Dr Nilanjan Ghosh (Vice President, Observer Research Foundation, highlighted that true progress isn't just about how fast economies grow, but how well they can withstand and bounce back from unexpected shocks.
Dr Lynn Wagner, Senior Director, IISD, noted that driving faster action ahead of the 2027 SDG Summit requires transparent processes and widespread stakeholder involvement.
Dr Guillaume Lafortune, Vice President & Head, SDSN Asia, added that the world must prioritize on-the-ground execution over designing new targets, supported by streamlined metrics and stronger regional partnerships.
Dr Eric Zusman, Director, IGES, shared that creating real local impact requires strong multi-level governance that empowers smaller cities and focuses on scaling solutions.
Dr Nabaneeta Rudra, Senior Program Director, Development Alternatives, noted that bridging the last-mile gap depends on structured governance alignment, participatory village planning, and long-term, holistic financing rather than short project cycles.
Mr Christopher Garroway de Coninck, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in India, highlighted that post-2030 efforts must shift toward regenerative resilience, narrowing inequalities, and aligning policy tools with systemic realities.
Dr Paola von Haaren, Senior Researcher, IDOS, stressed the need to act early in guiding the post-2030 framework, ensuring future architecture integrates systemic risks like the climate-health nexus.
Dr Sabyasachi Saha, Associate Professor, RIS, noted that platforms like BRICS prove sustainable development is an existential imperative, driving bottom-up solutions and the political momentum needed for multilateral reform.

The vote of thanks of the event was given by Priyambada Upadhyaya, CSDRl,TERI.

@ambmanjeevpuri @pkoundouri @DrNilanjanG @LynnMWagner @NabaneetaRudra @sabya_saha @shaillykedia @UNSDSN @UNinIndia @AUEB @orfonline @IISD_news @IGES_EN @DAperspectives @RIS_NewDelhi

#SustainableDevelopment #SDGs #SDGSummit2027 #GlobalSouth #Beyond2030 #Agenda2030 #ClimateAction #DevelopmentPolicy #Sustainability #Multilateralism

[Prerna UPSRLM @Prerna_UPSRLM]

मिशन अंतर्गत संचालित भारत सरकार एवं प्रदेश सरकार की महत्वपूर्ण लखपति योजना की प्रगति उत्तरोत्तर बढ़ रही है |इस क्रम में लखनऊ की अलका मौर्या पोटेंशियल लखपति बन चुकी हैं |अलका मौर्या की सफलता की कहानी अन्य समूह सदस्यों हेतु प्रेरणादायक है |
#लखपति दीदी
#समूह

[Prerna UPSRLM @Prerna_UPSRLM]

मिशन अंतर्गत लखपति दीदियों का सफ़र आगे बढ़ता दिखाई दे रहा है | कविता देवी जनपद सीतापुर उसकी एक मिसाल हैं जिन्होंने समूह में होने का लाभ उठाया और अपना उद्यम स्थापित किया है |आपका यह प्रयास सराहनीय है |
#समूह
#आजीविका

[Development Alternatives @DAperspectives]

#DABlog | As India advances towards its vision of becoming a developed economy by 2047, the strength of its rural communities will be pivotal to achieving truly inclusive and sustainable growth.

In this blog, Soumen Maity explores how climate change and technological shifts are reshaping rural livelihoods, and why diversified rural economies and sustainable agricultural practices must become the foundation of long-term resilience, opportunity, and prosperity.

Read the full blog: https://t.co/7f32MlZ14n

#India2047 #RuralTransformation #ClimateResilience #FutureOfWork #LivelihoodSecurity #SustainableAgriculture #SystemsChange #InclusiveDevelopment #DevelopmentAlternatives #ThoughtLeadership

[Development Alternatives @DAperspectives]

#DAinPress | Building the Future, Responsibly

Development Alternatives, IIT Bhubaneswar, and the Odisha Urban Academy, Housing & Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha, have signed a tripartite MoU to establish a Centre of Excellence on Low Carbon Construction Materials and Sustainable Development.

The initiative aims to advance research, innovation, capacity building, and policy engagement to accelerate the adoption of low-carbon construction materials and circular resource management practices, supporting Odisha's transition towards a more sustainable and climate-resilient built environment.

Here are the links of the news coverage:
https://t.co/6CbAMpOd19

https://t.co/411zznBkpf

https://t.co/3LuVwOmrjd

https://t.co/03r36Afmlg

#DAInPress #LowCarbonConstruction #SustainableDevelopment #ClimateResilience #CircularEconomy #BuiltEnvironment

[Development Alternatives @DAperspectives]

Reshma Devi's journey reflects the power of #SafeMobility. Equipped with skills, access to finance, and entrepreneurial support, she launched her own e-rickshaw enterprise and now earns an annual income of nearly ₹3 lakh, inspiring women across her district.

@Prerna_UPSRLM  @MoRD_GoI @UPGovt

[Prerna UPSRLM @Prerna_UPSRLM]

मुख्य मंत्री उद्यमी योजना ग्रामीण अंचल में समूह की महिलाओं के आजीविका संवर्धन में एक मील का पत्थर साबित हो रही है |मिशन अंतर्गत महिलायें इसका लाभ ले आत्मनिर्भर बन रही हैं |
#समूह
#आजीविका

[Prerna UPSRLM @Prerna_UPSRLM]

मुख्य मंत्री उद्यमी योजना ग्रामीण अंचल में समूह की महिलाओं के आजीविका संवर्धन में एक मील का पत्थर साबित हो रही है |मिशन अंतर्गत महिलायें इसका लाभ ले आत्मनिर्भर बन रही हैं |
#समूह
#आजीविका

[Prerna UPSRLM @Prerna_UPSRLM]

#UPSRLM
#सफलताकीकहानी
#आजीविका
#उद्यम

[Development Alternatives @DAperspectives]

This week, our #SafeMobility initiative found space in the news, but the story it carries has been in the making for years. It points to how #SafeMobility is beginning to scale in ways that go beyond a single geography or programme.

The shift has been towards building an enabling ecosystem and embedding the approach within institutions so the idea can travel, adapt, and sustain without being held in place.

These snapshots are small but important markers of a larger shift where the work is no longer just ours to run, but something systems are building on. As it scales, we are further advancing a future where more and more women can enter, persist, and lead in a sector that has historically excluded them.

#SafeMobility #WomenLedEntrepreneurship #SocialInnovation #SystemicPrototype