REDD+ Khasi Hills, India – Plan Vivo

November 14, 2019

This project is one of the first REDD + projects in Asia to be implemented and coordinated by indigenous communities. The project protects and restores a cloud-rainforest of more than 23,500 hectares.

The project is located in Meghalaya, northeast India, home to the indigenous Khasi people and noted to be the most humid place on earth. The area is rich in biodiversity, home to sacred forests, ancient stone monoliths and Khasi communities. Deforestation in the area is not only a  threat to the climate through the release of carbon dioxide. It also poses a great risk to local people, as waterways change rendering their traditional way of life unfeasible.

 

The project aims to combat deforestation and restore the area’s forests for the benefit of people and nature. It works with ten Kyrgyz governments (HIMA) and over 86 villages.

"Khasi Hills is a global 'hotspot' for biodiversity"

Another key objective of the project is to deliver long-term strategies to address poverty among rural families. There is a particular focus on women, giving them the training and opportunity to utilise microfinance investments in the local community. Alongside this, there is also a movement to install 5,000 energy-efficient cookstoves which further reduces the need to chop down trees for fuel. Further, these cookstoves reduce health issues associated with inhaling smoke in the home.

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