Greening rural development in India - A report that reviews and recommends steps on goverment implemented green schemes

Recognizing the national and global imperatives for regenerating natural resources and conserving ecosystems, the 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. The 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.

In the context of this report, greening rural development refers to five broad green outcomes:

• Improved natural resource conservation,
• Increased efficiency of resource use,
• Reduced negative environmental impacts,
• Strengthened climate resilience of communities and
• Contribution to climate change mitigation.

These outcomes can be delivered by RD schemes by

• Investing in regenerating natural resources
• Mobilizing and developing the capacities of community institutions to utilize natural resources in a sustainable manner 
• Aggregating ‘small initiatives’ in several locations to improve natural capital on a macro scale.

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