This project will strengthen the capacity of vulnerable communities in Puri district, Odisha to prepare for and recover from floods. The district is in a low-lying area and frequently experiences flooding for several weeks at a time, leading to more than 80% crop loss. By the end of the project, flood affected families will experience reduced losses from floods (ie reduced damage to their houses, their standing crops, their livestock and their access to drinking water) and will be able to recover faster from floods (through planting a winter crop and kitchen gardening).

Some of the key interventions, such as vegetable seed production, are being led by women. Women-managed kitchen gardens are an important source of food (contributing to more than 50% of vegetable requirement) for vulnerable households; however, these gardens are typically destroyed during floods and it takes women between two to three months to rebuild their gardens. The primary reason for the delay in restoring kitchen gardens is that vegetables seeds are not available at the village level and women do not go to cluster-level markets (5-8 kilometres away) where seeds are sold.

The project uses a community-based disaster preparedness approach to engage the poorest families in participatory planning activities. Small groups of the most vulnerable will analyze the history and impact of floods in their area, prioritize problems and develop village level preparedness plans. The plan will then be officially endorsed in an annual meeting (the Gram Sabha) — a step which allows the allocation of government resources for flood mitigation activities (e.g. clearing blocked canals to reduce the risk of flood). Village development committees, farmer clubs, Panchayati Raj Intuitions (PRIs) and other organizations will take up responsibilities as part of their long-term mandate and function in the community.

The project works closely with state agriculture universities as well as veterinary and horticulture departments to leverage government resources.