By definition the idea of ‘Green Economy’ does not limit to only shift in focus from indulging in more environmentally harmful activities to less. Green growth is derived from a larger principle of systemic thinking that promotes innovations that are based on life sciences and are nature inspired.

At TARA, within its capacity of an incubator, it fundamentally operates to nurture green business solutions for the environment and development challenges faced nationally and globally. This herculean task however comes with shared responsibilities and engagements with local entrepreneurs, technology partners, regional and state level government agencies along with bilateral and multilateral agencies. Together with this synergised effect and optimal use of local skills and resources without depleting the environment, it encourages ‘Green Growth’.

Smart Power for Rural Development

Under the Smart Power for Rural Development (SPRD) programme, TARA provides solar based electricity to 20 villages across UP and Bihar. As an extension to just provision of electricity, TARA also helps create livelihood opportunities for locals through enterprises that are based on solar energy. The approach has a two-fold objective of creating livelihoods to improve the local economy and promote sustainable/renewable energy as a means to operate the businesses. Till now, TARA has been successful in creating 6 enterprises across UP and Bihar providing livelihood to 24 people. We believe that entrepreneurship development based on local resources and in line with local needs and market conditions leads to creation of livelihoods that are truly sustainable. The ‘entrepreneurs’ are able to draw a solution based on local resources. The support that they receive from TARA is in the form of capacity building on technical and business aspects as well as support on linkages to the market. TARA aims to set-up strong entrepreneurs who can further promote entrepreneurship, and thereby create more livelihood opportunities.

Tech Based Innovations in Handcrafted Products

In the first of its kind, TARA Loom has integrated recycled PolyEthylene Terephthalate [PET] bottle yarns with ecologically beneficial natural yarns to produce green lifestyle products.

This innovation has created an ecosystem for sustainable livelihoods for weavers through a seamless process that results in reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. The need for technology intervention was recognised, upon comprehending the poor quality produce of local fibre leading to fragile and weak product development thereby affecting the supply and demand chain of the producer groups. Taking forward the larger goal of providing market access to rural poor through technology based livelihoods, a range of hand-woven fabrics and green lifestyle products are underway by the means of a resource centre that has been set up in the Datia district of Madhya Pradesh to promote and revive handloom weaving as a means of livelihood.

This resource centre is equipped with 5 TARA Looms and 2 TARA Pirni and 1 warping machine. Over multiple focused group discussions, a group of 7 women weavers have under gone training in a skill building programme from the Kalapuram village. The focus of this training is to upgrade the skills of weavers by engaging them in developing hand woven fabrics with superior equipment, so as to enable them to produce premium variety of hand woven lifestyle and fashion products that are stylish, sustainable and fashion forward; created through a symbiotic blend of contemporary, yet rooted in heritage designs.

The trained women weavers are the direct beneficiaries via this initiative. Through the establishment of this resource centre, TARA is providing an opportunity for more women to get inspired and take up weaving as a source of livelihood.    q