The project establishes a community-based MRV model that enables Indigenous and rural communities in three pilot sites of Tamil Nadu to monitor weather, water, soil, biodiversity and nature-based livelihoods, integrating their traditional knowledge with scientific methods for climate and environmental decision-making. It delivers a practical CbMRV Toolkit, trains local community stakeholders to collect and use environmental and climate data, and develops recommendations and feasibility studies to connect this model with state climate and carbon governance, including potential carbon market participation. In the long term, it aims to institutionalise bottom-up data flows so that panchayats, districts and state departments can use regular community-generated evidence to strengthen ecosystems, climate resilience and livelihood security while formally recognising local stewardship roles.
