Development Alternatives understands that the current challenges humanity faces can be tackled through an evolutionary, transformative, and socio-ecological approach to resilience. The approach talks about the ability of a social-ecological–technical system to transform using windows of opportunities offered by both sudden and chronic stresses. The system should be able to learn constantly from local interventions and feedback from the ecological, social, and institutional eco-systems, and leverage potential technological possibilities to drive the transformative change.

This year’s Yatra theme is “Investing in the Local & Green” and the yatris would have attended the Naari Manchan and the three yatras understanding the practice part of it while they would have interacted with the communities understanding their problems and the solutions that have been co-created in the last 40 years with the community. In addition to this, the Yatris have also interacted with the CSR Heads at the Nadi Kinare Chaupal understanding their learnings from their programs they have been implementing and from the yatras.

The Yatra exposed Yatris to participatory information and knowledge of development models and initiated discussions on the scope of the models to build community resilience at the local level and exchange unique on-ground success stories. The Yatra provided a platform and brought together various key influential stakeholders from government, civil society organisations, corporates and academia to foster a multi- stakeholder dialogue. The Yatra initiated discussion around technical research on the adverse impact of climate change, diversifying livelihood opportunities, and sustaining human well-being in the region.

Saar Sangam, the conclusive plenary of TARAgram Yatra 2024, will encapsulate the journey’s learnings and insights. Acting as a debriefing session, it allows participants to share their experiences and reflections after engaging with various programs and communities. These discussions will inform policy-level dialogue, leading to actionable recommendations and defining a strategic way forward. Saar Sangam ensures that the collective knowledge gained from the Yatra translates into meaningful policy contributions and future initiatives for sustainable development.