AJSA India wins prestigious “Locally Led Adaptation Award” at COP 30 in Brazil

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, NOVEMBER 14, 2025

AJSA India has been honoured with the prestigious Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) Award 2025 under the Women’s Livelihoods category at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 30) in Belém, Brazil.

The award was presented to Manoranjan Behera, Executive Director of AJSA India, by an eminent panel comprising Janja Lula Da Silva, First Lady of Brazil; Princess Dana Firas of Jordan; and Prof. Patrick V. Verkooijen, President and CEO of the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA), during a special ceremony at the Resilience Hub at COP 30.

This year, the LLA Awards received 489 applications from 86 countries, with only 20 initiatives shortlisted for their exemplary contributions to community-led climate action. AJSA India emerged as the global winner in the Women’s Livelihoods category for its pioneering work empowering more than 5,500 tribal women in the drought-prone Kalahandi district of Odisha through climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable mobility solutions.

The distinguished jury for the 2025 LLA Awards included global leaders such as Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General; First Lady of Brazil Janja Lula Da Silva; Baroness Chapman of Darlington, Minister of International Development, United Kingdom; Åsmund Grøver Aukrust, Minister of International Development, Norway; Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of the African Union Development Agency; and Prof. Patrick V. Verkooijen of GCA.

For years, AJSA India has been working in the drought-affected and migration-prone tribal regions of Kalahandi, driving community-led climate adaptation and resilience. Through its innovative climate-resilient livelihood models, the organisation has transformed market access, enhanced farm productivity, and strengthened the adaptive capacity of rural women farmers.

“This award is a tribute to the strength and determination of the women from Kalahandi’s most climate-vulnerable villages,” said Manoranjan Behera, Executive Director, AJSA India. “They are the real champions of change — leading adaptation, strengthening local governance, and proving that climate resilience begins with women at the grassroots. We dedicate this global recognition to our women leaders, staff, and volunteers who continue to make adaptation a reality for those most affected by climate change. We also thank the Global Centre on Adaptation and the esteemed jury for amplifying the voices of local communities on the world stage.”