Community Based Organisations(CBOs) will hold massive Grameen Charcha at Bissam Cuttack
Dr.Badal Tah,Odishabarta
Associate editor,Odishabarta
Rayagada, February 18: Under the aegis of Jana Jagaran Mancha and other Lok Sangathans(CBOs) supported by Atama Shakti, New Delhi, Grameen Charcha 2026 will be held from February 22–24, 2026 at Bisam Cuttack, Rayagada district. The event will bring together over 2,000 participants, including tribal leaders, youth, policymakers, civil society organisations and researchers.
A two-day immersive rural learning will precede the main event, involving participants from Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarapradesh, Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh, Maharastra, Rajasthan.
The programme includes panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, sports, and cultural engagements rooted in indigenous knowledge systems. A People-led Action Charter will be developed as a key outcome to inform policy, practice, and investments.
India’s development trajectory remains closely linked to its rural and tribal regions, where livelihoods, ecology, and culture are deeply interconnected.
Tribal districts, while rich in forests, biodiversity, and traditional knowledge, continue to face challenges such as climate vulnerability, livelihood insecurity, and gaps in governance systems. In this context, Grameen Charcha 2026 is being organised as a community-led platform to bring indigenous wisdom into mainstream dialogue and decision-making.
The initiative aims to position rural communities not merely as beneficiaries, but as co-creators of solutions for sustainable development.
Climate variability, declining soil fertility, and changing food systems are increasingly impacting rural livelihoods.
At the same time, traditional practices such as seed conservation, forest-based food systems, and community governance have demonstrated resilience and relevance, particularly during disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Grameen Charcha seeks to bridge the gap between community knowledge and institutional systems, ensuring that indigenous practices are recognised as viable pathways for nutrition, climate resilience, and local economies.
The event will be conducted in two phases.Pre-Event Engagement includesvillage immersions and participatory learning, storytelling, voice reports, and grassroots knowledge exchange.
Main event will include three thematic panel discussions on ecology, economy, and wellbeing. Over 25 workshops covering governance, livelihoods, seeds, youth leadership, and digital tools, exhibitions showcasing indigenous food systems, biodiversity, and innovations, cultural programmes including tribal music, dance, and storytelling will be held.
The programme will also feature unique components such as Rayagada Challenge Lab addressing local development issues, lost recipes kitchen highlighting indigenous food knowledge, digital governance clinics for PRI representatives.
The discussions and activities will be structured around three core themes: Ecology: Climate adaptation, forest governance, and sustainable agriculture. Economy: Local livelihoods, markets, and rural enterprises. Emotion (Wellbeing): Culture, sports, mental wellbeing, and leadership.
Grameen Charcha 2026 will bring together a diverse set of stakeholders, including community leaders and grassroots organizations, Government representatives and PRI members, youth, women’s collectives, and farmer groups, Civil society organisations, researchers, and media partners. The platform is designed as a multi-stakeholder collaboration space, enabling dialogue between “Samaj–Sarkar–Bazaar” (community, government, and markets).
The event is expected to deliver the following outcomes: strengthened Indigenous leadership through proposed platforms such as the Tribal Leadership Council, identification of scalable rural innovations across livelihoods, governance, and climate action, development of a People’s Action Charter for policy and programmatic engagement & finally creation of long-term partnerships across institutions and communities.
Grameen Charcha 2026 aims to advance a development pathway rooted in community knowledge, ecological sustainability, and inclusive growth.
By bringing grassroots voices to the centre of dialogue, the initiative reinforces the idea that resilient villages are fundamental to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat.
