Self-help groups are helping transform concrete terraces into green spaces.
What’s it about? The Chennai Resilience Centre (CRC), a unit of Care Earth Trust, helps resident welfare associations set up rooftop urban gardens to create livelihood opportunities for women’s SHGs. The NGO has launched the “Grow Your Own Edible Garden” as part of the city’s Urban Farming Initiative.
- Five residents’ welfare associations were brought in to promote kitchen gardens in places like Kasturba Nagar, Valmiki Nagar, and Gandhi Nagar. A model farm is set up in each space, and 200 kitchen gardens in anganwadis were set up.
- The CRC has partnered with government agencies. A key factor in the campaign was support for maintenance through women’s SHGs. The CRC has trained about 100 women in sustainable gardens.
What are the benefits? Krishna Mohan of CRC said houses with terrace gardens witnessed a drop in temperatures. They hope this initiative will help reduce the urban heat island effect.
- One SHG member said she earns up to ₹3,000 a month thanks to maintaining gardens in anganwadis and corporation schools.