18 June 2024: In the heart of Maharashtra’s tribal interiors, Tata Motors has embarked on a transformative mission—the One Million Plantation initiative. This ambitious project aims to sow saplings of hope for local communities in the Palghar district. To date, 1.5 million fruit and forest saplings have taken root, covering 13,000 acres across eight blocks and breathing life into once-barren land.
As part of the Integrated Village Development Programme (IVDP), Tata Motors’ initiative not only curbs distress migration but also generates income for local communities by providing sustainable income, leveraging the MNREGs scheme for sapling aftercare, and later through produce sales. So far, more than 1.5 million plantations have benefited 13,000 farmers in the region by transforming 13,000 acres of unutilized farmland into productive Wadi. It has also provided them with nutrition-rich fruits, thus improving the health and nutrition levels of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in the region.
In this collaborative model, Tata Motors supports the sapling cost, technical support and training are provided by the BAIF Institute for Sustainable Livelihoods and Development (BISLD), and a significant part of the project cost is funded by the government via the MNREGs as a wage for the aftercare of the saplings. The wages are directly transferred to the farmer’s account, which depends on the survival rate of the saplings.
Vinod Kulkarni, CSR Head at Tata Motors, said, “The One Million Plantation initiative can be viewed as a twin-pronged strategy to strengthen our economy and ecosystems by nurturing both the land and the lives. This initiative symbolizes our firm dedication to supporting Indian tribal communities by creating sustainable livelihoods. As the monsoon sets in, we are on course to add another one million trees to the Palghar district’s natural habitat. Our collaboration with BISLD and the state government demonstrates our shared vision and commitment towards nation-building. Together, we are not just planting trees; we are cultivating hope for a greener and more prosperous tomorrow.”
Earlier, in 2018–19, Tata Motors launched a pilot of the livelihood-based Wadi model, which comprised tree-based farming involving the planting of fruit and forestry trees along with appropriate intercrops on barren or underused land. Under the pilot, 100 fruit trees (primarily mango and cashew) and 100 forestry trees were planted per acre in Palghar district. The success of the Wadi model inspired its replication at scale through the One Million Plantation Drive. Both initiatives have also served the dual purpose of creating revenue sources for the communities as well as enriching the biodiversity in the project areas.
