Building Conversations That Matter
On 19 May 2024, Desi Trust, in collaboration with Charaka and Ragi Kana, organised a seminar titled Sustainable Choices and Rural Livelihoods in the Era of Climate Change at the Bangalore International Centre.
The seminar created a much-needed space for critical dialogue on how climate change is not an abstract environmental issue but a lived reality, one that shapes rural livelihoods, production systems, and everyday consumption choices. Bringing together researchers, activists, designers, and practitioners, the event examined the social and ecological costs of prevailing development models, foregrounding the urgency of addressing climate change through ethical, grounded, and livelihood-centred approaches.
Climate Change as a Lived Reality
Climate change today is not merely an environmental concern it is a force that reshapes landscapes, disrupts livelihoods, and determines survival for rural communities. This seminar was conceived as an effort to unpack these interconnections and move the conversation beyond abstract ideas of sustainability into real-world consequences and responsibilities.
By situating climate change firmly within the context of rural livelihoods and ethical markets, the discussions highlighted how environmental crises disproportionately affect communities most dependent on land, forests, and natural ecosystems communities that contribute the least to ecological degradation yet bear its heaviest costs.
Opening Reflections: Climate, Culture, and Livelihood
The seminar opened with an inaugural address by Prasanna, founder of Desi Trust and Charaka. His address set the tone for the day by emphasising the inseparability of climate, culture, and livelihood.
He drew attention to the paradox at the heart of the climate crisis how rural communities, despite their minimal ecological footprint, are often the first to experience climate-induced disruptions. His reflections called for a fundamental re-evaluation of dominant economic and production systems that extract value without sustaining either people or ecosystems.
Panel 1: Impact of Climate Change on Rural Livelihoods
The first panel brought together voices from social anthropology, wildlife conservation, environmental education, and independent research to explore how climate change is reshaping rural life.
Panelists included:
- Dr. A.R. Vasavi – Social Anthropologist, Punarchith Collective
- Vinod Krishnan – Wildlife Conservationist, Humane Society International
- Priya Venkatesh – The Naturalist School
- Bhargavi S Rao – Independent Researcher and Environmental Activist
The panel examined how changing climate patterns, biodiversity loss, and shifts in land use have steadily eroded traditional livelihood systems. These were not discussed as isolated environmental events, but as outcomes of broader structural decisions, policy choices, development priorities, and resource management frameworks.
A key insight from the discussion was how disruptions in ecological balance often push communities into cycles of vulnerability, forcing adaptations that come at social, cultural, and economic costs.
Panel 2: Sustainable Choices and Ethical Markets
The second panel shifted focus to the role of markets, designers, and consumers in shaping rural futures asking what sustainability truly means when viewed through the lens of livelihoods.
Panelists included:
- Prasad Bidapa – Fashion Stylist & Choreographer
- Ananthoo – Tula & Organic Farmer's Market
- Manisha Kairaly – Timbaktu Collective & Arugu Collective
- Chockalingam – Grama Seva Sangha
The discussion explored how ethical markets are not merely about alternative products but about fundamentally rethinking relationships between producers and consumers. Panelists reflected on how current market systems often fail to recognise the true value of labour, skill, and ecological care embedded in rural production.
Themes of conscious consumption, long-term engagement, and accountability within supply chains emerged strongly challenging participants to reconsider the hidden social and ecological costs behind everyday choices.
Sustainability Rooted in Dignity and Justice
Across both panels, a central insight emerged: sustainability cannot be separated from dignity and justice. Rather than being positioned as a niche or premium concern, sustainability was reaffirmed as a collective responsibility one that connects climate action with livelihoods, culture, and ethics.
Participants were encouraged to critically examine everyday consumption patterns and recognise how choices made in urban spaces reverberate through rural landscapes and lives.
A Platform for Reflection and Action
Overall, the seminar functioned as a reflective platform that bridged research, lived experience, and practice. It reaffirmed Desi Trust’s commitment to fostering informed, grounded dialogue on climate change dialogue that remains rooted in rural realities while pointing towards long-term, equitable solutions.
Through collaborations such as these, Desi continues to build spaces where sustainability is not discussed in isolation, but understood as deeply interwoven with livelihoods, ecosystems, and the futures we collectively shape.