COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT

           

Rotary International’s fourth Programs of Scale grant will support members' work with Indian farmers who have been affected by climate change. Barry Rassin, chair of The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees, announced the US$2 million grant at the 2024 Rotary International Convention in Singapore. The program, Partners for Water Access and Better Harvests in India, will aim to increase groundwater tables, extend cultivation areas, and raise the incomes of about 60,000 farmers by 25% to 30%. “Farmers in India are responsible for producing much of the world’s wheat, rice, and other food staples. But the groundwater these farmers depend on is vanishing. Climate change is making rainfall more erratic, which leads to drought,” Rassin said. “We are working with Indian farmers on a five-year program to plant the seeds for sustainable farming in India for generations to come.”

 

The Rotary Foundation has awarded Programs of Scale grants to evidence-based, sustainable, and successful programs that target at least one of Rotary’s areas of focus and can be expanded to create far-reaching change. The programs are sponsored by Rotary members in collaboration with local communities and partners that offer additional expertise and support. The other finalist this year is One Million Healthy Mothers and Newborns. This Ugandan initiative aims to reduce maternal deaths by 35% and newborn deaths by 35% in at least 200 public health centers.