Chilika Waste-to-Value Initiative
Turning Invasive Biomass into Sustainable Livelihoods
About the Initiative
The Waste-to-Value Livelihood Creation Project is a high-impact CSR initiative supported by Epsilon Carbon Pvt Ltd to address ecological degradation and livelihood vulnerability in the Chilika Lake region of Odisha.
Chilika Lake, India’s largest brackish water lagoon and a Ramsar site, is facing a major ecological threat due to the rapid spread of Phragmites karka, an invasive reed species. This has disrupted aquatic ecosystems and severely impacted fishing-dependent communities.
This project transforms that challenge into an opportunity—by converting invasive biomass into marketable products like particle boards and biochar, while creating sustainable, community-owned livelihoods.
The Problem We Are Solving
- Rapid spread of Phragmites karka is degrading Chilika’s ecosystem and blocking water channels
- Existing weed removal efforts do not generate income, leading to low community participation and unsustainable ecological management
- Declining fish catch is reducing income for fishing-dependent households
- High reliance on seasonal fishing leads to income instability and unemployment
- Limited alternative livelihoods for women and youth in the region
- Invasive biomass remains underutilised despite having economic value
- Lack of market-linked skills and enterprise opportunities for local communities
- Waste-to-Wealth Model
We propose a community-led, circular economy model that converts invasive biomass into value-added products while restoring the ecosystem.
- Sustainable biomass harvesting
- Community-based production units
- SHG-led micro-enterprises
- Market-linked product development
- Industry partnerships and offtake
Key Objectives
Create sustainable, market-linked livelihoods for SC communities
Enable skill development and enterprise ownership
Convert invasive biomass into value-added products
Restore ecological balance in Chilika
Build a replicable Blue Economy model
What the Initiative Will Do
Technology & Skill Transfer
Provide hands-on training and simplified SOPs to enable communities to convert biomass into value-added products.
Community-Based Production Model
Establish SHG-led micro-enterprises to manage biomass collection, processing, and production.
Market & Industry Linkages
Create strong market connections and offtake partnerships to ensure sustained income and scalability.
Expected Impact
- 120–150 individuals directly employed; 600–800 indirect beneficiaries
- ₹6,000–₹10,000/month additional income per household
- ₹50 lakh – ₹1 crore annual livelihood value generated
- 8–10 SHG-led enterprises established and operational
- ≥50% women participation in training and enterprises
- ~12,000 kg invasive biomass/year converted into value-added products
- 2–3 market-ready products developed with ≥2 buyer linkages
- 70%+ beneficiaries engaged in year-round income activities