Belém: AJSA India has been awarded the Most Prestigious Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) Award 2025 under the Women’s Livelihoods category at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 30) in Belém, Brazil.
The award was presented to Manoranjan Behera, Executive Director of AJSA India, by an eminent panel that included Her Excellency Janja Lula Da Silva, First Lady of Brazil; Her Royal Highness Princess Dana Firas of Jordan; and Prof. Patrick V. Verkooijen, President and CEO of the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA), during a special ceremony held at the Resilience Hub at COP 30.
This year’s LLA Awards received 489 applications from 86 countries, out of which 20 initiatives were shortlisted, representing some of the most impactful community-led climate actions from around the world. AJSA India emerged as the global winner in the Women’s Livelihoods category for its pioneering efforts to empower over 5,500 tribal women in the drought-prone Kalahandi district of Odisha through climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable mobility solutions.
The distinguished jury for the 2025 LLA Awards included global leaders such as Ban Ki-moon, 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations; Her Excellency Janja Lula Da Silva, First Lady of Brazil; Baroness Chapman of Darlington, Minister of International Development, United Kingdom; Åsmund Grøver Aukrust, Minister of International Development, Norway; Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of the African Union Development Agency; and Prof. Patrick V. Verkooijen, President and CEO of the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA).
For many years, AJSA India has been working in the drought-affected and migration-prone tribal regions of Kalahandi, driving community-led adaptation and resilience-building. Through its innovative climate-resilient livelihood models, AJSA has transformed how rural women farmers access markets, increased productivity, and adapted to changing climate conditions.
“This award is a tribute to the strength and determination of the women from Kalahandi’s most climate-vulnerable villages,” said Manoranjan Behera, Executive Director, AJSA India. “They are the real champions of change – leading adaptation, strengthening local governance, and proving that climate resilience begins with women at the grassroots. We dedicate this global recognition to our women leaders, staff, and volunteers who continue to make adaptation a reality for those most affected by climate change. We also thank the Global Centre on Adaptation and the esteemed jury for amplifying the voices of local communities on the world stage, he added.
