Empowering rural communities with dependable, lasting livelihoods
We design the economic architecture that enables rural households to earn higher, more sustainable incomes. By connecting finance, markets, technology and rural institutions, we build scalable models that turn rural economic opportunities into sustainable livelihoods.
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CDFI is an innovation and research centre at IFMR. Established in 2014, we have developed, supported and scaled several award-winning programs that are driving large scale impact across geographies. We work at the intersection of value chains, rural institutions, finance,markets, technology and grassroots implementation to build scalable models that enable low-income rural households to earn higher and more predictable incomes.
We combine value-chain expertise, business model design,market linkages, financial inclusion and digital solutions with the grassroots reach of NGO and community partners to design and implement scalable livelihood models.
Our core proposition is simple:
Sustainable livelihoods are created not merely by training people, but by making the economic system around them work. CDFI therefore focuses on designing the economic architecture that enables rural producers and enterprises to participate more effectively in markets.
We identify where value is being lost in rural value chains,where producers face constraints, which institutions are best placed to address those constraints, and how markets, finance, technology and government programmes can be brought together to create viable economic opportunities.
SHG members empowered through financial access for livelihood enhancement
PACS studied across 5 states to build an evidence based framework for transforming PACS into multipurpose institutions
Self Help Group members supported through LokOS
TRANSFORMING LIVES
Today, CDFI is focusing its expertise and resources on one of rural India's most pressing challenges:
helping rural households build sustainable, reliable and higher-earning livelihoods.
Get in touchOUR PARTNERS
Trusted by Leading Partners
From Ideas to Impact: Transforming Rural Livelihoods Across India
From strengthening rural institutions and enabling digital solutions to improving market systems and data-driven development, CDFI works with communities, governments and partners to design and scale solutions that create more sustainable rural livelihoods.
CBOs Growth Framework
Designed the CBOs Growth Framework to transform CBOs into viable, diversified, and technology-enabled rural economic centres. The framework is being implemented in Tamil Nadu to strengthen the capacity of PACS and FPOs to provide better services and livelihood opportunities for the local community.
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MegLIFE
Community-Based Forest Management & Livelihood Improvement, Meghalaya
Since 2020, CDFI has partnered with the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) under a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) supported initiative, to build the digital backbone for one of the state's largest conservation and livelihoods programmes. Our MIS platform brings together field data collection and analytics to help track forest management, livelihood improvement and institutional strengthening across hundreds of villages.
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Strengthened Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)
Built the capacity of 200+ FPOs to use data and digital solutions for managing and growing their business operations, covering over 200,000 farm households across five states.
Read MoreLokOS
Redesigning the Core Data System for India's National Rural Livelihoods Mission
In partnership with the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, and the Digital India Corporation, CDFI redesigned and scaled the core data architecture behind the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) - India's nationwide programme for Self Help Groups (SHGs). The result, LokOS, is a mini core-banking platform that captures every Self Help Group transaction at its source. Now live nationwide with eKYC (electronic identity verification) via DigiLocker, LokOS supports over 82 million Self Help Group members across India.
Read MoreAWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
Our Achievements
Bold Award
The Rebuild Kerala initiative won the global BOLD Award under 'Boldest Crowdsourced Marketing & Advertising.' CDFI's innovation Sunidhi was the engine behind the Rebuild Kerala Platform.
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Skoch Award
The Meghalaya Government won the Skoch Award in the Gold category for 'Improve Social Parameters' in the state's South West Garo Hills region.
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Governance Now Award
The MOTHER programme won a Governance Now award in the Cloud category for the year 2020. CDFI is providing its Data Driven Governance tools to the Meghalaya Government for its implementation.
BusinessLine Changemaker Award
CDFI was one of the nominees for the BusinessLine Changemaker Awards under the category 'Changemaker – Financial Transformation' for the year 2016.
Building a career with purpose, growth, and impact.
Building sustainable livelihoods through stronger systems, stronger partnerships and scalable solutions. Join us in shaping institutional pathways for one million households.
