CHIRAAG project is a multi-sectoral initiative and will be implemented by the Department of Agriculture Development, and Farmers Welfare and Biotechnology, along with its directorates – Directorate of Agriculture (DAG), Directorate Horticulture and Farm Forestry (DH), Directorate of Veterinary Services (DVS), and Directorate of Fisheries Department (DF). The project development objective is to improve income opportunities and the availability of nutritious foods in targeted households of Chhattisgarh’s tribal-dominated areas. The project intervention will be implemented in select 14 tribal dominated blocks from 8 districts in 1000 selected villages.

The project is premised on the development and optimum utilization of local natural resources and is well aligned to Narua (water conservation), Garua(livestock management), Ghurwa (composting and soil health) and Badi (homestead garden) i.e., NGGB policy of GoCG. The NGGB policy centres around resource conservation approaches and principles and Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) being promoted globally for sustainable development and offer opportunities for year-round production of nutritive food for local consumption and markets.

The project envisions to improve the State’s agricultural competitiveness in terms of increased production, productivity, with an enhanced focus to water management, livestock development, farm waste management, post-harvest management, storage, value addition, marketability and enterprise development for the creation of off-farm employment opportunities. The project fundamentally targets to increase rural household income generation and nutrition intake, with a special focus on the tribal population that accounts for 33% of the total population in the state. The project will mobilize the village communities in ‘livelihood groups’ (LG), strengthen the existing Gauthans by promoting CHIRAAG Resource Centres (CRC), promote farmer producer organizations (FPO) and support these community institutions to access markets for in accelerated and inclusive rural transformation.