Meghalaya is charting a new development path that places communities and ecosystems at the centre of its growth model. The state government is advancing a regenerative economy approach aimed at linking local enterprise with environmental restoration and climate resilience.
The initiative builds on over a decade of state-led reforms that connect ecology, economy and equity. Through community-based forest management, sustainable agriculture, and livelihood diversification, Meghalaya has sought to move from subsistence to enterprise while preserving its natural resources.
Over the years, the state has implemented several measures — from introducing India’s first statewide Payment for Ecosystem Services scheme to forming the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) and the Chief Minister–headed Climate Change Council. Forest management plans now cover more than one lakh hectares, while community-led programmes have driven land reclamation and natural resource restoration.
To further this agenda, the government recently launched the Regenerative Economies through Accelerated and Inclusive Enterprises in Meghalaya (MegREAP) Cell. The platform, housed under MBDA, brings together departments, partners, and private actors to align livelihood generation with climate and market opportunities. The state aims to build a US$10 billion green and inclusive economy by 2028 under its Meghalaya Next vision.
Sampath Kumar, Development Commissioner of Meghalaya and CEO of MBDA, said the MegREAP Cell would play a key role in fostering local entrepreneurship while promoting climate-conscious economic activity. “The initiative seeks to operate at the intersection of markets, climate, livelihoods, and finance, helping communities transition toward a resilient and regenerative economy,” he said.
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The model emphasises the role of natural resources like bamboo in driving sustainable livelihoods. With 78% of its land under forest cover, Meghalaya supports over 30 species of bamboo and plans to establish “Bamboo Villages” — community-managed areas integrating bamboo-based agroforestry, processing, and enterprise. Each 2,000-hectare cluster will be managed by local households, promoting income generation while ensuring ecological balance.
“The goal is to move beyond raw production and create a bamboo-based economy that adds value at the village level,” said Wankit Swer, General Manager of MBDA. “We want to build livelihoods rooted in stewardship, where communities remain custodians of both the landscape and its resources.”
The initiative is being developed in partnership with Common Ground, a collaborative platform involving Vrutti, Living Landspaces, and the Bamboo Village Trust. Arief Rabik, Executive Director of the Bamboo Village Trust, said the model aims to integrate ecology and enterprise by enabling local communities to process, brand and market bamboo sustainably.
Given that about 94% of land in Meghalaya is community-owned, the approach focuses on strengthening local governance systems and building entrepreneurial capacity within traditional structures. Two focus regions have been identified — Ri-Bhoi and the Living Root Bridge cluster, the latter being considered for UNESCO World Heritage recognition.
Vrutti’s Pooja Trivedi, who moderated a recent panel on regenerative economies, said collaboration between government, communities, and market actors was essential for lasting impact. “Resilience is built not through isolated interventions but through relationships of trust,” she said.
The state’s regenerative economy model, officials say, aims to demonstrate how local stewardship can align with global climate goals — turning Meghalaya’s ecological diversity into the foundation of a sustainable and inclusive green economy.
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