Catalytic intervention grants aim to support a more sustainable community network environment. To create such an environment, we have to explore ways to overcome the isolation of local community networks, improve their access to spectrum, actively foster their diversity and provide solutions for their resilience (e.g. alternative energy) as well as technological innovation. These grants are part of the project 'Connecting the unconnected: Supporting community networks and other community-based connectivity initiatives'.

BAIF Development Research Foundation was awarded this grant and worked on the project ' Digitising rural livelihoods based on local knowledge in indigenous communities: Building a connectivity-based platform enabling the economic empowerment of women in Pathardi, Jawhar, Maharashtra'. BAIF collaborated in this project with Gram Marg, IIT Bombay, and Servelots, Bengaluru. The main aim of this study is to address the issue of sustainability of connectivity in community networks in a way that they can manage the network and economically sustain it by capacitating women to direct market their products in an online platform. Important research objectives of this project are as follows:

1. To work along with the women in the tribal communities to digitise local knowledge related to local culture, wild food, seeds and vegetables and identify products that can be marketable.
2. To work on digital dissemination of product range available from the community eg paintings, art and crafts, herbal products.
3. To develop an online e-commerce platform where the products can be marketed to economically empower the women in these communities.