The Western Odisha Rural Livelihoods Project (WORLP) project is funded by DFID and implemented through the Odisha Watershed Development Mission (OWDM). The Project operates in 290 micro watersheds in 29 in the four poorest Western Odisha district of Bolangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi and Bargarh. Further 387 mainstream DPAP and IWDP micro watersheds were taken up for implementation of livelihoods component in these districts during 2005 – 06.

WORLP aims at addressing poverty through livelihoods promotion. The OWDM supervises the implementation of the project in line with watershed guidelines with GoO. It emphasizes on livelihoods improvement of marginalized and landless population and adopts participatory approaches for the involvement of stakeholders in programme management.

The WORLP is considered as one of the most novel and creative watershed projects of the State, due to its innovative nature, planning process, execution modalities and approach towards watershed development.

The project design broadly follows the Sustainable Livelihood Approach of DFID and also desires to create and enabling environment for policies to address issues of development, sustainable resource management and poverty eradication simultaneously.