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This paper reports case studies in eastern Madhya Pradesh -a central Indian province -on community adaptation strategies for sustainable livelihood options. With about 90% of the region being rain-fed, erratic rainfalls in the last fifteen years have caused up to a 60% decrease in crop yields, directly impacting the food security of the region. The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) and horticultural expansion are adaptation measures for tackling climate change. The expansion of kitchen gardens from subsistence-level to commercial-level is another significant development in the region. Meanwhile, increased pressure on common lands has caused fuelwood scarcity for households and decreased livestock fodder. While output of most non-timber forest products (NTFPs) has reduced drastically due to unsustainable extraction, production of mahua (Madhuca indica) has not suffered as much, thanks to a community-managed user regime. Community-based institutions have the potential to support the ecosystem-based livelihoods of forestdependent communities.

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Moringa oleifera Lam., a medium sized tree species has gained importance due to its multipurpose usage and well adaptability to dry and hot climates of northwestern plains, central India and dry regions of peninsular India. Moringa oleifera Lam. (family: Moringaceae) is a highly valued plant, distributed in many countries of the tropics and subtropics. It has an impressive range of medicinal uses with high nutritional value. Different parts of this plant contain a profile of important minerals, and are a good source of protein, vitamins, -carotene, amino acids and various phenolics. The moringa plant provides a rich and rare combination of zeatin, quercetin, -sitosterol, caffeoylquinic acid and kaempferol. In addition to its compelling water purifying powers and high nutritional value, M. oleifera is very important for its medicinal value and it is also used in Dairy and meat production in dry regions is very complex due to low quality and shortage of fodder, especially in dry periods. In case of fodder shortage. i.e. unavailability of fodder in December through May as currently green fodder is least available after wheat, alfalfa, brassica and maize harvesting. This leads towards reduced livestock production and low-quality milk and meat products. and enlarging the gap between the availability of resources and the meeting of human and animals necessities. People are fulfilling their requirements for food and shelter by depleting natural resources. Moringa oleifera is one of those plants that has been neglected for several years but now is being investigated for its fast growth, higher nutritional attributes, and utilization as a livestock fodder crop. It can be grown as a crop on marginal lands with high temperatures and low water availability, where it is difficult to cultivate other agricultural crops.