On July 23, 2025, the SDG Local Solutions Series hosted its 27th webinar, in which participants learned how the city of Rourkela, in India, is offering women better livelihoods. The session spotlighted the Cold Rooms project, a three-year initiative that has significantly improved income, reduced food waste, and empowered women cooperatives. The initiative is part of a broader municipal strategy to enhance women’s economic autonomy through infrastructure, skilling, and employment-based support, and it was one of the winners of the 2021 Global Mayors Challenge.
The video recording of the event is available on our YouTube channel – in English, Spanish, and French.
Download the Cold Room project guidelines here.
Access to the data visualization of the Cold Room project here.
Fostering women’s economic autonomy through city-led initiatives in Rourkela
The Rourkela Municipal Corporation shared that the Cold Rooms Project is one of several city-led initiatives aimed at tackling systemic barriers to women’s full participation in the local economy.
“While many women are eager to work, the local labor market has not always offered them viable or stable options”
Roma Sahoo
Rourkela municipality has launched programs that support women through various initiatives, under the Mission Shakti Programme and organized into Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs):
- Waste management: collection of segregated waste from households, transportation of waste to Municipal Collection Centres (MCCs) and Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), preparation of organic compost and packaging of organic manure for agricultural use.
- Food processing project: food production and value-added food processing for local consumption or commercial sale.
- Mission Shakti Café project: management and operation of a women-run municipal café.
- Water tax collection: women are trained and employed to collect water taxes on behalf of the municipality
- Urban infrastructure and maintenance: involvement in infrastructure upkeep and minor maintenance tasks (not specified in detail, but mentioned as part of municipal engagement)
Key data about these initiatives
- More than 3,245 women’s groups are registered with the city.
- Over 30,000 women are members of Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
- Each woman earns a minimum monthly income of ₹6,000.
- The program has contributed to improved household incomes and enhanced social status.
- Demonstrates the huge potential of women to generate their own livelihoods through municipal support.
Transforming women’s opportunities through the cold room initiative
The city of Rourkela developed the cold room initiative to help bridge the gender gap, enabling women to store goods longer, reduce loss, and reinvest profits into their small businesses. The initiative focuses on increasing women’s economic autonomy by integrating them into the heart of the city’s food supply chain.
“This is not just a food preservation solution: it’s a tool for dignity, resilience, and financial autonomy.”
Roma Sahoo
Supported by the Global Mayors Challenge initiative, these mobile, solar-powered cold rooms are designed to be flexible in urban settings and promote environmental sustainability. They embody the principles of a circular economy and address immediate community needs.
Trained women from self-help groups operate and manage these cold storage facilities in local markets, playing a key role in reducing food waste, supporting small-scale farmers, and improving vendor incomes. The project combines technical training, business mentoring, and practical experience, enabling women to earn sustainable incomes—from USD 500 up to 1,000 per month—while also gaining social recognition and greater autonomy over their livelihoods.
Key facts about empowering women through the Cold Room Project
- Women Self-Help Groups were trained to operate cold rooms in local markets.
- Training included three weeks of theoretical instruction and 18 months of on-the-job mentoring, covering technical, operational, and business skills.
- Women now earn between USD 500 and 1,000 per month, contributing to their economic independence and social recognition.
- The project promoted gender inclusion in traditionally male-dominated agricultural and logistics sectors.
Conclusions
By merging green infrastructure with gender equity, and food security with climate resilience, Rourkela has created a replicable model for urban innovation in the Global South. The Cold Rooms Project is emblematic of the city’s broader commitment to women’s empowerment: one that also includes tailored skilling programs, financial access, and market reforms.
As moderator, Angela Mwai from UN-Habitat, noted in her closing remarks:
“This is not just a food preservation solution: it’s a tool for dignity, resilience, and financial autonomy for women”
Angela Mwai