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In pursuit of its mission and to enhance the reach and impact of its work, Development Alternatives divides its work in three branches. The Innovations Solutions Branch, the Development Solutions Branch and the Communications Solutions Branch. The Business Solutions Branch along with its affiliates comprises The DA Group.

By virtue of its name and in deed, Development Alternatives fundamentally challenges the status quo to solve the social and environmental problems. Innovations therefore drive the agenda of DA. The branch develops innovative, eco-friendly technology solutions, which serve as either climate change mitigation or as adaptation technologies. Its focus is on carbon footprint reduction and ecosystem conservation by minimising use of virgin resources. The eco-solutions of ISB are characterised as unique, largely because they employ integrated approaches, are resource efficient, low carbon, renewable, decentralised, gender inclusive and with participatory patterns of growth and resource management.

With people and nature as  primary clients, DA works closely with both through Development Solutions Branch, the implementation arm of DA. The branch intensifies and scales up income, employability and well-being through community action. In the past 27 years, DA has empowered over five million marginalised and rural poor across India by enabling livelihood options, demonstrating natural resource management, training and creating platforms and networks for facilitating interaction between the poor, technology, the environment, services and entitlements.

Representing both people and nature, the Communication Solutions Branch (CSB) works towards influencing key stakeholders for sustainable policy changes to enable development to reach much larger numbers of the underprivileged. It works on Corporate Positioning, Knowledge Communications and Policy influence through multi-stakeholder dialogue, products and campaigns, particularly through rural communications.

The innovations of DA are incubated and delivered to the client groups through the Business Solutions branch of The DA Group for creating jobs and enterprises at rural levels. It works like a business group whose aim is to create wealth. It develops and delivers market-driven technology-based products and services and provides strong support systems like sales, marketing and after-sales. It also undertakes technology-based consulting projects for corporate/funding and/government agencies. Its other roles include setting up and managing a network of franchised tele-centres and microenterprises, promoting environment-friendly products and services, aggregation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and launching Special Purpose Vehicles.

The Business Solutions branch consists of:

• TARA Society
• TARA Livelihood Academy (an academy for skill development of rural youth)
• TARAhaat (an Information Communication technology enterprise that provides IT-based education in rural areas)
• TARA Machines (for the promotion and sales of green technology like handmade paper machines, EcoKilns, mud-block making machines, etc)
• TARA Enviro (to promote eco-friendly products)
• TARA Nirman Kendra (To deliver environment friendly and affordable habitat products and consultancy services towards fulfilling basic habitat needs and enabling sustainable building practices)