How can India achieve SDGs by 2030? By strengthening household resilience & addressing caste-based discrimination

The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in 2015 under the aegis of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This agenda outlined a global roadmap for sustainable planetary progress by 2030, which is tracked using 17 SDGs, consisting of 169 indicators aimed at achieving zero poverty, no hunger, quality health, improved education, gender equality, and sustainable consumption, among others.

India, home to more than 15 per cent of the world’s population, ranks 109th out of 167 countries according to the 2024 SDG report prepared by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). Achieving all the SDGs by 2030 may be challenging, according to the National Indicator Framework Progress Report released by the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in 2024.

The SDSN SDG report of 2024 reveals a more concerning trend: only 16 per cent of SDG targets are on track for achievement globally by 2030; the remaining 84 per cent targets have shown limited or no progress since 2020. Such regressive progress is the compounded effect of multiple crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing geopolitical conflicts, and escalating climate challenges. Therefore, we emphasise the critical need for more focused efforts to bridge gaps in achieving key goals such as zero hunger (SDG 2), gender equality (SDG 5), sustainable economic growth (SDG 8), and reduced inequalities (SDG 10).

The non-attainment of these SDGs risks exacerbating social and economic disparities, highlighting the need for holistic interventions. Although the Government of India has introduced several flagship programmes to tackle SDG challenges, the critical role of household-level adaptive capacity has received limited attention from policymakers. A study published by us this year in the Journal of Environmental Management finds that enhancing adaptive capacity at the household level can significantly accelerate progress on SDGs by fostering local empowerment, especially in developing countries like India. In addition to household adaptive capacity, caste identity also affects local SDG attainment.

Adaptive Capacity as a Catalyst for SDG Progress

Our study has shown that increasing household-level adaptive capacity is crucial role in locally achieving the SDGs. Adaptive capacity refers to a household’s ability to adapt to and recover from crises based on how it uses its resources, such as finances, physical assets, human skills, and social networks. Households with higher adaptive capacity are better equipped to handle challenges now and in the future. By learning from past experiences and sharing knowledge, these households can develop innovative livelihood strategies to overcome crises like economic shocks or environmental disasters. For example, SDGs 1 (poverty reduction), 2 (zero hunger), and 5 (gender equality) aim to reduce vulnerabilities in households. Households with high adaptive capacity are better able to progress on these goals. As these households become more resilient, they contribute to local SDG attainment, creating a cycle of growth that benefits entire communities.

The study, which looked at 395 agricultural households across four states in India, showed that increasing household adaptive capacity can significantly accelerate progress toward multiple SDGs. For instance, better adaptive capacity helps reduce poverty, minimise hunger, and advance gender equality, all essential for achieving SDGs 1, 2, and 5. However, the study also highlights that the local context, such as pre-existing development levels, can influence how adaptive capacity translates into SDG progress. In areas with better education or infrastructure, households tend to have higher adaptive capacity, making them more capable of achieving SDGs.

Role of Caste Dynamics

Caste identity remains a crucial factor influencing the progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in India. The study found that caste plays a significant role in shaping household adaptive capacity, particularly in SDGs focused on reducing inequalities (SDG 10) and promoting peace and justice (SDG 16). Discrimination and unequal access to resources such as education, land, and employment are widespread among lower-caste communities, which limits their ability to improve livelihoods and adapt to crises. Such systemic inequality impedes inclusive development and exacerbates vulnerabilities, hindering overall SDG progress.

Households from higher-caste groups tend to have greater access to resources and support networks, which enhances their adaptive capacity and ability to respond to challenges. In contrast, lower-caste households often face exclusion from formal support systems, making it harder to recover from shocks and improve their long-term development outcomes.

As a result, caste-based disparities not only perpetuate poverty but also contribute to social divisions and unrest, undermining efforts to foster peaceful and equitable societies. Addressing these disparities through targeted policy interventions, such as increasing access to education, land, and economic opportunities for marginalised communities, is essential for advancing SDGs and ensuring that no one is left behind in the development process.

Building Adaptive Capacity

Building households’ adaptive capacity is crucial to accelerate progress on the SDGs in India, particularly among local communities. Several steps can be taken to enhance this capacity and empower communities to better respond to challenges like climate change, economic shocks, and social inequalities —  a) Invest in households’ ability to collaborate within their community and local organisations to promote peer-to-peer learning for solving common problems; b) Create both structural and cognitive spaces where households can engage in constructive discussions and develop well-coordinated strategies to address these challenges; c) Develop knowledge platforms that provide democratised access to information; d) Invest in resilient infrastructure to alleviate pressure on existing systems and ensure flexibility in adjusting to sudden shocks; e) Showcase how local culture preserves historical knowledge about how households have used their adaptive capacities to survive past crises; f) Target women—most outreach activities (such as those conducted by agricultural extension officers) typically focus on male household members. Unless female members are specifically targeted, these activities will continue to reinforce sociocultural barriers and prejudices that limit women's potential to become genuinely productive members of society; g) Empower households to engage with local governments as equal partners in local adaptation planning; h) Train local government representatives to be more receptive to working collaboratively with communities; and i) Increase access to adaptation finance and empower local self-help groups to allocate and manage these resources collectively

Pathways to Accelerating SDG Attainment in India

In other words, India’s path to achieving the SDGs by 2030 requires a multi-pronged focus: a) Strengthen household resilience and b) Address systemic inequalities such as caste-based discrimination. By empowering local communities through improved access to resources and inclusive decision-making, our country can enhance its adaptive capacity and create a foundation for Viksit Bharat.

Rakesh Arrawatia is a distinguished professor at the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and an adjunct faculty member at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). He is also a founder member of the World Cooperation Economic Forum (WCopEF). Sanchayan Nath is an Asst. Professor at XLRI Delhi-NCR campus. Sumit Sharma is currently serving as a Research Fellow at the Institute of Rural Management (IRMA) in Anand, Gujarat

Views expressed are the authors’ own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth