Odisha's Climate Storytellers: How Rural Creators Are Amplifying the Voices of a Changing Land
In the farmlands of Odisha, climate change is reshaping more than just the weather — it's reshaping lives, food, faith, and future. And now, a new generation of storytellers is giving the crisis a voice.
Odisha | June 27, 2025 — In rural Odisha, the words "climate change" and "global warming" aren't often heard. But their effects are etched on lunch thalis, temple stones, and farming calendars. As rising temperatures and erratic weather patterns reshape daily life, a quiet revolution is emerging — led not by policymakers, but by young content creators who are transforming climate anxiety into powerful visual narratives.
One of them is Soumya Ranjan Sahoo (26), who travels through villages with a camera and curiosity, listening to the stories of farmers, fisherfolk, and forest dwellers. "When I asked them where they noticed the changes, they invited me to lunch," he recalls. "Their thali is now a monochrome — gone are the seasonal violets, reds, and greens. It's how they understand the climate crisis."
Climate Change Without the Vocabulary
In cities, we talk of carbon footprints and 1.5°C thresholds. In Odisha's rural belts, people speak through metaphors: missing vegetables, dried ponds, spoiled harvests. According to Jagadish Thaker, a climate communication expert from the University of Queensland, this doesn't mean they are unaware.
"A lack of awareness doesn’t mean people are not worried. It just means they don’t have the vocabulary," says Thaker, who co-authored a 2023 Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (YPCCC) survey that showed 90% of Indians are concerned about climate change.
From Social Media to Social Impact
Backed by Momentum Shifts, a Bengaluru-based initiative working to make ecological issues accessible, creators like Soumya are turning climate stories into engaging reels in local languages.
- Tumba Fridge Innovation: In Nuapada, the Chuktia Bhunjia tribe uses large bottle gourds to store and cool water in scorching summers. Soumya turned this indigenous innovation into a viral reel, gaining over 600,000 views.
- Climate Vlogs Over Lifestyle Vlogs: Salman Samal (25) from Jagatsinghpur abandoned lifestyle content to focus on stories like Sivanand’s solar-powered home, a response to the blackout after Cyclone Fani.
- Monumental Warnings: Cracks in sixth-century temples like Bharateswara and Mukteswara are visible proof of atmospheric degradation. Creators are documenting these for younger audiences.
"We don’t want likes, we want action," says Salman. "Our monuments, foods, and fields are crying for attention."
Native Foods, Native Wisdom
Naresh Sahu (27) from Sambalpur focuses on food resilience. His reels highlight "bhadra," the world's smallest popcorn, made from millet by the Chuktia Bhunjia tribe. His goal is to help people reconnect with sustainable, climate-resilient food systems.
Rising Seas, Falling Forests
In Kendrapara, home to the Bhitarkanika mangrove ecosystem, Bishwokesan (23) is using social media to raise alarms. A recent study projects a temperature rise of up to 2.1°C by 2050, threatening dense mangrove forests. His content calls for immediate conservation action.
"These mangroves protect our coast. If they fall, we fall," he warns.
Meanwhile, in the Nicobar Islands, the Giant Leatherback turtle's nesting grounds in Galathea Bay are being compromised by port development. Wildlife biologist Gowri Shankar has made this his campaign through visually gripping content.
The Power of Localised Storytelling
What unites these creators is a common belief: climate change must be explained in the language of the land. Their reels use regional dialects, trending music, and culturally familiar visuals to turn climate jargon into relatable concerns.
Prachur Goel, co-founder and CEO of Momentum Shifts, explains:
"When stories come from the people, they resonate deeper. Our goal is not just awareness, but ownership."
- Local creators are bridging the climate literacy gap in rural Odisha using digital storytelling
- Indigenous innovations like the tumba and sustainable foods like bhadra are being celebrated
- Climate effects on ancient temples and farming practices are visible and worsening
- Social media is now a tool of resistance and resilience, connecting environmental reality to daily life
- Projects like Momentum Shifts offer scalable, culturally rooted communication models
The Road Ahead
As India's rural belts continue to experience the brunt of climate unpredictability, it is these creators — grounded in their communities but armed with tech-savvy storytelling — who are helping people not just see the change, but understand and own it.
They aren't just documenting the climate crisis. They are becoming its narrators.