Which one of the following is the first Plan Vivo certified Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) project in India?
Answer: (c)
The Khasi Hills Community REDD+ project, located in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, is India's first Plan Vivo certified REDD+ project, launched in 2011 and certified in 2013. It is managed by a federation of 10 indigenous Khasi tribal kingdoms (himas), protecting and restoring about 27,000 hectares of cloud forest and sacred groves along the Umiam River watershed. Option (a) Uttarakhand's REDD+ activity is only an ICFRE readiness/pilot initiative without Plan Vivo certification. Option (b) ICFRE-ICIMOD is a transboundary capacity-building program, not a specific certified project. Option (d) Sikkim's Mamley Kamrang project is a newer initiative that came after Khasi Hills.