Home Planet Fund was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to ask Sanjay to expand on this perspective for our supporters.

Home Planet Fund (HPF): Why do you feel it is important, for you personally, to be on the board of Home Planet Fund at this time?

Sanjay Joshie (SJ): When I was invited to be part of the board, I was really excited with the idea that was shared with me by Dilafruz behind the creation of the Home Planet Fund. I knew a bit about Patagonia’s work, so the whole idea kind of resonated with me as it aligned with  both my personal  and my professional goals. My entire career has been focused on working with local communities—particularly Indigenous people—helping them solve their own problems and building their community institutions. All these issues were closely connected to the conservation of natural resources, which ties in perfectly with how we can adapt to and mitigate the impact of climate change.

So understanding the challenges, I was also wondering whether I could truly make a difference at HPF, along with the present responsibility that I was shouldering at that time. I think I took a wise decision, because the idea really motivated me. I thought, “let’s give it a try.” And since then, I’ve realized it was a wonderful decision, both for me and for the Home Planet Fund. I feel we are part of a journey to shape an organization that is  dedicated to supporting Indigenous people as well as addressing the issues of climate change.

HPF: That’s wonderful to hear. From your perspective and experience, why is it that Indigenous peoples and local communities around the world are so effective at their work of mitigating the climate crisis and protecting biodiversity hotspots?

SJ: What I have seen in my life and in my career is that Indigenous people are the ones who are the frontliners when it comes to climate change. They are the ones who really feel the brunt of it. They also have the deepest understanding of their local environment and the challenges they are facing. When we talk about larger aspects of climate change—like greenhouse gas emissions, ozone layer depletion, or other related issues, we seem to forget the indigenous people who are the ones who are really,  getting impacted in their life on a day to day basis.

Their lives and livelihoods are intrinsically linked to natural resources like land, water, and vegetation, which are essential for their agriculture or livestock management. I believe that if these communities are provided with the right resources and support, they are more than capable of building the knowledge and skills needed to adapt to and mitigate these impacts. Empowering them not only addresses immediate challenges but also ensures long-term sustainability.

When communities are actively involved in driving solutions, it fosters a sense of ownership and spreads the ability to create lasting change at the grassroots level. This approach strengthens their resilience and helps protect their lands and livelihoods for the future.

HPF: What do you hope for the future of Home Planet Fund?

SJ: I believe the actions of the Home Planet Fund will speak for themselves. As a board member, I am committed to ensuring that HPF become a  philanthropy with a difference. As the work grows, I’m confident that more people will connect with the mission of the Home Planet Fund—whether they are donors, implementers, or policymakers. Over time, we will see a growing body of practice that will evolve, and this body of work will continue to attract increasing support from all quarters.

The Home Planet Fund is focused on driving real, tangible change on the ground, particularly in improving the lives of Indigenous people. And I am confident that in the years to come, the Home Planet Fund will be recognized as one of the leading philanthropies in the world.

HPF: That is so wonderful, and humbling, to hear. In a way, it feels like there is a genuine synthesis happening between you and the other board member’s leadership of Home Planet Fund and our partners around the world.

SJ: I would just say that after the initial slow start, we are now truly on course to create real, on-the-ground impacts. I believe these efforts will serve as great examples of how philanthropy can effectively support local issues and people in the ways that are most needed. By working in this way, the Indigenous people and local communities that Home Planet Fund partners with are building resilience within themselves, enabling them to better mitigate the impacts of climate change. The climate crisis is no longer just a theory; it’s a reality. Everyone can now see the changes in the climate and the impact it is having, especially on poor and marginalized Indigenous people.

HPF: Many people, particularly in the west, are still coming up to speed on the concept of the very direct connection between Indigenous peoples and local communities and the places where they live, and that you cannot talk about one without including the other. Your work has focussed so heavily on supporting people and their local economies, and this is the same thing as working directly to mitigate the climate crisis. Can you please expand on this?

SJ: Indigenous people and local communities have long had the knowledge and capacity to adapt to changes and use sustainable practices. But with the current changes in the climate, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for them to adapt. For example, in my country, changing rainfall patterns are significantly affecting growing seasons and the crops that Indigenous farmers rely on.

They are struggling to tackle these challenges on their own for several reasons. First, they don’t have access to the new knowledge needed to address the changing climate. Second, they don’t have the resources to prepare for every circumstance. Third, when a crop fails, they can’t easily switch to growing a different one. As a result, their livelihoods are severely threatened, and many are forced to adopt new ways of working—some migrate to cities to work as labourers, while others turn to harvesting natural resources, like wood from forests, to sell in local markets. This not only creates personal insecurity but also harms the natural resources, especially forests.

Our work focuses on building the capacity of these communities to adapt to these situations, learn new practices, and combine their traditional knowledge with the new insights they gain through capacity building. This way, they become the custodians of their own future, able to both adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change.