A number of discussions have been conducted with community members to establish rubber plantations in barren areas belonging to the Forest Department. Therefore, the community will embark on conversations with the Forest Department, substantially improving the relationships between the two groups.
About 75 farmer families have replicated the soil conservation activities in their home gardens, without being beneficiaries of the project.
Capacity - Building Component
As a first step three interactive training workshops were conducted to raise awareness of the regarding causes and harmful effects of deforestation and to mobilize the community into collective effort to protect the forest. One hundred and twenty five people from the upper regions of the forest who were most marginalized and soley dependent on the forest for their livelihoods were mobilized to form two CBO?s which were registered with the Divisional secretariat.
Provision of Office space, furniture as well as management and leadership training and credit facilities received under the project has contributed towards the growing capacity of the CBOs. After receiving training from the Department of Agriculture people have basic practical knowledge organic farming such as the use of making compost , liquid fertilizer and soil conserving measures in home gardening use of space and soil conservation methods to arrest soil erosion. farming.
Planning gef grant
CRPC is planning to establish fire belts, replant trees around the natural springs in Maduhelkanda forest reserve, and rehabilitate water storage facilities while making people aware of preventing fires, in order to enhance the watershed and to improve home gardens/farmlands in Maduhelkanda area.
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
Followings transition from conventional slash and burn to sustainable agriculture and forestry some Households have earned Rs 55,000 - 65,000 on an average each family has earned about Rs10,000 ? 15,000 from sale of crops like green gram, corn, chilies and cow pea
Inovative Financial Mechanisms
Not Applicable.
Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
Not Applicable.
Linkages gef projects
Planning to restore the streams and the reservation of the Saddatissa tank enhancing the capacity to farm in surrounding home gardens throughout the year, while reducing the siltation of the tank.
Project sustainability
Provision of Office space, furniture as well as management and leadership training and credit facilities received under the project has contributed towards the growing capacity of the CBO?. The Revolving fund scheme started under the project maintains good records and will be further reinforced when the amount expected from IFAD which is currently being advanced from project funds is added to its capital. Project is assured of needed external support as CRPC has established useful linkages with a number of state and non state agencies.
The project has been successful in introducing good agricultural practices to the community . Home gardening is popularized in the community. The average value of home garden produce for a month is estimated to be about Rs.5400 per household. Non beneficiaries are also showing increasing interest in organic home gardens.
According to reliable information the community has become very vigilant about preventing and suppressing fires and currently no incident goes unreported. The people who were earlier unwilling to get involved in fire fighting activities as they ran the risk of being bitten by snakes and getting leg wounds were ready to come forward at a moments notice as they were now sensitized about the issues and well equipped with leather boots and first aid kits.
Policy Influence
Strengthening the conservation status of Maduhelkanda Forest Reserve and Saddatissa Tank Irrigation Reserve through soil conservation measures and establishing links with relevant government officers.
Gender Focus
The project was initiated and implemented primarily by womens groups and majority of the CBO members are women. The project has truly empowered the women in the community and it has tried to address some specific problems affecting women such as the time and energy spent on collecting water from distant places .Due to the restoration of 4 natural springs there is adequate water available for cultivation and for domestic purposes and time and energy saved as a result could be put to more productive use
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
This project is heavily involved in community and school awareness programmes, offering education on land degradation and the global environment.
Notable Community Participation
Two Kilometer long fire belt was constructed with the active participation of the CBO members. Also a fire fighter and vigilance team was formed. The project has been successful in introducing good agricultural practices to the community . Home gardening is popularized in the community
Project Results
- 71 acres of forest land conserved under the project
- 2 meter fire belt maintained
- In the 71 acres of forest land conserved with trees and crops like corn, green gram timber felling is reduced to cutting of extra branches
- While some Households out of the total of 71 benficiary households have earned Rs 55,000 - 65,000 on an average each family has earned about Rs10,000 ? 15,000 from sale of crops like green gram, corn, chilies and cow pea
- A total of 125 stone bunds, 475 live fences, bunds and 150 soil bunds have been built resulting in increased soil fertility
- Due to the restoration of 4 natural springs there is adequate water for cultivation (for 35 families )and for domestic purposes ( for 15 families)
- The natural springs have been enriched by plants like mee(Madhuca longifolia, acre nut Areca catechu and and kumbuk Terminalia arjuna
- water from one restored natural spring falls onto a canal feeding the kubukkan oya running through the Yala forest and game sanctuary
- Local seed banks are functioning well and meeting over 50% of the seed needs of farmers and home gardeners
