Project Detail

To Ensure Biodiversity Conservation through promoting traditional skill based livelihoods for the Pardhi Tribes.

A large part of Hoshangabad district is within the Satpuda Tiger Reserve, Bori Wildlife Sanctuary and Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve. These parts are rich in biodiversity. The mammalian wildlife is threatened by illegal hunting especially tigers. The Pardhi community is often blamed for this, and shunned as a ?criminal tribe? by other village communities. The Pardhi community has traditional skills in relation with wildlife and animal behavior which could be utilized positively especially in context of recent Tiger crisis in the country. The goals of the project is to explore sustainable livelihood options based on the traditional knowledge and skills of the Pardhi community and enhance community-based conservation of biodiversity through mitigating negative impacts of traditional livelihood activities.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

Dalit Sangh

Country:

India

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

Phase 3

Grant Amount:

US$ 33,001.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 30,552.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

Project Number:

SGP/GEF/IND/OP3/02/07/MP 08

Start Date:

2/2007

End Date:

2/2009

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Photo Gallery

Awaeness in management of poulty farming, An Exposure visit for the villager

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Project Characteristics and Results

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Awareness campaigns will be done for mixed groups of local people and local government officials through meetings, film shows, street plays and exhibitions. Meetings with officials of human rights department will also be organized. Linkages with officials from police, forest and other state departments through workshops will be made.

Capacity - Building Component

Capacity building activities of 107 families (out of 1000 families in the areas) of Pardhi community will be undertaken from 5 villages for sustainable livelihood options, using their own traditional knowledge and skills and linkages with BD conservation efforts. 15 youths will be trained as ecotourism guides and will be linked to the tourism management authorities of the Satpuda Tiger Reserve, Bori Sanctuar, Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, Madhai Ecotourism Center. Trainings will be undertaken for 107 families on poultry farming, training 25 families in apiculture techniques. Apiculture kits will be provided to 25 families Two Training programs will be conducted for enhancing handicraft skills and linkages with Khadi Gram Udyog for marketing of art and craft. 15 youths will be trained as ecotourism guides and will be linked to the tourism management authorities of the Satpuda Tiger Reserve, Bori Sanctuar, Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, Madhai Ecotourism Center. Trainings will be undertaken for 107 families on poultry farming, training 25 families in apiculture techniques. Apiculture kits will be provided to 25 families Two Training programs will be conducted for enhancing handicraft skills and linkages with Khadi Gram Udyog for marketing of art and craft.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

Facilitating the socialization process for the Pardhi community. Pardhis will be enrolled in voters list, and facilitated of obtaining caste certificate and ration cards. Participation in Gramsabha/ Janpad meeting will be facilitated.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

Livelihood options to be implemented are in consonance with the skills available with Pardhis. This will help in easy adaptation of options. Formation of clusters and involvement of SHGs will enhance community institutional sustainability. Trainings will be provided on apiculture, poultry and eco-tourism to SHGs and bank linkages will be facilitated for enterprise development.

Notable Community Participation

The NGO has been working with Pardhis for the last few years and has insights into the attitudes, knowledge and skill base of Pardhis, as well as their ability to adapt to other livelihood options. Specific components of the project aim to enhance the socialization and integration processes of the Pardhi families into the village community, and activities have been designed to enhance this. The livelihood options being explored for the Pardhi community build upon their existing knowledge and skill base, and this is likely to be a key factor that will encourage the participation of the Pardhis. Specific components of the project aim to enhance the socialization and integration processes of the Pardhi families into the village community, and activities have been designed to enhance this. The livelihood options being explored for the Pardhi community build upon their existing knowledge and skill base, and this is likely to be a key factor that will encourage the participation of the Pardhis.

Project sustainability

The project aims to build the capacities of the Pardhis to engage in better livelihood options. Formation of clusters and SHGs will help in building their capacities in management of activities. This will help in strengthening the weaker section of society and enhance social sustainability.

Replication of project activities

The project has a potential for scaling up to the entire Pardhi community, which is spread over parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Hariyana & Madhya Pradesh and which has extensive migration routes. Developing good alternative livelihood options that are also acceptable to the Pardhis is important because of two reasons: 1. Pardhis have in-depth knowledge of wildlife which needs to be protected 2. Pardhis do engage in hunting, and so other sustainable livelihood options are urgently needed to avoid wildlife losses esp. of flagship species like tiger Major partners in this project are District Administration, Forest Department and MP Biodiversity Board who would be using outcomes of this project towards strengthening conservation strategies.

Policy Impact

This project proactively solicits linkages with Departments of Forests, Agriculture, Revenue, Police and the district administration for integration of Pardhi community through facilitation of access to education, ration cards and caste certificates etc. and alternative livelihood & BD conservation model tried through this project. Through these processes the NGO hopes to also improve the overall standing with the local government agencies, of this otherwise shunned community, and create a climate more supportive of their socialization.

Project Results

?Received Best NGO Award TWICE by State Government and community workers was also recognised.
Pardhi families will be engaged in livelihood options such as Ecotourism activities in Satpuda Tiger Reserve, Bori WLS and Pachmarhi Biosphere reserve areas through 15 trained Pardhi youths, documentation of TK and impact of traditional practice on BD, Medicinal plants identification, conservation, processing and marketing with involvement of vaidus. Non forest based activities like Poultry with 107 Pardhi families, Apiculture with 25 Pardhi families, 2 Art and craft related skill enhancement workshops will be promoted to reduce the forest dependence to the communities. Pardhi community will be given better access of local government schemes, linkages between TK & local resource conservation and establishing positive stakes in conservation especially in context of Tiger conservation.

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