A planning workshop including capacity building training was conducted to strengthen Monpa's capability to undertake project activities. Selected members of the CBO will be sent to India for study tour followed by a week training workshop, to expose them to a variety of handicrafts as well as learn new skills and ideas regarding handicraft production and reduce wastage of raw material.
Notable Community Participation
Monpa community is involved in preparing and implementing cane and bamboo manageemnt plan. The community with technical assistance from district foresters, will establish a nursery and plantation of cane and bamboo for sustainable supply of raw materials for their handicrafts.
Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
Monpa is a unique ethnic tribe residing at Jangbi, Wangling, and Phumzur villages of Trongsa district within the Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park (formerly known as Black Mountain National Park area). The total Monpa population in Bhutan is about 200. Monpa are one of the most economically and socially backward communities in Bhutan living in the Black Mountains. This project is implemented by the Monpa community with technical assiatance from District Administration and Park Management.
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
One of the major activities of the project includes the promotion of public awareness of Global Environment, how conserving the local environment could effect the environment globally.
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
The project has strong emphasis on sustainable livelihood. The project plans to undertake in-situ conservation of cane and bamboo in the Black Mountain National Park area and establish nursery and plantation to achieve resource sustainability and uplift living standards of local community by improving the quality as well as promoting their age old handicrafts.
Project Results
Rationale:
The Monpas are the ethnic tribe with distinct dialect and cultural traits. Only 47 Monpa households remain today in Bhutan.The project covers 40 of them in the villages of Jangbi, Wangling and Phumjur.
The Monpa's livelihood is dependent on forest resources, especially cane and bamboo as they are used for construction, fuelwood, handicraft production, agruculture and fodder to edibles. The age-old traditional cane and bamboo handicraft skills are prevalent among the communities. However, they are depleting due to over exploitation, poor harvesting practice and iadequate community awareness on conservation of natural resources.
Objectives: The Monpa's with the help of the Dzongkhag Administration decided to take up the measures to protect their environment as well as promote the economic opportunity for themselves through the project. The project also aimed to create awareness about conservation and management of local resources through people's participation.
The project was completed in mid 2003. The project has enabled 42 households from three villages of Janbi, Wangling and Phumzur to develop their cane and bamboo handicraft. The communities have also received support in settling up cane and bamboo nurseries and plantations to better manage and protect the cane and bamboo species, so that they will have good supply of raw materials for their craft work.
Policy Influence:
The Monpas demonstrated a good community participation through the project and was known by the RNR Headquarter in Thimphu the capital of Bhutan, which is under the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). The RNR advised Monpa Selvwai Yoeser Tshogpa (MSYT) to demonstrate their handicraft in the RNR Exhibition in the year 2001 (19-20 March 2002). It was out in the national newspaper the Kuensel and the national Radio the Bhutan Broadcasting Services Corporation (BBSC).
The visibility of the project drew the attention of other stakeholders for other kinds of developmental activities.
Project Sustainability:
To sustain the project they have created a Revolving Fund where they contributed 2% of their sale into the project fund. This fund helps to sustain their activities and other community needs in times of crop failure, or when community rites and rituals are required.
