Terminal Report - 26/01/2006

The oak-mushroom cultivation by farmers at household level has been successful, while the group cultivation of the same could not be realized. 2.5 hactres of wastelands were used by raising nursery and plantations done with fruit trees as mentioned in the report. The effort is still continued by the SDNT. Local labour was contributed by the farmers although additional labour had to be hired from other villages, too.

Awareness Raising:
The environmental awareness workshop was conducted three times and the farmers, influential people, the governmental staff and the nearby neighbours were informed about the Small Grants Programme and its facility, environmental knowledge and people's participation to improve the environment around them. During the workshops, the resource persons highlighted on the environmental conservation, food security, and group formation as one of the set of objectives of the Dzongkhag Administration, and encouraged SDNT for the upliftment of the poor community. they also stressed on the sustainable use of natural resources by creating awareness pm the community forestry, social and private forestry establishment which would result the decrease in pressure in the forest cover.

In the second environmental awareness workshop, more than 60 participants attended the workshop comprising of geog heads, influential people like the tshogpa, chirpon, Gondey heads, village elders like community organizers, village health workers, village RNR contact farmers and village forest keepers. The resource person stressed on the importance of forest, causes of forest degradation and deforestation, afforestation and plantation, concerns on non decomposable items disposal and protection of water catchment areas.

The third awareness raising workshop re-emphasized on the importance of environmental preservation and proper use of forest resources through sustainable measures like, pressure on natural forest, water catchment area protection/spring water protection; forest fire hazards; plantation; non-decomposable items disposed; and community involvement in campaign on surrounding environment conservation.

Capacity:
The capacity of SDNT in project implementation has been built through trainings, meetings, implementation of various activities, visit of other SGP project grantees and by involving themselves in the implementation of the project.