The Ganges River Conservation Programme, India
Case Study C0210
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| Date | 2006 |
| Agency | WWF India |
| Donor/support agency | State Forest Department, India Wildlife Institute of India Jiwaji University Dolphin Conservation Society Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) Other NGOs and government organizations |
| Project type | Implemented by agency |
| Context(s) | Productive landscape |
| Geographic coverage | India |
| Locality | Farida village, Bulandshahar district, Uttar Pradesh |
| Biodiversity focus | Species, Ganges River dolphin in particular |
| Development focus | Local community |
| Conservation goals | Improve the conservation status of the river dolphins in the area surrounding Farida village |
| Poverty reduction goals | Empower local people and help them develop sustainable income generating activities |
Summary
The Ganges River dolphin is one of only four species of freshwater dolphin in the world. Over the last two decades, the increasing degradation of the River Basin, together with unsustainable fishing, has negatively affected both the dolphin population and human communities living in the basin. WWF India, recognizing the Ganges River dolphin as a species of particular concern, launched in 2001 the Ganges River Dolphin Conservation Initiative in Farida village as a pilot programme to improve the livelihoods of the local community, improve the conservation status of the river dolphins in the area, and influence government policies on conservation. More specifically, the project aimed at: improving water quality through the minimization of chemical fertilizer and pesticide use; improving afforestation; introducing innovative methods to reduce fuelwood use; introducing education and awareness raising programmes, and capacity building within the community to achieve sustainable livelihoods.
The WWF programme has resulted in improved livelihood assets of the inhabitants of Farida village, which is in turn benefiting both the villagers and the natural environment in which they live. The whole process was also instrumental in building capacity within the local governmental institutions.
Conservation impact
As a result of WWF project: replanting schemes were carried out in selected sites along the banks of the river; the use of wood as the fuel for cooking declined from 37% to 14%; the percentage of chemical fertilizers and pesticides used by each household was reduced from 81% to 51%, while the percentage of organic fertilizers and pesticides used by each household increased from 19% to 49%. Finally, these improvements have had a positive impact on the dolphin population in the area. Dolphin sightings in the section of the Ganges near Farida are far more common than before. In the state of Uttar Pradesh, the number of dolphins has doubled to 40 over a ten-year period.
Poverty reduction impact
The programme worked with various government agencies to facilitate the training of villagers to set up cottage and small-scale enterprises and assist them in securing financial support from banks and cooperative societies. As a result, the majority of villagers stopped commercial fishing activities and have started to participate in alternative livelihoods that provide them with better economic benefits than fishing. An increase in employment and cash income were witnessed, which in turn led to an increase in land and livestock ownership. Various improvements were made in Farida as a result of the community successfully accessing Government schemes: a 5km road was built to connect the village with the nearby town, together with 55 concrete houses, 75 toilets, and a middle school. In addition, the percentage of households with access to tube wells increased from 47% to 92%.
Strategy for Conservation/Poverty Linkages
Enabling local participation in policy-/decision- making processes
Provision of alternative livelihoods
Reference 1
http://www.wwf.dk/db/files/beskyt_naturen_og_hjaelp_de_fattige.pdf
Related records above this one:
- WWF International (Organisation O0115)