Securing Rural Livelihood through Biodiversity Conservation
Case Study C0238
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| Date | 2006 |
| Agency | Jagriti |
| Donor/support agency | GEF SGP |
| Project type | Implemented by agency |
| Context(s) | Productive landscape indigenous territory |
| Geographic coverage | India |
| Locality | Gadsa valley, Kullu district |
| Biodiversity focus | Ecosystem/landscape |
| Development focus | Rural communities |
| Conservation goals | Conserve biodiversity |
| Poverty reduction goals | Provide sustainable livelihood options to rural mountain communities |
Summary
The Gadsa valley, in Kullu district, hosts scattered human settlements on the higher altitudes (3000 mts plus) of the Western Himalayas. As a consequence of the scarcity and low fertility of this land, harsh climatic conditions and inaccessibility, 30% of the population in Gadsa valley lives below the poverty line. Within the poor, the burden is much more on the women because they traditionally carry out activities like collecting firewood and fodder, cutting grass, grazing cattle, fetching water along with other household duties. In turn, heavy dependency on forest resources for livelihoods is contributing to a rapid depletion of natural resources.
In response to this situation the project 'Securing Rural Livelihood through Biodiversity Conservation' was launched in 2004 by the local NGO Jagriti, with the financial support of GEF SGP. The purpose of this project is to provide sustainable livelihood options to poor, rural mountain communities through biodiversity conservation. More specifically, the project intends to: 1) build the capacities of women in the area, also through the creation of Women’s Saving and Credit Groups; 2) train members in different income generation activities (oil extraction, vermin composting, raising of medicinal plants and herbs, etc.); 3) organize alternative income generating activities and expanding the scale of operations to obtain better prices for the products; 4) facilitate discussions and raise awareness on issues of deforestation, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of local resources; 5) introduce LPG stoves and pressure cookers, to reduce the burden on women of firewood collection and to decrease forest dependency.
Conservation impact
The following are some of the achievements of the project to date:
- 1 nursery has been set up
- 5 species of rare medicinal plants have been sown in the nursery and the women are committed to conserve and nurture the varieties, which were getting extinct and rare
- 144 families decreased their use of chemical fertilizers, leading to an improvement of soil fertility
Poverty reduction impact
The following are some of the achievements of the project to date:
- 2 quintals of apricot kernels were procured by the women, which fetched a rate of about $2 per kg. An order has already been obtained from a private company for 10 quintals of kernels and 200kg of oil per annum
- production of vermin compost was initiated in 12 groups. Daily wages worth $380 were paid to 24 group members for nursery work
- wild peach will also be collected for the first time in the valley and good prices have already been negotiated for it
Strategy for Conservation/Poverty Linkages
Provision of alternative livelihoods
Enabling local participation in policy-/decision- making processes
Reference 1
http://sgp.undp.org/index.cfm?Module=Projects&Page=ShowProject&ProjectID=7416#javascript
Related records above this one:
- Global Environment Facility (GEF) (Organisation O0026)