Final Report Of The Project Capacity Building Of Kamar And Birhor On Women Empowerment For Sustainable Livelihood Based On Integrated Landscape Management

Abstract

The project was of one and half yearâ s duration and implemented by involving the Birhor and Kamar PVTGs of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh states respectively covering six villages. The project was hit by the COVID 19 Pandemic that resulted in developing methods of application of Digital Technology for reaching and capacity building of the PVTG communities. The problem of natural resource degradation is addressed by creating new social institutions by identification of proactive community volunteers - SICO, developing Common Interest Groups, identification and building capacity of community resource persons, particularly women in Jharkhand, and sustainable livelihood development. The PVTGs have learned and established organic nutrition gardens and have started producing organic vegetables, production of organic inputs, application of organic fertilizers and biopesticides, production of planting materials in the nursery, and planting them in their field. With the new practices, fallow lands are put under production. Women were mostly involved in organic nutrition gardens that are creating new livelihood options for them. Communities were also involved in the identification of rare plants, particularly the medicinal plants in their surrounding forests, and documented their use and practices, take measures for conservation. Efforts are being made to integrate the Kamar and Birhor PVTGs with other communities living within the villages such as Gond and Patel. The Kamar and Birhors have also got opportunities to share their views with other communities from 10 states through participation in three National Conventions. Though there has been some trend showing changes it would require some more time for establishing the process of social transformation. It has always been a challenging job and time taking process to instill new cultural practices to adopt land-based livelihood by those who are not used to the system. It requires social transformation and change in the belief system