Final report livelihood_security_through_biodiversity

For more details visit:
http://www.ashwagandha.tk

Initiatives for sustainable livelihood by Women’s federation in Dahod,
District of Gujarat

The project has extended to about 40 villages but active participation was from about 24 villages (as
highlighted in 1a.) during the course of implementation.

a. Participants/Beneficiaries
 Number of females: 1126
 Number of males:428
These are number of people who have directly participated in the project i.e. those leaders and people who
have undergone training, taken up demonstrations, have taken responsibilities of implementation and
evaluation. However, the impact is much larger i.e. in the overall work area of about 40 villages and
amongst 3500 membership of the women’s federation and covers the population of the 24 villages which are
active. On the whole, the impact outreach is as follows:
Table 3: Impact outreach of villages actively involved
No. Cluster Name of village Male Female Total
1 Pipero Pipero 1581 1547 3128
2 Koutambi 461 446 907
3 Rampur 1001 994 1995
4 Lukhadiya 452 397 849
5 Kundavada 529 501 1030
6 Modhva 1419 1333 2752
7 Kanakuva 195 163 358
8 Navanagar 2138 2115 4253
9 Jhabu 1116 1093 2209
10 Rai 2306 2343 4649
11 Bar 1199 1201 2400
12 Sangaasar 211 216 427
13 Ambli 868 921 1789
14 Raiyyavan 737 747 1484
15 Rachhava 765 739 1504
16 Dudhamli Bhorva 2598 2480 5078
17 Undaar 1386 1334 2720
18 Dudhamli 863 830 1693
19 Pav 1705 1647 3352
20 Umariya 425 433 858
21 Nakti 1391 1433 2824
22 Agasvani 1999 1895 3894
23 Chorbariya 601 608 1209
24 Pipodra 1535 1475 3010
27481 26891 54372

b. Capacity Building/Training
 Number of females: 208
 Number of males: 73

d. Results

1 Final report prepared by Utthan, December 2007

 Achievement of objectives: The broad objective of the project was to increase livelihood securities of
women in the forest-agriculture interface by creating women owned and managed productive assets for
increase in their income and creating support mechanisms for drudgery reduction and enhanced
productivity by taking account of the women’s livelihood strategies in the field. The strategy adopted to
achieve this was through the medium of building individual and collective leadership and skills of
women’s federation. The objectives have been fully accomplished under the project by the strengthening
of women’s leadership and by establishing livelihood banks viz., Seed, fodder and fuel on a sustainable
basis. The entire resource base and its enhancement is vested with the women’s leadership in the region.

However there is scope and need to scale up these initiatives to reach out to each family in the region
make these efforts more sustainable and broad base its strategies, methodologies and experiences. The
approach and structure under the project could cater to fewer families and not to the entire region since
it was more focused and was a demonstrative base to see how things can be worked out. Similarly
though there is vast pool of knowledge available with women on herbal medicine and traditional
health care practices, not too much could be achieved under this project due to time and resource
constraint. There is a need to strengthen this forest-health interface that has strong linkages with
biodiversity conservation-both forest and agri-biodiversity conservation.

 Immediate benefits:

 Leadership and skill building: Collective leadership and skill building of 208 women and 73 men
leaders on various aspects which spearheaded the work within the project. 3 biodiversity working groups
are formed to take leadership in managing assets toward food security. The working groups formed to
manage these banks and the federation leadership is thoroughly trained on biodiversity and food security
interface so that interventions in post project scenario can be sustained on the basis of value based
governance.

The following issues were covered during trainings:
- Accounts, record keeping and value-based governance
- Cooperative Management
- Bank linkages and procedures
- Nursery management
- Entrepreneurship development
- Conflict resolution, transformation and management
- Environmental Conservation, care of Medicinal plants and protecting community’s knowledge systems
- Strengthening the institutional mechanism within the women’s federation
- On farm technical trainings

Direct transfer of specific skills (which can be immediately put to use) on preparation of vermin compost
and herbal pesticides, was done with 172 men and 69 women through on farm and demonstration trainings.

 Asset formation: 2 seed and 2 fodder banks have been set up in the 2 clusters from where fodder and
seed can be accessed by those who do not have the purchasing power to access them for emergency
times. All the 32848 bundles of fodder which were stocked were sold in June 2007. The following stock
of seeds has been stocked:
a. Black gram (Thuthiya urad): 850 kg.
b. Wheat (Lokvan gehu):500 kgs.
c. Wheat (Sharbati and tukdi gehu): 1500 kgs.
d. Gram (Dahod Peela Channa): 2500 kgs.
e. Maize (Saathi, kathori): 700 kgs.


f. Maize (Saathi): 3700 kgs.
g. Mag: 300 kgs.
out of which some has been sold. The sale of seeds is currently going on for the winter crop.

 Access to fodder during rainy season: 133 women (and the families as a whole) from 18 villages of the
2 clusters were able to access fodder (Local varieties: bhathori, daangar) in close proximity of their
home and at a reasonable price. A significant saving was made by these families since the only other
option for accessing fodder in this season is from nearby Kheda district at Rs. 3 to 3.50 per bundle as
opposed to Rs. 2.50 per bundle from the fodder bank. This excludes the transportation cost, which is very
high, Kheda being pretty far.
The total fodder accessed at a reasonable price by these families was 32848 bundles i.e. 82120 kgs.
of fodder [collected through a voluntary contribution of 648 bundles of fodder (1620 kgs.) from 11
villages and purchase of 32200 bundles (80500 kgs.) to initiate the bank] with each family taking 200-
500 bundles. This fodder support reaches out to approximately 3284 cattle for one day of fodder needs
(7-10 bundles per day). It is important to note that the actual requirement is much more than this during
the rainy season.

 Access to traditional seeds: 76 families from 11 villages purchased
- Black gram (Thuthiya urad): 100 kg.
- Wheat (Lokvan gehu):132 kgs.
- Gram (Dahod Peela Channa): 210 kgs.
- Maize (Saathi, kathori): 380 kgs.
The sale of the remaining seeds is currently on going.
Table 4 below shows the prices at which these traditional seeds were available to the families in
comparison to the similar and the hybrid seeds in the market.
Table 4
Seed Price of hybrid maize Price of traditional maize Price of traditional
seeds in the market1 seeds in the market maize seeds in the Seed
bank
Maize (Kathori and, saathi) Rs.50/kg Rs. 15-20/kg2. Rs.13/kg
Black gram (Thuthiya urad) Rs.150/kg Rs. 35-38/kg. Rs. 30/kg
Gram (Dahod Peela Channa) Rs. 40/kg. Rs. 30/kg.3 (mix kala and Rs. 25/kg
peela)
Wheat (Sharbati and lokvan) Rs.28/kg Rs.15/kg. Rs.11/kg
From the earlier demonstration of traditional maize using organic inputs on Kantaben’s plot in Bhorva
village, a yield of 80 kgs. of maize from 5 kgs. of seed was produced. This yield was sold to women from
the federation.
 Access to fuel wood needs and medicinal nurseries
Out of the first nursery demonstration in which 8000 saplings were planted, a large number were destroyed
during the monsoons. It was felt that to sustain such nurseries; a large number of saplings need to be
planted for viability. After this 3 nurseries with 30000 saplings were established to promote indigenous
medicinal plants. From discussions with women it emerged that traditional forest based herbs like
Ashwagandha, Shattavari, Kaakass, Saragwa, Ambla which were used esp. in women’s health and as
energy-givers have lost use and are also not available. Women were well aware of the methods for the use of
these herbs and decided to undertake medicinal herb promotion and protect forests for regeneration of
medicinal herbs. For the first time herbal nurseries were established by communities in this region and the

1
It was observed by the field teams that the hybrid seeds available at high prices in the market are in fact bought from local farmers,
treated with chemical fertilizers and pesticides and packed well as hybrid, productive seeds by big companies.
2
Traditional maize seed available in the market is not separated according to variety and a mixed variety has to be purchased.
3
In the market, mixed black and yellow gram is available


varieties of herbs to be planted were identified by them. Following varieties of medicinal plants which were
preserved in the context of their erosion from the local biodiversity:
Table 5
Indian name English name Botanical name
Ashwagandha, asagandha Winter cherry Withaniya Somnifera
Aamla, aavla Embelic myroblan Emblica officinalis
Kanski/Kakhi/Kankatika India country mallow Abutilon Indicum
Shatavari Wild asparagus Asparagus Adscendens
Sahijan/shega/sehanjana Drumstick Moringa olefera
Source: Ayurvedic Paak Visheshaank, Anand Agricultural University, Gujarat

The immediate benefit was that through the strategy of identifying women with pressing fuel needs and
having to spend a lot of time and energy in collection. 3 of these women took up these nurseries and in
return for their labour in raising the same; they received an equivalent amount of fuel wood.

 Impact of Demonstrations
a. Production of Vermin compost
40 plots were completed with 32 women from 9 villages and this has led to the production of 15000 kgs.
(250-500 kgs. of vermin per plot) of vermin.
b. Production of extinct food crop variety
Kala mag, an extinct variety of seed was sown in 4 demonstration plots and 5 kgs. of seeds were sourced
at a slightly high price from an interior village, Boridrakhurd of Shehra block in Panchamahals district
since it was not available in Dhanpur block. The produce will be available by the end of this year and then
bought into the bank.

c. Production of local and less water intensive fodder crops
Fodder varieties like Bhathori and Jinjwa have been sown in 65 demonstration plots.

 Change to organic cultivation patterns
42 farmers (both men and women) from 8 villages shifted to organic cultivation and the organic cultivated
area is approximately 25 acres. Ginger, vegetables, kala mag, maize, urad are the crops which have been
harvested by these farmers using 100 % organic farming inputs for almost one and half years. Linkages
for these were made with the vermin composting demonstrations through the SGP and subsidies through
the Tribal Sub Plan. Another 183 families have partially started using organic farming methods. These
may vary from a farmer having segregated a part of land where organic inputs are being used to another
who may be using a mix of chemical and organic methods on her/his entire plot of land.

 Following varieties of seed were preserved in the context of their erosion from local biodiversity
Table 6
Variety Importance in local biodiversity Germination Germination
period rate
Kala mag High nutrition pulse esp. during 7-8 days 80%
pregnancy and as an energy booster.
Maize (Saathi makai) The taste is sweeter than the hybrid 4-5 days 90%
Maize (Kathori makai) variety, has high nutrititive value. The 3-5 days 90%
seed is stronger and not hollow and is
thus easier to store and sustain.
Black gram (Thoothiya Well suited to the climatic conditions of 6-7 days 80-90%
urad) the region and grows well. Suited to
Wheat (Lokvan, Sharbati dietary habits of the tribal population. 3-5 days 80-85%
and tukdi gehu)


Gram (Dahod Peela 5-6 days 80-90%
Channa)

 Impact on other programmes of Utthan
The organisation has been working for a long time with its based in certain principles and values of
equality, gender justice, peace and freedom within the human rights framework. The activities and
processes within this project provided a platform to sharpen our understanding of experiences of
communities in terms of these principles, workable strategies and their application and to learn from the
communities. A useful learning from the entire process was the importance of time frame and a certain
level of technical knowledge. Experience of having to extend the project for a year showed that initiating
biodiversity practices and developing skills is a tedious process which is time consuming. Biodiversity
related specialized knowledge within the team or sourced from outside helped to expedite the processes
under the project. Similarly, this being a demonstrative, pilot kind of a project required some changes as
per developments. Instead of setting up a Fuel bank as an asset bank like the seed and fodder banks;
efforts to fulfill the fuel needs were made by linking this up with medicinal plants. Women leaders
expressed that it would be strategic to concentrate on seed/fodder banks and then slowly move to take up
fuel banking using the experiences of the other asset banks.

e. New Developments, Unexpected difficulties/problems & Action taken to solve them
Important developments as a result of the project are as follows:
 Increased awareness and willingness of people to take up organic farming
The approach of multinational companies and the linked government subsidy for tribals (esp. those under
BPL) has led to the common pattern of farmers taking subsidised agricultural kits through these schemes
which include hybrid seeds like Maize of Ganga1, Ganga 2 and Advanta varieties, chemical fertiliser and
pesticides. Through discussions about the benefits of organic farming, traditional seeds, economic
savings, information from others adopting these methods, demonstrations has led to 42 farmers adopting
organic farming. The initial discussions were done with women leaders who then took this information
home. It was not easy for them to establish the benefits of organic farming and the approach to the same
but slowly this was possible. Older people readily accepted that the fertility of soil and health of people
had degraded due to the use of chemical fertilizers and hybrid seeds. ‘Earlier we did not face so many
problems and use so many inputs in agriculture’.

Many farmers are coming forward to take up organic farming after the project through co-financing support
from GEF, Tribal Sub-Plan, and DRDA (RSVY). This process took a long time and now the plan is to
deepen and broad base this understanding in the clusters and the region, through the community itself. These
farmers are fully convinced about the benefits of low input farming – a practice which they had been
following for many years but had been influenced about high input farming in the post green revolution
scenario. The outcomes they feel are highly unsustainable. Women farmers shared that there is quantitative
rise in fertilizer intake by the farms to sustain the yields. This otherwise implies that the cost of agriculture
has increased. However with the GEF project many families shifted to organic farming through vermin
composting. The input cost has considerably decreased. The following examples will show this:

Black gram (Thoothiya urad)
Land holding = 1 acre
Sowing time: 15 May- 15 June
Crop period: 11-12 months
Table 7
Chemical Organic
Quantity Input Rate Total Quantity Input Rate Total
(Rs.) amount (Rs.) amount


(Rs.) (Rs.)
10 kgs. Seed 30/kg. 300 10 kgs. Seed 30/kg. 300
100 kgs. DAP 12/kg. 1200 200 kgs. Vermin 2.50/kg. 500
compost
500ml. Chemical 300/litre 150 1litre Herbal Nil 0
pesticides pesticides
(from
ingredients
available
around the
home)
Total cost 1650 Total cost 800

Table 8: Cost-benefit analysis for Black gram production
Chemical Organic

Total production 500-550 kgs. 350-400 kgs.

Total returns 525 kgs. @ 20/kg. = 10500 375 kgs. @ 25/kg = 9375

Net profit 8850 8575

Ginger: Zingiber Officinale
Land holding = 10 guntha = 0.10 hectare
Sowing time: 15 May- 15 June
Crop period: 11-12 months
Table 9
Chemical Organic
Qty. Input Rate Total Qty. Input Rate Total
(Rs.) amount (Rs.) amount
(Rs.) (Rs.)
120 kgs. Seed 35/kg. 4200 120 kgs. Seed (desi 30/kg 3600
Anguli gaanth aadu)
aadu(hybrid)
100 kgs. DAP 12/kg. 1200 200 kgs. Vermin 2.5/kg. 500
compost
500ml. Chemical 300/litre 150 0
pesticides
100 kgs. Castor seeds 5/kg. 500 100 kgs. Castor 5/kg. 500
seeds
7 times Irrigation 200 1400 5 times Irrigation 200 1000
Total 7450 5600
cost of
producti
on

Table 10: Cost-benefit analysis for ginger production:
Chemical Organic

Total production 960 kgs. 720 kgs.

Total returns 960 kgs. @ 15 = 14400 720 kgs. @ 20/kg = 14400

Net profit 7000 8800

The production using chemical pesticides is higher but the input cost using organic methods is lower. This
offsets the low production using organic inputs when the farmer is shifting from chemical to organic farming
patterns. The resultant seed over time will fetch a god price in the market (over time the organic certification


of the produce can be taken up). The other incidental fall in costs are related to prevention of soil infertility,
reduction in health expenses, costs of irrigation which will be reduced due to increased moisture retention by
use of vermin. This sustainable farming will provide more nutritive food crop for self consumption of
families too. The above examples clearly show that using organic inputs the net profit is higher/almost
similar to that earned by using chemical inputs. The numerical calculations of course does not include the
financial savings in terms of less expenditure on health, soil fertility improvement, saving on water etc.
which goes to showcase the benefits of organic farming.

 Influencing commercial growers of fodder crops
Since the beginning of 2006, discussions have been going on with some commercial fodder crop growers
to raise local fodder varieties and use organic manure/vermin compost. These are people who have been
protecting and improving fodder (Bhathori) which grows naturally on wastelands. These wastelands are
technically encroached lands but the issue is not limited to this. Many of these are also people whose
lands have been snatched over time in other ways; through changing laws, pressure/encroachments by
Forest Department etc. and consequently been encroached upon by these people who are cultivating it
without any clear titles. Linkages with these people has been in the form of convincing them to use -
organic manure, castor, neem oil etc. to improve the quality of the fodder (which grows naturally) and
sustain the land as well. They were ensured that the fodder bank would buy this fodder from them if such
methods were adopted. The federation decided that the purchase from here will be made through
monitoring and observation of the cultivation by the team and federation leaders. Currently, the growers
in Jhabu, Kanakuva and Kaantu villages have used 100 % organic fertilizers which will over time
improve the quality of the soil. They have purchased organic manure from the market and some available
from home has been used. This is nearly 5 hectares of land under organic cultivation. This change took
place after extended dialogue and building an understanding among these people who were in many ways
associated with Utthan’s work. The readiness shown by the people was because this was benefit the local
area itself.

Motivated by the understanding for the need for nutritive fodder to improve milk production, 25 women
of Bhorva village who have water facility have themselves grown Rajko and Bajri fodder varieties in
about 0.125 - 0.25 acres of land. (These women have bought buffaloes through loans from SHGs and
linkages with local dairies.) This fodder will thus supplement the total fodder requirement of these cattle.
However, another aspect which was looked into was that this variety, although nutritive, is water
intensive, and thus the plots were restricted to small areas.

 Influencing government:
Efforts to influence government to reach out to marginalised people in times of need as per State policies
and mobilise resources for vermin composting, medicinal nurseries and fruit raising were made. An
important effort made by local leaders from Modhva village was to influence the local government to
fulfill fodder requirements when there was an acute fodder shortage in June 2007 and it was not available
from the places people usually buy from. Due to the large demand many people had approached the
Fodder bank as well, but the stock had been exhausted here by June. Local groups approached the TDO
but there was no response. When Utthan team members and federation leaders met the TDO after this,
they were asked to contact the Mamlatdars under whose charge is the Government Fodder Depot.
Contact was then made with the Mamlatdar in Limkheda and Dhanpur block but both said there was no
order from the Collector to open the Depot and there was also no demand from people, in contrast to the
stark ground realities which were coming from the villages. After speaking to the Collector, the order for
release of fodder from the Depots had been passed. This entire process led to the opening of the Block
level Fodder Depot and people were able to access fodder at an economical cost. The Federation
prevailed upon the officials and ensured that it is disbursed at a reasonable rate.


h. Lessons Learned:
The rich diversity and sustainable systems of food production are being destroyed in the name of increasing
food production over the years. Hybrid variety of maize though increased the yields, has impacted soil
fertility in tribal areas. With the destruction of diversity, rich sources of nutrition disappear. Women mention
that they were able to do harder work compared to their counterparts now. The food intake has also
decreased. All this is a result of modernization of agriculture. When measured in terms of nutrition per acre,
and from the perspective of biodiversity, the so-called "high yields" of industrial agriculture does not imply
more production of food and nutrition. Only agri-biodiversity could reinstate the traditional nutrition rich
farming and real food security to all.

The so-called yields discussed by agriculturists usually refer to production per unit area of a single crop.
However in traditional farming it is never a single crop. It is multiple crops in one small patch of land. Here
output refers to the total production of diverse crops. Initially it was thought that monoculture is easy to
manage, but later it was realized that such cropping is disastrous. Planting multiple crops in a mixture will
have low yields of individual crops, but will have high total output of food. The yield calculation on the
contrary by modern agriculture hides the production by millions of women farmers who depend on mixed
cropping. From the biodiversity perspective, biodiversity based productivity is higher than monoculture
productivity. This has been established by GEF project facilitated by Utthan.

i. Additional Information:

 What were the principal impacts, lessons learnt from the project?
- Major impact of the project is capacity building of more than 1126 women by the project and introduction
of biologically sustainable farming practices
- There could be significant decrease in greenhouse gasses (not directly measured) due to reduction in
fertilizer application in project area.
- Sustainable assets were created with the biodiversity-food security interface in tribal areas and women
took the leadership to maintain the assets.
- Women gained capacities to manage any productive asset in a much better way and can compete with
conventional practices promoted by patriarchal societies.

 What were the principal deficiencies/ missing gaps in the project?
A missing gap in the project was the component of mass awareness building which would have added to the
acceptability and local replicability of initiatives. Women leaders while assessing the work done after the
completion of one cycle of the biodiversity banks felt that not too many people are aware of the banks and
the difference in the quality of fodder/seed stock. They identified the need to increase awareness about
sustainable farming and the effort being made through this banking so that more and more people came to
the bank to purchase seeds. This it was felt should be intensified in the next phase for which resources will
have to be raised. It was also identified that when people buy seeds from the local traders they are able to
buy other inputs like fertilizers and pesticides from there itself, so the federation could also think of
marketing herbal pesticides/ vermin compost through the banks.
It emerges clearly from this that the local leaders are able to identify the gaps and find solutions or ways to
overcome the gaps.

The plan to bank fuel to support needs of women staying far from the forests was conceived through helping
women to raise herbal nurseries, the part labour cost of which was given in the form of fuel wood. The
formation of fuel bank similar to the seed/fodder bank (which was initially conceived during the time
proposal was submitted) will now be thought of from the experiences of the existing banks.


 What are the products generated by the project:
Some materials which have been generated during the project phase:
1. Biodiversity maps
2. Pamphlet on methods of preparing organic pesticides to control pests in rice and maize –in local
language
3. Docudrama –capturing the essence of the project and the experiences of the communities. It is
however not limited to a ‘project’ but briefly covers what the issue is and how leaders with support
from the organisation took steps to solve their own issues. This is a documentation of the work and
has been conceived as a training tool on the issue of livelihoods and biodiversity. Currently, the
rough cut is ready and the editing and subtitling is in process.
4. Marketable goods: The support for purchase of seed, fodder has set the ball rolling and will keep
revolving in each phase of the biodiversity banks.

 Assessment of impact of project in the focal area of ‘Biodiversity conservation’:
The project explored and strengthened the interface between food security and biodiversity in tribal
areas with respect to sustainable livelihoods. Environmental concerns cannot be attended in isolation
and especially when it is so intrinsically linked to the livelihood security of the poor. The project has
piloted for the first time to ensure food security of tribal women by addressing biodiversity issues in the
region. As a result 225 families have shifted their farming practices from high input to biologically
sustainable low input farming. The project has been able to increase the use/reintroduce 8 varieties of
seed and 5 medicinal herbs which are eroding from the local biodiversity (as in Tables 5 and 6). At the
same time an initiative has been mooted to shift from external controlled health services to more
indigenous evolved health management through re-establishment of traditional healing practices.
Through this pilot phase of 2-3 years, a cycle has been set rolling wherein local leaders are promoting,
collecting and disseminating biologically sustainable varieties of seed and fodder at a reasonable rate.
This has been facilitated by the impact achieved by capacity building of stakeholders.

 Press/ media coverage / links established in the project to other similar initiatives / networking
with other NGOs
Linkages have been established with other NGOs working on similar themes in Rajasthan and other
parts of Gujarat. The exposure visits and exchange of ideas facilitated innovations and alternatives in
existing livelihood approaches. The exchange with Sankalp, Rajasthan and K.M.V.S, Cohesion and
Sahjeevan in Kutch helped women to pick up ideas to influence some of the asset management practices.

Networking with required Government departments, panchayats and other NGOs have been done and
there is a need to further strengthen it esp. for marketing linkages and for value addition support.

 Future plans to continue, expand, or replicate project activities:
As mentioned earlier, the project activities have set the ball rolling by promoting sustainable farming
patterns and asset management through the medium of community empowerment esp. that of women.
The future plans include deepening of work and reaching out to more families within existing clusters
and expansion to other clusters which could be successfully expanded by the approaches piloted under
GEF project. Currently 24 villages divided into 2 clusters were actively involved in the project is
extended. Biodiversity based sustainable livelihood alternative and food security is an issue in all the
villages. Similarly all those families who could not be covered within the ambit of the project need to be
covered for increasing awareness on biodiversity and sustainable farming for food security. The project
has all the potential to replicate in other parts of central India.
- Increased seed, fodder and fuel banks in many clusters so that they are accessible to more people


- Increased awareness on sustainable practices, biodiversity and linkages with health and food security
amongst communities so that farming patterns see a perceptible change through awareness meetings, use
of docudrama and innovative cultural tools
- Need for demonstrating further sustainable fuel alternatives where by the communities could completely
shift to renewable energy sources
- Creation of a local area resource group trained on preparation of organic manure, pesticides, vermi
composting
- Linkages to improve incomes of marginalised groups through sustainable means. Efforts for improved
marketing of medicinal plants, production of organic pesticides etc. by women’s groups/federation.There
is need for process and market support to expand the benefits of traditional knowledge available with
women on various health issues and its treatment.
- Advocacy through increased networking with like minded groups on Forest Act, environment, public
distribution system and intrusion of unsustainable farming patterns etc.

 Additional information if any in terms of awards and certificates of merit, etc:

Khetiwadi Vikas Mandal, supported by Utthan in Ambli village of Dhanpur block of Dahod district
received the Anil Shah Gram Sangathan Paritoshik award in 2006 for their work in forest protection and
development, watershed development, women’s empowerment and organization. The sangathan could
protect over 300 ha. of forest area through community participation. This work in Ambli has been
supported by Utthan in its wider scope of work in the region.

 What advice would you give to other organizations designing similar projects?

- It is women and small, marginal farmers working with biodiversity who are the primary food
providers, contrary to the dominant assumption that industrial monocultures sustains world food
requirement. Very few of the project families access the Public Distribution System for food grains.
Their farming is now self sustaining. They go to their own ‘banks’ for any requirement. Their grain
quality is much better than that of food grains available with Public Distribution System. The first
cycle of Banks proved that communities are equipped to differentiate a poor grain of high yielding
variety from a rich grain from traditional farming system. Women are also now aware that excess
withdrawal of ground water eventually leads to drought and desertification pushing them to depend
on un-sustainable migration. Shifting to sustainable farming is a better alternative, although slow.
This could be possible by shifting from hybrids to traditional seed varieties. Women also evolved
alternatives to improve productivity in traditional seed varieties as well as its market. A complete
alternative market is in process of evolution.

- Any project designed to bring change in local biodiversity system should involve people and
evolve approaches that ensure livelihood security and yet adhere to the principles of biodiversity
conservation. This is possible only by understanding the ideas and perspectives of the community at
project evolution stage and giving voice to their ideas and evolving a consensual process. Building
capacity of local women leaders and linking up with men was an important strategy and has worked
well.

Work on this issue was initiated in the context of eroding rights of tribals to access forest produce
(used for fodder and fuel purposes), introduction of genetically modified seeds, chemical fertilisers
and pesticides, shift from food to cash crops and resultant food insecurity. It clearly emerged out of


discussions with women leaders and our experiences that tribal women face the maximum pressures
due to:

a. Denial of Entitlement. (Harassment, health problems in accessing fodder and fuel)
b. Perpetuation of stereotyped roles of women in the family (They spend 3-4 hours/day in gathering
fodder, fuel and allied work)
c. Lack of time to meet both the ends( denies them opportunities to participate in social, political or
economic processes of empowerment leading to low self esteem and confidence)

Women showed the will and need to break this cycle and make an impact in this situation – which in
fact had (and still does) impact them specifically as women identified women as those women.

- Support of local administration is another important area. To rope in additional funding support from
existing sectoral programs for innovative projects like this is key to its success. Utthan has
successfully mobilized additional grants to support various components from local government. This
convergence is important to sustain the project and pave way for further expansion.

6. Assessment of lessons learnt during Project Implementation

I. Describe the effects of this project in relation to the GEF focal areas and operational programs.
Explain how the project was able to have an effect on biodiversity, climate change, or
international waters. Assess the potential global benefits of this project.
- This project is small to relate its outputs to potential global benefits although it has all the potential to
influence global biodiversity if adopted at a scale. Reduction in use of chemical fertilizers, shifting to
local based medicines from centralized pharmaceutical drugs, contribution to carbon cycle by fuel
wood plantation, shift to traditional grain varieties leading to lower input farming that would conserve
precious ground water, lesser emission of greenhouse grasses (shift from monoculture to mixed
cropping), indirect withdrawal on all such inputs that contribute to negative global environmental
impact have been reduced to a small extent through this initiative and further negative impacts can be
controlled.
- Conservation of the varieties as mentioned in the immediate benefits (Table 5 and 6) shows a clear
impact on protection of local biodiversity
Another important potential global benefit is the increased disposable income and its control (and
standard of living) in the hands families who are living at the margins and the decrease in use of
harmful farm inputs as in the calculated examples in Tables 7-10.

There are many such direct and indirect impacts that the project has on approaches to biodiversity
conservation.

II. Did this project link the practice of sustainable livelihoods to a GEF focal area? Describe the
strategies employed, indicating what works and what does not.
The project is entirely based on sustainable livelihood of people and their food security issues. The key
strategy employed is of biodiversity conservation to secure the above objective. A simple awareness
campaign would have lesser impact in absence of demonstrations and sustainable asset creation that the
project has adopted. The key strategy is to strengthen women around food security and sustainable
livelihood issues, build their capacity and create assets that are key elements in ensuring food security.
Though food security could be met in number of ways not all approaches are sustainable in the long
run, indigenous and traditional knowledge based farming is the most sustainable way of ensuring food
security. Vanita Shakti Mahila Sangathan (Women’s federation) has proved that it is capable of


feeding its members on a sustainable basis from the biodiversity based approaches to farming. It has
established traditional seed banks, fodder banks and looked into fuel needs of women to fulfill the
needs of local population without depending on government subsidies. Virtually the Sangathan
(Federation) has demonstrated an alternative to the Public Distribution System.

Similarly for health needs it is working on mechanisms to establish as comprehensive indigenous
health care practice based on traditional herbs and healing practices. Though the concept has evolved
out of GEF project, it needs additional support to scale-up and expand. Once it is strengthened, the
local communities no longer need to depend on centralized pharmaceutical companies or doctors for
primary health care.

The approach under GEF project is sustainable more in the sense of social capital evolved in the
process. Large numbers of women have come together on a single platform on biodiversity and food
security issues. This is a rare asset in the region heading towards major transformation.

III. Is this a community-driven project? How was community implementation and ownership of
project achieved? How did this contribute to project success? Also, indicate pitfalls and tactics
to be avoided. Explain issues regarding to community participation and ownership of roles and
issues.
The project is completely community driven. It was conceived through emerging concerns from the
community itself. The communities were first oriented to the social, economic and physical losses
occurred due to lost biodiversity base of their ecosystem through series of meetings, group discussions,
and exposure to some projects designed on biodiversity conservation principles. Later they were
organized on various issues identified through the process. Biodiversity Working Groups were formed
on various themes and Federation Executive Committee took responsibility for overall coordination.
It was not a simple process that could be achieved by fixing some log frames. The process was much
more evolved and involved consensus building and taking stands as well. It took more time than
expected – it was extended for 12 months for the same reason. No shortcuts could ensure a sustainable
and empowering process. Any asset creation and its management involve huge stake of community and
this cold lead to internal rivalries and partial conflicts if not managed properly and enough time
invested in engaging various processes and simmering time. Though on the larger canvas the assets are
common property resource, the internal membership stakes often take heavy toll on its sustainability.
Clear defined roles and responsibilities were evolved instead of pre design such roles maximizing
community stake. This helped to take up things in a planned time frame. Biodiversity working groups
and leaders simulated on possible conflicts in asset management prior to asset creation which helped
them to prepare themselves to resolve and transform conflict. They helped to avoid pitfalls in such
practices and stick to the goal. This project helped build high level of community participation but also
brought out some dilemnas of the time spent by leaders in the work. During times of purchase and
distribution of seed/fodder for example, the biodiversity groups provided considerable time, sometime
entire days, in the monitoring of the distribution and record keeping. Through organisational support,
basic minimum actual costs of actual travel and food cost were met but to make this process
sustainable, we are trying to work out strategies to ease this difficulty. This includes broad basing
leadership so that more people can divide responsibilities and thus time which has already been
initiated. The idea of raising resources is also being worked out although the motive of providing
seed/fodder etc. at reasonable prices makes this a little tough.

All through this process, the team played a vital hand holding role in supporting the leaders and
creating ways and means which helped to promote decision making and empowerment of the federation


which is based in values of equality, gender justice and security. In the upcoming phases, we aim to work
towards an increasingly independent governance mechanism within the community leadership.

IV. Was there a capacity-building component in this project? How were local capacities enhanced?
How did it contribute to project success? Also what links have been established for them to
sustain this as a process
As stated earlier, the key to project success is capacity building. Women’s federation, working groups
and village leaders were trained at various stages through out the programme. Exposure visits, thematic
training programs, simulations, on field technical trainings, group meetings, village meetings all put
together has created sufficient knowledge and skill base in the project population. This has evolved as a
strong social capital around livelihoods and biodiversity issues. During the capacity building process
various indigenous knowledge sources were identified and resurfaced. Women who have immense
knowledge of traditional herbal medicinal practices shared their knowledge and skills with other women.
The same was documented in biodiversity maps.

Working groups have undergone subject specific and systematic training programmes and developed
skills on asset bank management, account and record keeping, conflict management, good governance,
biodiversity interface with livelihood alternatives were some of the areas in which they were trained
thoroughly. This enhanced the confidence in women to handle the biodiversity banks. The simulation
training programmes cautioned them to prepare well in advance to face any contingency either in the
form of local conflict or any eventuality.
Federation and working groups have established linkages with various active stakeholders that could
influence the processes they initiated. For example they negotiated well with local forest department and
district authorities to release fodder grass to project villages at discounted rates. Some women also
influenced village processes like in Umariya village leading to village decisions to keep village
resources in the village itself. The resources are divided amongst the dwellers in an equitable way.

V. Has this project increased public awareness of local and global environmental problems?
Describe how this was done, and whether people are making use of the new knowledge. With
which concerned departments/ stakeholder’s links have been established?

The project fortunately dealt with the key issue of livelihood security and biodiversity. It has strong
linkages with global environmental problems that have strong implication on livelihoods of poor. Hence
emphasis has been given on educating local people to develop an understanding on local and global
issues related to environment and respond positively to change. As a result, people participated actively
in the project. This has been done through various campaign strategies right in the midst of village
clusters. In each village awareness meetings at block and cluster level were organized. Local leaders
were taken on exposure to successful projects and live interaction was encouraged. As a result 225
stared adopting sustainable farming practices like using vermin compost, traditional seeds, bio pesticides
etc. Families started planting medicinal plants in their backyard. Crop residues are put to use as fuel
option to that of cutting trees.
The federation has established links with local Forest Department, District Collectorate
(Administration), Departments of Agriculture, Tribal Development, Women and Child Development.

VI. How did women and men participate in planning, implementing, and evaluating the project?
Did project proponents plan a gender focus? Or did it evolve in the course of project
implementation? What are some of the issues that came up in this regard?
As an organisation, Utthan works with a strong and clear focus of gender equality recognising women’s
agency as the core to their empowerment. Thus this initiative (in the form of this particular project) emerged


from these values and our analysis of women’s human rights situation. It in fact, emerged from discussions
with women themselves. It came out clearly that women who produce for their families and communities are
treated as `non-productive' and `economically' inactive partners in society. Though in tribal areas it is not
clearly visible, it exists like in any other society. The devaluation of women's work, and of work done in
sustainable economies, is the natural outcome of a system constructed by capitalist patriarchy. Globalisation
through the process of chemical intensification or the intensification of genetic engineering is destroying
local economies and unfortunately this destruction itself is counted as growth. Biodiversity intensification is
what is needed to feed a growing population sustainably.

This project implementation was carried out with the Women’s federation so it was women’s groups and
leaders who were involved right through planning, implementation and evaluation. Evaluating the project at
various stages by these stakeholders i.e. women, was important to assess where they stand at that point of
time against the set objectives so as to be able to push the entire project towards achieving its goals. The
involvement of men was in the form of partners in capacity building on sustainable farming techniques like
vermin composting and herbal pesticide preparation. At the village level, dialogue with men while selecting
bank sites, working of banks was taken up to build an understanding of the purpose and intent behind this
work.

To equip women with conflict resolution and transformation mechanisms, simulations of these situations
during trainings were useful. This helped women to deal with initial resistance to their efforts to set up
biodiversity banks or to take active leadership in the working groups and the federation.

VII. Was this project run by indigenous people or involve significant participation by indigenous
people? In this context, discuss ethnic, cultural, and historical factors that affected project
design, implementation, and results. Discuss the impacts that the projects has made in the area
The entire project was run by indigenous people. Dahod is predominantly a tribal district where more
than 85% population is tribal and this proportion draws into the federation membership as wellAs
Utthan is working in this region for more than a decade and the team is drawn from the region itself, the
team has in-depth experience local culture, ethnic and historical factors of the region. By and large
indigenous populations are open to new ideas if they are not dramatically contrasting to their traditional
beliefs or values.
The biodiversity based livelihood alternatives are not totally new to tribal communities; the knowledge,
skills and practice had just been lost over timer under the influence of the Green revolution. This project
was an attempt to reinstate sustainable biodiversity and food security and this was done keeping in mind
the local language, systems of storage, tastes and predominant dietary habits. Using traditional
mechanisms of storing grain in manure lined bamboo baskets, for example, helped to make the
initiatives more acceptable.

VIII. How has the sustainability plan and/or prospects been addressed? What aspects of the project
design, project implementation, or other factors enhanced sustainability? How could other
projects or country programmes use this experience to promote sustainability?
The project is most sustainable as local communities took over the responsibility of asset management.
The assets are created in consultation with local communities as per their needs. The project is replicable
in any part of the globe where indigenous people would like to take initiative on biodiversity
conservation linked with food security and livelihoods. In general communities are averse to join any
movement that essentially focuses on global environmental concerns and is not too relevant to their local
concerns. In this case, however, the project is strongly based on local needs that have clear dimensions
of global concerns. The project has good chances of sustainability, as it is built on local leadership and


addressing their day to day needs. Both the design and implementation of the project are well thought
off and evolved as a result of local concerns.
IX. Is this project suitable for replication in other communities or regions? Could it be up-scaled to
a medium-sized GEF project? Please indicate any plans in this regard. How would you like this
to be addressed and financed?
The project is replicable and has all the need factors for scale-up to medium size GEF project. While
scaling up it could cover other clusters and strengthen the asset banks to move a step ahead to cater to all
round needs of local communities to make their livelihoods 100% sustainable in biologically sustainable
ecosystem. It is crucial to safeguard the genetic diversity of crops, seeds, plants, flora, fauna and
integrate once again with tribal life style.
The future plans are detailed earlier under the head ‘Future plans to continue, expand, or replicate
project activities’.
To address these plans, we have initiated the process of submitting a proposal to the Tribal Sub Plan/ Tribal
Development Department who have visited our work and asked to submit a proposal for support. We are
proposing support for asset building of local women’s federations which can be used as spaces for multiple
biodiversity banks since this something the Government can provide and will ensure economic
sustainability of the banks. However, we feel that there is a high suitability for deepening and replicating
the work in the region for which it could be up scaled to a medium sized GEF project. This would include
support for improving and strengthening the capacities of local leaders and sustainability of institutions,
building mass awareness and providing innovative ways for people to become stakeholders in the process
to sustain and preserve biodiversity and shift to ecologically sustainable patterns of living.

X. Were there links between this project and the overall GEF? How were these links achieved?
How have they benefited the GEF/SGP? How have they benefited the GEF? How did GEF/SGP
help the NGO/ Communities to ‘leverage better resources from various other sources’
There are strong links between this project and GEF. The project has comprehensively addressed
biodiversity issues in a sustainable way, a core priority of the GEF efforts. There are very few
institutions which have been successful on the ground and the large demand from the field and the
economic viability of the first cycle of biodiversity banks showcases this. Women’s leaders have
successfully been able to collectively manage assets. They are ready to expand what has worked well
and go to the next step as well for e.g. supporting the poorest women who could not voice their pressing
needs for fuel due to their meagre buying capacity. This showcases that the project has been able to
build capacities of communities as envisaged and had led to their empowerment to take control of
situations impacting them.

This project, although small, has a strong link with global level biodiversity and conservation issues.
The strong need for biodiversity at the local level shows that there is a strong acceptability at the local
level. It thus has a good prospect of being scaled up to a medium to large project.

In terms of support from GEF-SGP, we did receive useful information. We feel it would be more helpful
if there could be a more proactive engagement in terms of exchange and for leveraging resources from
other sources.

XI. Has this project influenced government policy? Explain what the government policy is, how it
has been affected, and the role and nature of GEF/SGP influence.
The project has demonstrated the potential of women in ensuring livelihood security through a
biologically sustainable approach. At the local level, women have influences relevant agencies and
departments in terms of dealing with corruption in ration shops, demanding transparency and ensuring


support from Government in times of need like pressure for opening of Government Fodder depots in
times of crisis in the monsoon.

Officials from Tribal Development Department visited the project and were impressed by the results and
have asked to submit a proposal for support to up scale the work. This step has been an initial step
towards policy change. However, it would be too ambitious to say that in this time period and scale,
major policy changes were made. However, the interest from Government to support the work gives a
clear indication of impacting existing government programmes.

Eventually, a medium scale project will give more scope to influence policy and that would also mean
increased networking at the national level.


Final report livelihood_security_through_biodiversity

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