Women from local communities around Ranthambore Tiger Reserve empowered through agriculture & allied livelihood support
In an initiative to empower women and gain their support for wildlife conservation, WWF-India, in collaboration with the Rajasthan Forest Department, organised a special programme exclusively for women from local communities around Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan. The programme was organised on International Women's Day on 8 March 2025 and was attended by 115 women from 16 villages of the Karanpur and Khandar clusters.
Under the theme "Accelerate Action," the programme provided a platform to discuss the significant role of local women in wildlife and biodiversity conservation. It also helped to address their challenges and aimed to inspire action for themselves, future generations and wildlife conservation.
Dr Dipankar Ghose, Senior Director, Biodiversity Conservation, WWF-India said, "Women from local communities living around forest areas have a unique understanding of the natural resources as they often use them to manage their households. Therefore, empowering them to increase their participation in decision-making will help them to make sustainable choices and allow them to live in harmony with nature".
"The International Women's Day provided a unique opportunity to engage with women living around the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve and encourage their involvement in community activities, recognising their contributions while fostering solidarity. The focus was to engage women in community-based conservation efforts highlighting their essential role in ecology and wildlife conservation," added Dr Ghose.
WWF-India extended support to 280 women for kitchen gardens and growing fodder beet. Kitchen gardens is an initiative to address various interconnected issues related to food diversity. It also helps increase the income by enabling them to sell the surplus produce. Equipment support (greennets and water sprayers) and a kitchen garden kit containing eight different vegetable seeds were provided to selected beneficiaries.
Similarly, training for growing fodder beet was also provided along with seeds. The initiative helps to improve fodder availability and boost livestock productivity, especially for milch cattle. It also encourages stall feeding of cattle. Furthermore, milk production and dairy farming contribute to the local economy.
Village-wide rangoli competitions were organised to enhance creativity and unity, and a musical chair game was played to foster camaraderie. Participants took an oath to protect and educate girl children, stop child marriage, and conserve local flora and fauna. Participants also expressed gratitude for the event, noting it was their first recognition of their potential.
Divya Ranu Patel, Community Coordinator, Western India Tiger Landscape, WWF-India shared some inspiring stories of women leaders in various fields, including conservation.
Akash Mallick, Programme Officer, Western India Tiger Landscape, WWF-India coordinated a session to celebrate women from diverse backgrounds such as science, medicine, and environment. The key message was that every woman has untapped potential that can help her achieve her goals and contribute to society. Notable figures highlighted included Bachendra Pal, Aruna Asaf Ali, Anandi Gopal Joshi, Kalpana Chawla, Nauroti Devi (stonecutter to village sarpanch), and Salumarada Thimmakka (Tree Mother) among others. The session aimed to inspire attendees by conveying that their backgrounds do not define their capabilities and that determination can lead to a fulfilling life.
Suman Devi, a forester from the Phalaudi Range, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, shared her inspiring journey of achieving her goals in conservation despite her rural background. Her story resonated with women, encouraging them to recognise the significance of education and that they can accomplish anything they pursue.
Sulochna Devi from the Itavda village, who participated in the programme, shared her experiences of coexistence with nature. She spoke about wild animals destroying her family's crops, and since she did not want to harm the wildlife, she installed a low cost fence to keep wild animals away from her fields.
Officials from the Animal Husbandry Department, Forest Department, and Panchayat representatives also shared valuable insights.
WWF-India, in collaboration with the Rajasthan Forest Department, works in 21 villages between Ranthambore National Park and, Kailadevi Wildlife Sanctuary and Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh to strengthen the coexistence of communities and wildlife, reduce their dependence on forests, and gain support for tiger conservation.
NOTES
Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve is a region of unparalleled scenic beauty and rich forests home to numerous endangered wild mammals, birds, and reptiles. It has a robust tiger population that comes with its share of challenges. The long-term survival of tigers in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve depends on maintaining and restoring the wildlife corridors, as they allow movement between populations, prevent inbreeding, maintain genetic diversity, and mitigate extinction risks. However, these corridors are also inhabited by local communities that are generally socially marginalised, financially poor, and more dependent on forest resources. Frequent forest visitation is often the only option to fulfil the need for resources like forests for fuelwood, fodder, grazing, and other forest produce.
