Conservation Issues & WWF-India interventions
WWF-India has a long-standing presence in the area. This has helped its staff learn the area’s demography, establish a good rapport with the surrounding villagers, and engage positively with the various government departments.
The Ranthambore Eco-development Project (1991- 2002) covered animal husbandry, biogas development, development of fodder plantations on private lands, community mobilization, conservation awareness generation and training. WWF-India’s Species as well as Livelihood promotion programmes are providing support intermittently since 2002 for Natural Resource Management.
The Ranthambore Eco-development Project (1991- 2002) covered animal husbandry, biogas development, development of fodder plantations on private lands, community mobilization, conservation awareness generation and training. WWF-India’s Species as well as Livelihood promotion programmes are providing support intermittently since 2002 for Natural Resource Management.
A women’s self-help group near Ranthambore, that recycles used newspaper as bags with WWF-India’s help.
Natural Resource Management is being implemented in remote villages around the tiger reserve. This also includes improving the livelihood of locals by enhancing natural resource availability through increased cultivation of NTFPs, firewood and fruit trees.
The key interventions under the programme are:
The key interventions under the programme are:
- Capacity building of Panchayat members, volunteers, SHGs etc.
- Establishing self-help groups for micro-credit and finance, thereby providing a local source of credit that can be utilized by the members to avail further loans from banks. This money is used to establish alternative livelihoods for the locals and thus reduce their dependence on the forests for resources and employment.
- Innovative agriculture practices: Farmers are encouraged to utilize natural farming practices to reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers. To reduce crop depredation and human-wildlife conflict, cash cropping has also been encouraged.
- Environment awareness: Programs have been organised among the local shopkeepers sensitizing them to stop using plastic bags and shift to bags made from recycled material, hand prepared by local women self-help groups.
