Enfoques

Kalpavalli conservation approach: community-centred conservation of the commons [India]

Kalpavalli

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1. Información general

1.2 Detalles de contacto de las personas de referencia e instituciones involucradas en la evaluación y la documentación del Enfoque

Persona(s) de referencia clave/s

Especialista MST:

Manisha Kairaly

Especialista MST:

Ganguly Choitresh

bablu@timbaktu.org

Timbaktu Collective

India

Especialista MST:

Vattamattam Mary

mary@timbaktu.org

Timbaktu Collective

India

co-compiler:

Rao Siddharth

sidsrao@gmail.com

Adavi Trust

India

Nombre del proyecto que facilitó la documentación/ evaluación del Enfoque (si fuera relevante)
G20 Global Land Initiative (GLI) Course (GLI Course)
Nombre de la(s) institución(es) que facilitaron la documentación/ evaluación del Enfoque si fuera relevante)
G20 Global Land Initiative (GLI)
Nombre de la(s) institución(es) que facilitaron la documentación/ evaluación del Enfoque si fuera relevante)
Arugu (Arugu) - India
Nombre de la(s) institución(es) que facilitaron la documentación/ evaluación del Enfoque si fuera relevante)
Adavi Trust (Adavi Trust) - India

1.3 Condiciones referidas al uso de datos documentados mediante WOCAT

¿Cuándo se compilaron los datos (en el campo)?

06/09/2023

El compilador y la/s persona(s) de referencia claves aceptan las condiciones acerca del uso de los datos documentados mediante WOCAT :

Sí

2. Descripción del Enfoque MST

2.1 Breve descripción del Enfoque

The Kalpavalli Community Conservation Area (KCCA) is a 6,500-acre (2,630 hectare) expanse of community-regenerated arid land located in the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India. Over thirty years, participatory efforts have protected and restored this savannah ecosystem, with direct and indirect benefits to the community. This community-centred conservation of the commons is termed the Kalpavalli conservation approach.

2.2 Descripción detallada del Enfoque MST

Descripción detallada del Enfoque MST:

The Kalpavalli conservation approach is renowned for its focus on restoring common lands through the efforts of a cooperative society based on a federation of village forest committees. Community members are the beneficiaries. Through this approach, 6,500-acres (2,630 hectare) of arid and severely degraded common lands, have been successfully rejuvenated over the past 33 years. An NGO, Timbaktu Collective, has facilitated the conceptualisation and implementation of the approach.

The primary stakeholders are marginalized community members, including Dalits (the socially disadvantaged lowest castes), who have traditionally been landless labourers and pastoralists. Timbaktu Collective has played a critical role in community mobilization, capacity-building, training, and documentation. The approach empowered the lower castes to participate actively in the decision-making process and enabled them to advocate for benefits from government programmes. However, the lack of absolute ownership of the common lands and the potential influence of private parties with vested interests remain challenges.

The programme offers social and technical support. Details of the approach and its key focusses are as follows:

1. Social

Livelihoods: The Kalpavalli area is officially designated by the government as "wastelands", a contentious term which is applied to lands which the government does not consider economically productive. These lands are technically administrated by the State Government, but in most cases are either ignored or given to companies to establish factories or industrial estates. However, the Kalpavalli conservation approach ensures that traditional grazing and usage rights by communities are recognised. This facilitates sustainable land use centred on grazing, harvesting of non-timber forest produce, and more. The approach further promotes community management of common resources, joint responsibility for land protection, access to income generation from minor forest produce – all based on sustainable resource management.

Ownership and rights to resources: Grazing lands are largely under the technical ownership of the government, where traditional usage rights are permitted but not awarded legal status. The main challenge here is uncertainty about long-term ownership and rights to access. The approach therefore aims to secure usage, control, and ownership rights for the local community users. This is enabled through the creation of a community cooperative. The NGO and the cooperative have together been exploring various legal options to secure community ownership of the land.

Participation: The approach relies on social and technical methods, emphasizing community engagement. Social techniques include street theatre, community outings, participatory discussions, and voluntary service (“Shramadhanam”) to educate and mobilize the largely illiterate population.

Membership and monitoring: Members contribute an annual fee to access grazing and fuelwood collection. The approach includes policies for both protecting and monitoring common resources.

Organization development: Capacity-building, conflict resolution and organization management are facilitated through training and workshops.
Enterprise development: The community cooperative has launched eco-tourism initiatives to generate income, reinvesting profits into conservation efforts.

2. Technical

Restoration: The initial focus was on land protection, as common lands were degraded. In the initial years a key focus was on planting but then restoration work was modified as the land responded. Efforts have included protection from logging, creating firebreak lines, seed collection of native species, stream clearing, rotational grazing management, constructing rock-filled dams - and other watershed development work.

Protection of the commons: Stones were used to demarcate the land, and volunteer groups ("Vana Samrakshana Samithi") were established to prevent overgrazing and protect the area from uncontrolled fires.

Earthworks: Soil and water conservation measures such as rock-filled dams and earth bunds were introduced to reduce soil erosion and enhance groundwater recharge.

Research and management plans: Researchers helped map and share understanding of biodiversity. Biodiversity conservation, including both flora and fauna became a focus, with savannah ecology management plans developed.

Trees and vegetation: Initial attempts at using nurseries for propagation met with little success - and were replaced by seed broadcasting and propagation of local wild species. Seed huts were built to store seeds gather from this indigenous vegetation.

2.3 Fotos del Enfoque

Galería de medios

2.4 Videos del Enfoque

Comentarios, descripción breve:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-VtU46p9KA
short video on the Kalpavalli Project

Nombre del videógrafo:

Black Ticket Films

Comentarios, descripción breve:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZse_6PrGKg

About the conservation education work by the Timabktu Collective at the Kalpavalli Conservation Area

Nombre del videógrafo:

Timbaktu Collective

Comentarios, descripción breve:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7s4VIqtpLA

A short video on the wildlife conservation work at the Kalpavalli Conservation Area

2.5 País/ región/ lugares donde el Enfoque fue aplicado

País:

India

Región/ Estado/ Provincia:

Andhra Pradesh

Especifique más el lugar :

Anatapuram District

Previsualización del mapa

2.6 Fechas de inicio y conclusión del Enfoque

Indique año del inicio:

1992

Comentarios:

Ongoing

2.7 Tipo de Enfoque

  • Mixed using all three of the above

2.8 Propósitos/ objetivos principales del Enfoque

Water and Soil Conservation
Community-Led Conservation
Common Land Protection
Wildlife Conservation
Livelihood Generation
Empowerment of Local Communities

2.9 Condiciones que facilitan o impiden la implementación de la/s Tecnología/s aplicadas bajo el Enfoque

normas y valores sociales/ culturales/ religiosos
  • facilitan

Cultural practises such as sramadhanam (volunteering physical labour for a common goal), vanabhojanam (feasts in the forest), Sacred Groves, Kattubaatu (group decisions and social agreements that everyone decides to honour)

  • impiden

Lack of agency for women, caste system

disponibilidad/ acceso a recursos y servicios financieros
  • facilitan

The most important factor to note, especially as a resource, was the Timbaktu campus serving as an active ecology lab. A lot of knowledge was transferred from this site to the hills of Kalpavalli. All the technologies implemented were done with locally available skills, labour and materials. Therefore, the costs were minimal.

  • impiden

Initially it was difficult for the members to raise capital/ group savings by themselves. In light of this, the NGO fundraised small amounts to help the works undertaken, especially for wages and salaries of members. Additionally, being a low priority landscape, (these swathes of land are even called ‘wastelands’) it was difficult to raise large amounts for restoration works as it did not at that time capture the imagination of the population nor the Government.

entorno institucional
  • facilitan

The different technologies of the watershed concept such as gully plugs, greening, conservation, rock filled dams water flow delay and absorption were modified and adapted to this particular landscape thanks to having an institutional setting and back up. It served as an interface to acquire the knowledge and then systematically implement it on the field.
Having the institutional setting also allowed for the technological interventions to be suggested to the Government bodies for watershed works. It also worked in the favour of the approach that institutionally as well, these were not only ideas or concepts shared but were also actively being worked on in the field, which added to its credibility.

colaboración/ coordinación de actores
  • facilitan

The Community members (Forest Protection Committee) , the NGO, the Village level Panchayat, local Universities and the Government were all involved in these processes. If any of these actors did not cooperate then this approach would not have been possible. The larger goal of communities working towards ‘ greening’ was what largely aided this collaboration between various actors to occur

marco de trabajo legal (tenencia de tierra, derechos de uso de tierra y agua)
  • facilitan

The concept of ‘land use for the commons’, village common lands.

  • impiden

Technically the land belongs to the Government. So even if the community actively works and restores it, even for 3 decades, the ownership will not rest with them. Here are a few examples in how this has proved to a hindrance so far:
Land grab by private windmill companies
Green tribunal windmill case, though won, did not get payment to the community
Government granted sections of land to the Forest Department in the conservation area.
Electricity Department granted area to lay high power cables through wolf and blackbuck habitat

políticas
  • facilitan

That the Common lands were for use by the village and came under the Revenue Department which grants usage rights. This enabled all the works to be undertaken without any backlash from upper castes in the village.
That the Sacred Groves come under the Endowment Lands, which also aided the protection of the wild lands surrounding them.
The Village Panchayat in tandem with the BMC (Biodiversity Management Committees) are a newer body that by policy of the regional and national Government follows an International agreement on Local bodies having the onus of maintaining and protecting their local biodiversity.
NREGA – employment guarantee scheme
FFW – Food for Work scheme
Watershed Scheme by the regional Government.

  • impiden

Lack of understanding about the delicate nature of Grassland ecosystems and lesser known/ low priority landscapes

Lack of information of how these landscapes actually impact and enable livelihoods for many sections of the lower castes in the community

Demarcation of these lands as ‘waste lands’

gobernanza de tierras (toma de decisiones, implementación y aplicación)
  • facilitan

Institution of the Forest Protection Committee as a Cooperative, creation of Community Management Plans with the help of experts, social norms such as ‘Ummadi Bhoomi’ – common land maintenance, clear roles and responsibilities of the various members of the committees.

  • impiden

Lack of legal ownership. Although the India state has a progressive Forest Rights Act, which can enable indigenous communities to gain access to traditional lands this does not apply to this region as the village members are not classified as "Tribals" as per Indian law.
Very difficult to deal with encroachments or to get the external parties to comply with the conservation area’s protection protocols.
Legitimacy of ownership is always questioned due to this factor.

conocimiento de MST, acceso a apoyo técnico
  • facilitan

Having the NGO to play the role of facilitator and to interface with universities and donors allowed for the knowledge systems to be more easily shared and disseminated in field.

  • impiden

Distance of the Kalpavalli area, which is very rural. Until 2011, there were no roads as well and so anyone willing to do this work and share knowledge had to be able to hike and walk large distances to see the work being done.

mercados (para comprar insumos, vender productos) y precios
  • facilitan

Very low market dependence and very low market orientation as well. Local markets were easy to approach for sale of seasonal produce.

carga de trabajo, disponibilidad de mano de obra
  • facilitan

Definitely enabling as for the earthworks taken up by the members of the community, they received wages from various government schemes and grants raised by the NGO Timbaktu Collective. Hardly any machines were used so the large majority of the works done served as a livelihood for the members.

otros
  • facilitan

Repetition of the various technologies, such as trenches, rock filled dams, fire lines, seed collection and dibbling and so forth allowed for these methods to become part of the inhouse knowledge. Developing these packages of practises by the community members and team have perfected these technologies and can easily implement the process on field.

3. Participación y roles de las partes interesadas involucradas

3.1 Partes interesadas involucradas en el Enfoque y sus roles

  • usuarios locales de tierras/ comunidades locales

10 local village groups all from marginalised lower castes.

Watch and ward, land management and participatory processes.

  • organizaciones comunitarias

The Kalpavalli Tree Growers Cooperative (registered name) comprising over 250 members. Also referred to as the 'Cooperative or community Cooperative' in various places in this document.

Mobilisation, management and participatory processes.

  • especialistas MST/consejeros agrícolas

Researchers, academics and university groups.

SLM technologies, trainings, data collection.

  • investigadores

inhouse and external ecologists and social scientists

documentation and SLM

  • ONG

The timbaktu collective

ideation, catalyst, implementation, technical, administrative, financial and logistical support.

  • gobierno local

Local Panchyath, District Collector, Block Education officer

legal owners of land, facilitate education and help with conflict management.

  • organización internacional

Interntional donor agencies

funding, monitoring and evaluation.

3.2 Involucramiento de los usuarios locales de tierras/ comunidades locales en las distintas fases del Enfoque
Involucramiento de los usuarios locales de tierras/ comunidades locales Especifique quién se involucró y describa las actividades
iniciación/ motivación interactivo Village community members as well as the NGO team came together to understand land degradation and its impacts on the community. They started working on the watershed to conserve water.
planificación interactivo The community and NGO planned activities such as tree planting, grass seed dibbling, fire management. They collectively mobilised volunteers for this.
implementación interactivo The community members and NGO partnered to implement all restoration work from the beginning of the project. They created a cooperative dedicated to the restoration of the selected common lands, hired the required labor as well as contributed voluntarily to the restoration activities. These are ongoing till date, including planting, protection, critical watering, fire and grazing management.
monitoreo y evaluación interactivo Daily monitoring of the commons is undertaken by the community watchers and community members work alongside any researchers who are monitoring or collecting data.
Research interactivo All research is discussed in advance with the community directors and community watchers are part of the data collection process. research results are shared with the community.

3.3 Flujograma (si estuviera disponible)

Descripción:

Overview of the facilitation and information flow in the Kalpavalli Programme, excerpt from the Kalpavalli Management Plan

Autor:

Sreenivasan & Rao

3.4 La toma de decisiones en la selección de Tecnología(s) MST

Especifique quién decidió la selección de las Tecnología/ Tecnologías a implementarse:
  • todos los actores relevantes, como parte de un enfoque participativo
Especifique las bases que sustentaron la toma de decisiones:
  • la experiencia personal y opiniones (no documentadas)

4. Apoyo técnico, fortalecimiento institucional y gestión del conocimiento

4.1 Construcción de capacidades / capacitación

¿Se proporcionó la capacitación a usuarios de tierras/ otras partes interesadas?

Sí

Especifique quién fue capacitado:
  • usuarios de tierras
  • personal de campo/ consejeros
Forma de capacitación:
  • en el contexto de trabajo
  • de agricultor a agricultor
  • áreas de demostración
  • reuniones públicas
  • cursos
Temas avanzados:

Seed preservation and collection, grassland and rangeland management and ecology, wildlife conservation, bird watching, aquatic ecology, human-wildlife conflict, GIS basics, ecotourism, gender training, evolutionary biology.

4.2 Servicio de asesoría

¿Los usuarios de tierras tienen acceso a un servicio de asesoría?

Sí

Especifique si servicio proporcionado se realizó:
  • en los campos de los usuarios de tierras
  • en centros permanentes
Describa/ comentarios:

The NGO Timbaktu Collective makes coordinates and links the land users to specific expertise and advisor services as and when requested or required. this includes universities, other NGOS, researchers and government officials.

4.3 Fortalecimiento institucional (desarrollo institucional)

¿Se establecieron o fortalecieron instituciones mediante el Enfoque?
  • sí, mucho
Especifique el nivel o los niveles en los que se fortalecieron o establecieron las instituciones:
  • local
Describa la institución, roles y responsabilidades, miembros, etc.

The Kalpavalli area is managed by the Kalpavalli Tree Grower’s Cooperative Society which is a federation of 10 Vana Samrakshana (Forest Protection) Committees. Their primary role is the decentralized management of their common lands.

The VSCs and the Cooperative were established by the Timbaktu Collective, under the Andhra Pradesh State "Mutually Aided-Cooperative Act" to create participatory decision making processes in the villages for the common lands. The VSCs partner with the Timbaktu Collective for technical, administrative, financial and logistical requirements while they continue to function independently and in parallel to the local Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC). The BMC's are in essence the same members as the VSC, the difference is that the BMC are legal entities under the Biological Diversity Act of the central government. This was an act passed only in 2002. The NGO Timbaktu Collective has been finding different strategies to strengthen village institutions based on available laws. The Cooperative monitors the use of the Kalpavalli forests through its Watch and Ward policy. This encompasses field level forest watchers appointed by the VSCs and entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing a specific area. The forest Watchers undertake patrolling, monitor forest activities, seasonal NTFP collection and collaborate extensively with the NGO team members.

Especifique el tipo de apoyo:
  • financiero
  • construcción de capacidades/ entrenamiento
  • equipo

4.4 Monitoreo y evaluación

¿El monitoreo y la evaluación forman parte del Enfoque?

Sí

Comentarios:

There are internal and external processes to monitor and evaluate the project. The internal ones are, weekly, monthly and yearly team reviews by the Timbaktu Collective. The Coopertive Directors Meet every month to review progress and strategies. The timbaktu collective also organises for periodic monitoring and evaluation from external consultants on a case-by-case basis. External mentoring and evaluation is largely done by funding agencies on a yearly basis.

Si respondió que sí, ¿la documentación se utilizará para monitoreo y evaluación?

Sí

Comentarios:

This document will serve as a reference for the NGO and the cooperative as well as help document their work.

4.5 Investigación

¿La investigación formó parte del Enfoque?

Sí

Especifique los temas:
  • sociología
  • economía/ marketing
  • ecología
Proporcione detalles adicionales e indique quién hizo la investigación:

From the year 2008, several formal research projects were taken up in the Kalpavalli area. One of the first was to do a physical walk along with marked locations along the BURUJULU (boundary markings) in order to make a GPS map. Post that, in 2013 there was a Biodiversity assessment done for both flora and fauna. Soon after a Wolf and Vulture questionnaire was carried out among land users and other community members to understand villager’s mindsets towards these two threatened species. The findings, along with other smaller questionnaires were compiled into another research study and report that outlined a Management Plan for the Kalpavalli Cooperative. Fauna specific research with camera trapping and field notes allowed Researchers to establish Kalpavalli as a critical habitat and corridor, especially for the vulnerable Indian Grey Wolf.

Most of the research over the years was carried out by Independent Ecologists and Wildlife Biologists. Mr. Siddharth Rao, Naren Sreenivasan, Gautham Gollapalli and Joseph Vattakaaven are among the researchers who have done extensive work on the Kalpavalli approach.

5. Financiamiento y apoyo material externo

5.1 Presupuesto anual para el componente MST del Enfoque

Si no se conoce el presupuesto anual preciso, indique el rango:
  • 10,000-100,000
Comentarios (ej. fuentes principales de financiamiento/ donantes principales):

The NGO was and is funded by various donor agencies (international and national) a well as philanthropists. All funding information is published annually on www.timbuktu.org. With respect to Nrega and FFW the NGO served as the implementing agency chosen by the government. This was completed in the 2000s.

5.2 Apoyo financiero/material proporcionado a los usuarios de tierras

¿Los usuarios de tierras recibieron financiamiento/ apoyo material para implementar la Tecnología/ Tecnologías? :

Sí

Si respondió sí, especifique el tipo o los tipos de apoyo, condiciones y proveedor(es) :

The NGO Timbaktu Collective has raised grants to support salaries for watch and ward, holding meetings, purchasing equipment and other logistical support.

5.3 Subsidios para insumos específicos (incluyendo mano de obra)

  • mano de obra
En qué grado Especifique los subsidios
parcialmente financiado NREGA and Food For Work Programmes
Si la mano de obra de usuarios de tierras fue un insumo sustancial, ¿fue:
  • voluntario?
Comentarios:

In the intial years most labour was volluntary, which then moved to paid labour and some voluntary commitments from the community.

5.4 Crédito

¿Se proporcionó crédito bajo el Enfoque para actividades MST?

No

5.5 Otros incentivos o instrumentos

¿Se usaron otros incentivos o instrumentos para promover la implementación de Tecnologías MST?

Sí

Si fuera el caso, especifique :

The NREGA Act and The Food for work Government programme

6. Análisis de impacto y comentarios de conclusión

6.1 Impactos del Enfoque

¿El Enfoque empoderó a los usuarios locales de tierras, mejoró el involucramiento de las partes interesadas?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Prior to the approach, these specific communities and castes were not involved in discussions or decisions based in and around their villages. Over the years, the land users feel all decisions regarding their common resources such as fodder, thatch grass, streams and waterways were all made in a participatory fashion, and led by the lower caste members.

¿El Enfoque facilitó la toma de decisiones basada en evidencia?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Yes. This was because of seeing the effects of various technologies taking shape on the landscape and then slowly increasing the area of the Commons that were added to be protected and nurtured. Photo documentation helped monitor and share results to make it easier to implement more evidence based decision making possible, especially for the illiterate community members. Researchers documenting and collecting data has helped this process.

¿El Enfoque ayudó a los usuarios de tierras a implementar y mantener Tecnologías MST?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Yes. Having the support of the NGO team members to help oversee and propagate technologies allowed for more village groups to get involved in healing the lands closest to their area. This had various impacts such as mobilizing the community as well maintaining all records for any incentive-based work to be immediately reimbursed. This built trust as well to maintain the SLM technologies once implemented.

¿El Enfoque mejoró la coordinación e implementación efectiva en costos de MST?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Definitely. Having a strategic approach to the technologies meant that existing social norms and cultures were used in a participatory way. Examples are shramadaanam (voluntary work for a specific goal such as making making fire lines), desilting waterbodies in the dry season, putting out fires using existing techniques such as green palm fronds etc. If these methodologies were not used in a resourceful manner, all the technologies would have proved much more expensive to implement in field.

¿El Enfoque movilizó/mejoró el acceso a recursos financieros para implementar MST?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Prior to the approach, this land area was degraded and unmanaged for any returns, tangible and intangible. By starting the initial village groups, members put together small savings to carry out certain activities while the NGO also raised funds for the same. This process greatly helped to initiate and then continue to mobilize financial resources. Currently, the Eco tourism model also follows the same ideology of mobilizing funds for SLM in the area.

¿El Enfoque mejoró el conocimiento y capacidades de los usuarios para implementar MST?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Yes definitely. Building on a few existing technologies, the SLMs introduced were simple, practical and enabled community members to easily join in the process.

¿El Enfoque mejoró el conocimiento y capacidades de otras partes interesadas?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Village members who are not part of these committees were also impacted by these activities as awareness grew about restoration practises and methods to aid the process.

¿El Enfoque construyó/ fortaleció instituciones, colaboración entre partes interesadas?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Yes definitely. The Cooperative approach intrinsically is a people led structure that is open to sharing knowledge and involving others in processes. The community, NGO, Government as well as other stakeholders such as migratory pastoralists, research organizations, farmer cooperatives, Cooperative of People with disabilities and local Government school children are all stakeholders with whom collaboration has been initiated and strengthened.

¿El Enfoque mitigó conflictos?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Significantly. In the initial years conflicts arose between villages over shared resources such as fodder and thatch grass. These were resolved by interventions from the NGO members. In later years, conflicts with windmill owners, private quarry owners, political parties looking to grab land were all dealt with in a peaceful manner with dialogue and exerting land use rights at the fore.

¿El Enfoque empoderó a grupos en desventaja social y económica?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Yes significantly. Kalpavalli works in 10 villages and in these villages with the most socially and economically marginalized communities. The Village members as well as traditional migratory pastoralists make regular income as well as livelihood supports thanks to this approach. The land users feel that this approach has had both immediate as well as long term benefits for socially and economically backward groups.

¿El Enfoque mejoró la equidad de género y empoderó a las mujeres y niñas?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

In the initial years, men were reluctant to have women join the discussions in the ‘male dominated’ areas of the village where meetings usually took place. Women too were hesitant to participate in these gatherings. However, they were encouraged to join in, especially as they were the ones doing rounds to collect firewood and fodder for the homestead. Slowly, they got involved and today play an important role in the leadership. However, daily patrol, watch and ward work is not undertaken by them due to safety concerns. School girls were encouraged to join day long SLM activities such as seed broadcasting and collection which was absolutely not common before. Some members pointed out that gender equality trainings by the NGO opened their eyes to shared leadership and responsibility of the commons.

¿El Enfoque alentó a jóvenes/ la siguiente generación de usuarios de tierras a involucrarse con MST?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Many members encourage their children to attend the camps and awareness workshops that the Ngo organize. The focus of these is on grassland biodiversity and ecosystems along with fun games, activities and cultural dances and songs that celebrate nature. These training camps has had several hundred children and youth attend and has fostered a strong connection with their wild and common lands

¿El Enfoque mejoró cuestiones de tenencia de tierra/ derechos de usuarios que obstaculizaron la implementación de la Tecnologías MST?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Land tenure was not impacted but user rights were strongly bolstered. Community members never undertook measures to heal the land while it was just listed as the Commons. Since this approach, the fact that the land was restored and proved to become a massive resource for the community definitely improved user rights. As for tenure, it still comes under the Government.

¿El Enfoque resultó en mejor seguridad alimentaria/ mejoró la nutrición?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Community members interviewed for this case study pointed out two distinct ways in which the approach has led to food security. One is that the protection and management of the streams and the check-dams has ensured that the watershed works well every monsoon with sufficient water collection in the big lakes downstream. The water from here is used by the farming community to grow a variety of greens and vegetables that are then mostly sold locally in the village itself. The other factor they pointed out was that abundance of fodder for small ruminants has ensured that meat consumption, especially of free-range goat and sheep mutton has been possible thanks to this approach. In other villages, pooer sections of the community have no other protein source than to buy cheaper farmed ‘broiler chicken’ meat, which is weak in nutrition and pumped with a lot of steroids and antibiotics.

¿El Enfoque mejoró el acceso a los mercados?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

In this regards, the traditional market access for NTFP was strengthened. Livelihoods from seasonal broom grass collection, thatch grass, palm fronds for mats and basket weaving, wild berries and various flora for ethno- veterinary preparations have all been helped. The collection and sale of these have certainly increased the access to markets for these sections of the community, especially women from the lower castes. Additionally, market-based solutions such as an eco-tourism venture withing the conservation area is up and running. This provides revenue to the Coopertive from tourist who visit the restoration site. All this work in relation to markets has been led by the Timbaktu Collective.

¿El Enfoque llevó a un acceso mejorado a tierra y saneamiento?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

Access to water yes. Sanitation not necessarily as that comes under the management of the Municipality of the local government bodies. The SLMs in the approach have had a massive impact on consistent water levels in the entire watershed as well as recharging the underground aquifers.

¿El Enfoque llevó a un uso más sostenible/ fuentes de energía?
  • No
  • Sí, un poco
  • Sí, moderadamente
  • Sí, mucho

As a lot of the SLMs were taken from the Timbaktu handbook, solar powered spaces were a big take away. All infrastructure in the Kalpavalli area is solar powered

From the second year onwards, the community could depend on the Kalpavalli restoration for fodder for the huge populations of small ruminants in the area as well as cattle. Extreme heat and drought years have seen this area still have fodder grass and perennial streams that are a life saver for pastoralists. Community members engaged with hands on work in the grasslands are definitely better equipped to deal with weather extremes and changes as their tactics to deal with them are in house solutions, usually very low cost and easy to maintain

Community members who work in the conservation area as Watchers, Guards, Ethno vet produce collectors and Eco tourism staff have all gained employment through this approach. There are also numerous village members who have seasonal income from NTFPs as mentioned in the earlier sections. Since its inception and over the years, the approach made use of several policies as well as funding opportunities to create ‘labour days’ for community members. For the lower caste members, especially the manual labourers who do not own land, this was a win-win situation as it generated monetary security while systematically improving their common lands.

6.2 Motivación principal del usuario de la tierra para implementar MST

  • producción incrementada
  • incremento de la renta(bilidad), proporción mejorada de costo-beneficio
  • reducción de la degradación del suelo
  • reducción del riesgo de desastres naturales
  • pagos/ subsidios
  • prestigio, presión social/ cohesión social
  • afiliación al movimiento/ proyecto/ grupo/ redes
  • conciencia medioambiental
  • costumbres y creencias, moral
  • conocimiento y capacidades mejorados de MST
  • mejoramiento estético
  • mitigación de conflicto

6.3 Sostenibilidad de las actividades del Enfoque

¿Pueden los usuarios de tierras sostener lo que se implementó mediante el Enfoque (sin apoyo externo)?
  • incierto
Si respondió no o incierto, especifique y comente:

If no or uncertain, specify and comment: The initiation of the Kalpavalli approach was through the NGO Timbaktu Collective. Though the Forest Cooperative has developed very strong social fibre and management of the Commons, this work and its longevity remains uncertain mainly due to the fact that the ownerships aspect rest with the Government. Policy might dictate changes in land usage rights or perhaps move the conservation area under the Forest Department which has a whole other set of fines, regulations as opposed to the ease of use of the Commons.

6.4 Fortalezas/ ventajas del Enfoque

Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del usuario de la tierra
livelihood generation
participatory approaches
A sense of ownership and purpose in the community members towards the land
Hope and optimism - from seeing forest hand what collective actions on degraded lands can turn into
Fuerzas/ ventajas/ oportunidades desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave
Practical approaches with direct benefits
Low cost and highly reliable interventions
Ownership and community moblization by members playing an active role
A local NGO collaborating with the community for a globally relevant body of work.

6.5 Debilidades/ desventajas del Enfoque y formas de sobreponerse a ellos

Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos desde la perspectiva del usuario de la tierra ¿Cómo sobreponerse a ellas?
Legal ownership not in their favour Government granting special status for land management to the Community based organization
Not having a significant immediate economic return Further RnD and enterprise development
Debilidades/ desventajas/ riesgos desde la perspectiva del compilador o de otra persona de referencia clave ¿Cómo sobreponerse a ellas?
Land ownership and tenure not with community First and foremost would be a legal agreement granting Management Rights to the Federation by the Government which would help the community protect their commons from other private agencies, political parties and encroachment.
Not having a significant immediate economic return for the community members apart from the wages and now more recently the Eco tourism venture. There is a concern that the next generations would not be as enthusiastic without having significant economic returns. Establishing more revenue generating streams within the approach. There are steps being made to launch more enterprises such as a native flora nursery and products such as ethno-vet preparations.

7. Referencias y vínculos

7.1 Métodos/ fuentes de información

  • visitas de campo, encuestas de campo

Six field visits, 10 informants

  • entrevistas con usuarios de tierras

112 Land users interviewed

  • entrevistas con especialistas/ expertos en MST

6 experts

  • compilación de informes y otra documentación existente

Kalpavalli Management plan, Timbaktu Collective Annual Reports, Kalpavalli Coopertive Annual Report, Kalpavalli Field guide

7.2 Referencias a publicaciones disponibles

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Timbaktu Collective annual Report

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

Online on the NGO website, www.timbaktu.org

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Kalpavalli Management Plan, Rao, Sreenivasan 2018

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

internal document

Título, autor, año, ISBN:

Biodiversity Report, Rao, Sreenivasan 2014

¿Dónde se halla disponible? ¿Costo?

internal document

7.3 Vínculos a la información relevante disponible en línea

Título/ descripción:

Making a pig’s ear of it - The Hindu BusinessLine

URL:

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/blink/cover/Making-a-pig%E2%80%99s-ear-of-it/article20874649.ece

Título/ descripción:

Conservation And The Commons | Nature inFocus

URL:

https://www.natureinfocus.in/the-restoration-notebook/conservation-and-the-commons

Título/ descripción:

The soil has veins - Vikalp Sangam

URL:

https://vikalpsangam.org/article/the-soil-has-veins/

Título/ descripción:

The Kalpavalli programme and the Kalpavalli Conservation Area – Equator Initiative

URL:

https://www.equatorinitiative.org/2017/06/05/the-kalpavalli-programme-and-the-kalpavalli-conservation-area/

Título/ descripción:

Spotlight on Regeneration: The Timbaktu Collective bridging community and conservation (theecologist.org)

URL:

https://theecologist.org/2017/jul/12/spotlight-regeneration-timbaktu-collective-bridging-community-and-conservation

Título/ descripción:

mission to revive forgotten ecosystems.

URL:

https://www.edexlive.com/40-under-40/2019/jun/20/in-the-dry-grasslands-of-anantapur-in-andhra-pradesh-one-man-is-on-a-mission-to-set-the-record-stra-6561.html

Título/ descripción:

Villagers in rural India 'watch' forests grow

URL:

https://atlasofthefuture.org/project/timbaktucollective/

Título/ descripción:

Wind Farm CDM project in Kalpavalli Community Forest, Anantpur, AP, India

URL:

https://ejatlas.org/conflict/wind-farm-cdm-project-in-kalpavalli-community

Título/ descripción:

Frente al crecimiento verde. Visiones de "lo común" desde el Colectivo Timbaktu (Andhra Pradesh, India

URL:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336319154_Frente_al_crecimiento_verde_Visiones_de_lo_comun_desde_el_Colectivo_Timbaktu_Andhra_Pradesh_India

Título/ descripción:

Green energy takes toll on green cover

URL:

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/green-energy-takes-toll-on-green-cover-34164

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