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National Resource
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Introduction
Natural Resource Management (NRM) promotion is one of the long-term trategies
of Caritas India. We have been supporting Natural Resource Management (NRM)
programmes since the year 1992. In the recent past, the approach has been
mainly on promoting integrated natural resources management with active
participation of the people. The focus of NRM programmes is to conserve,
preserve and protect the precious natural resources through promotion of
Integrated Watershed Management, Sustainable Agriculture programmes etc. The
approach on drought situation is to provide employment to the drought victims
by creating community and individual assets for soil and water conservation
measures. This technique has picked up well in several parts of the country.
The results and experiences derived from some of the pilot projects have been
quite encouraging.
Conference on “Mitigating Drought & Desertification”
Caritas India along with Action For Food Production (AFPRO) and the
Planning Commission, Govt. of India, organised an International Conference on
“Mitigation of Drought and Desertification” on June 16-17, 2006 in New Delhi.
The main aim of this Conference was to commemorate “The World Day to Combat
Desert and Desertification” on June 17. 2006 had also been declared as the
International Year for Desert and Desertification. The Conference provided an
opportunity to get the message across strongly and effectively that
Desertification is a national and global problem. It also provided an impulse
to strengthen the visibility and importance of the dry lands issue on the
international environment agenda, while providing a timely reminder to the
international communities of the immense challenges that lie ahead.
Representatives from Caritas partnership from Austria, Italy, Germany,
Switzerland, Nepal, and Sri Lanka participated and made thematic presentations.
The participants from India were scientists, representatives from grass root
and national NGOs, farmers, students, Planning Commission, Ministry of
Agriculture, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Environment and Forests
etc.
Release of Book on
“Shades of Green” and “Traditional Agriculture
Practices”: the Chief Minister of Delhi,
Smt. Shiela Dikshit on 17th June 2006, released
the book “Shades of Green”. This
book contains casestudies of selected Natural
Resource Management projects implemented by the
partners of Caritas India. A book on
“Traditional Agricultural
Practices” was also released on the same day
by Sri Oscar Fernandes, Minister of State, Govt. of India. This book elaborates
various traditional agricultural practices collected with the help of grass
root communities.
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Research Project sanctioned to Caritas India
The NRDMS Division of
the Department of Science & Technology (DST),
Govt. of India, New Delhi has approved a research
project entitled “Application of GIS and Remote
Sensing Technique for Watershed Management in Tana
Watershed, Umrer block in Nagpur District,
Maharashtra”
for a sum of Rs.20, 25,000.
Caritas India is the legal holder of this project and AFPRO will provide the
technical assistance. Dr. Haridas V.R of Caritas India will be the Principal
Investigator and Ms. Aparajita Ghatak of AFPRO, the Co-Investigator. The
primary objective of the project is to study the present situation of Tana
Watershed with the help of Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote
Sensing techniques and conduct the impact assessment after implementation of
Watershed Management programme.
Caritas India, in the Working Group of the Planning
Commission:
Caritas India is in the
Working Group on Agricultural Extension for
formulation of the XI Five Year Plan (2007-12)
constituted by the Planning Commission, Govt. of
India. The Vth Sub-Group of this Working group, of
which we are a member, is studying the
gender concerns in agricultural extension related
programmes
. A follow up meeting, chaired by Ms. Poonam Malkondaiah,
Commissioner and Director of Agriculture, Andhra Pradesh, was held on 11th
August, 2006 at MANAGE, Hyderabad, to concretise workable suggestions on these
issues for the Eleventh Five Year Plan.
We are also part of the Working group on Natural Resources Management (NRM) for
XI Five Year Plan (2007-12). Sub-group II of this Working group, which has been
formed to examine whether the institutions and mechanisms/structures created
under the programmes have been sustainable and make suggestions for enhancing
their sustainability. The other objectives are to study the feasibility for
involvement of public-private partnership in Natural Resource Management and
Watershed Development programmes and suggest measures/programmes for Natural
Resource Management and fund requirements.
Socio-ecological study of the Reforestation and Coastal Area
Protection (ReCAP) in the selected locations of Tamil Nadu and the Union
Territory of Pondicherry
As efforts are underway by Caritas India to restore and protect the coastal
areas of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry which were ravaged by the tsunami of
December 2004, a socio-ecological research programme has been felt essential to
fulfil the following objectives:
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To obtain a comprehensive social
profile of the selected habitations and the adjoining areas for enabling ReCAP,
as a participatory programme.
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To obtain a comprehensive
ecological profile of the selected habitations and the adjoining areas to
identify land and water bodies for programme implementation, restoration of
selected areas and identification of plant material.
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To obtain a comprehensive livelihood profile
of the selected habitations so that these could be mainstreamed into other
ongoing programmes of Caritas India. |
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To build a database of the above profiles in
order to develop indicators for measuring the progress of ReCAP. |
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To identify and document other relevant
initiatives by Government and other agencies in this regard so that linkages
could be eventually developed. |
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Care Earth, an association of
scientists helped Caritas in undertaking this study. Based on the study
recommendations made by the team, implementation will be done. |
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Caritas
India representative participated in WTO Public Forum Meeting in Geneva:
The WTO public forum meeting was held in Geneva on 25th to 26th September 2006.
Dr. Haridas of Caritas India represented Caritas India and APHD in the meeting.
He participated in the working group meeting of Trade and Food Security (TFS)
constituted by Caritas Internationalis and CIDSE. Caritas India is also in the
working group of Pan Asia Sustainable agriculture constituted by Asia
Partnership for Human Development (APHD).
Exhibition of organic agriculture products and NRM cases:
Caritas
India, during its National Assembly in Mumbai from 6th to 8th February 2007
organised an exhibition of Organic agriculture products and successful cases
of Natural Resource Management programmes. A few projects where organic farming
is being promoted were selected. Several conferences and trainings were organized
during the last 5 years on sustainable agriculture as part of the APHD’s
sustainable agriculture regional programme. In the initial stage, the farmers
were little hesitant to shift from chemical to organic farming. The effort
made by a few farmers in promoting organic farming was a good motivation to
the others and now many farmers are practising organic farming. The APHD Conference
on Sustainable Agriculture organized in Sivagangai in 2004 was the turning
point for a number of farmers like Mr. Sunny D’Souza, Mangalore, Karnataka,
Fr.Kurian, Ujjain, M.P, Fr. Eliazar, Aherwada, M.P and the team who came
from Palayamkottai. All are now very serious about organic farming. This exhibition
created awareness among our partners on Organic farming and Natural Resource
Management.
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Caritas
India’s representatives participated in the Advocacy Conference on Seeds and
Farmers’ Rights in Indonesia
The APHD Pan Asia Advocacy Conference on Seeds and Farmers’ Rights was held in
Bali, Indonesia from February 27 to March 3, 2007. Mr. Rajesh P.D and Mr. Sunil
Simon, Executives of the NRM Section, Caritas India, represented the
organization. The main aim of this Conference was to provide a platform for the
participants to share information/learnings, exchange resources and plan
activities particularly on the seed rights. Specifically, it sought to
contribute to the understanding of farmers rights, especially the right to
seeds, and its importance in the maintenance of plant’s genetic resources for
food and agriculture, determine major concerns/advocacy issues to take actions
that would increase and strengthen collaboration for the active promotion of
farmers and seed rights.
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SAVE
FARMERS…SAVE INDIA: Caritas India Campaign for the Year 2007
This year’s Lenten Season
focuses on the alarming plight of farmers,
especially marginalized all over India. The theme
chosen for this Campaign ‘Save
Farmers…Save India’
, stresses on a proactive initiative on behalf of the Church,
not only to arrest the increasing pain, suffering, distress, misery and uncertainty
of our farmers, but also to reverse the present condition. The campaign
aims to mobilize serious awareness among people of different communities
on the gravity of the issue.
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