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Picture Courtesy: DOWNTOEARTH
Harnessing traditional local ecological knowledge to guide sustainable forest management is urgently needed to prevent ecosystem degradation and secure the livelihoods of forest-dependent rural communities.
TEK is the wisdom tribal and local communities have built over centuries about living with nature.
It views the ecosystem as an integrated whole, rather than separate parts, including plants, animals, natural phenomena, and human relationships.
It is applied in daily life for sustainable resource management, agriculture, hunting, and medicine.
For many communities, TEK is interwoven with cultural identity and spiritual beliefs, promoting respect for the natural world.
Forests are a lifeline for 300 million rural Indians, with 100 million depending on them for their main income. (Source: Food and Agriculture Organization).
Forests contribute about 1.7% to India’s GDP, but their real value is higher due to uncounted benefits like clean air and water. Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), also called Minor Forest Produce (MFP), supporting rural household in forest areas.
They provide food, fuel, and materials, acting as a safety net when farming fails.
Without healthy forests, rural families lose income and food security, pushing them toward poverty.
Economic stability
Diverse income: TEK helps communities sustainably harvest a variety of Minor Forest Produce (MFP), providing income and food.
Value addition: TEK is essential for micro-enterprises, guiding the processing of raw MFP into higher-value products like herbal medicines, which increases profits for the community.
Ecological resilience
Biodiversity conservation: TEK practices, such as protecting sacred groves, conserve biodiversity by preventing overexploitation of resources.
Climate adaptation: Communities use their TEK to observe environmental indicators and adapt to climate change, providing localized, effective strategies for managing resources.
India’s Policies
National Forest Policy (1988): Prioritizes environmental stability over commercial gains, provides tribal communities access to forest products like fuel and fodder.
Joint Forest Management (JFM): Creates partnerships between forest officials and local communities to protect and manage forests, sharing responsibilities and benefits.
Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006: Recognizes the rights of forest-dwelling tribes and traditional inhabitants to live in and manage forests they have used for generations. It grants rights over land, use of minor forest produce, and community management.
PM Van Dhan Yojana: Supports tribal livelihoods by helping them become entrepreneurs and adding value to minor forest produce through the creation of Van Dhan Vikas Kendras.
National Agroforestry Policy (2014): Integrates trees with crops on farmlands to boost income, soil health, and productivity.
Green India Mission (GIM): Aims to increase forest cover, improve ecosystem services, and enhance livelihoods for forest-dependent communities to address climate change.
Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) 1996: Empowers Gram Sabhas (village assemblies) in tribal areas to have control over natural resources and approve development projects.
Biological Diversity Act (BDA) 2002: Promotes biodiversity conservation and respects traditional knowledge.
Global Policies
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 1992: Calls on countries to respect, preserve, and maintain Indigenous and local communities' knowledge and practices relevant to biodiversity.
UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) 2007: Establishes minimum standards for Indigenous rights, including their right to give Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for projects on their lands.
REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation): Provides financial incentives to developing countries for forest conservation, sustainable management, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.
Nagoya Protocol (2010): Ensures fair and equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources, including those derived from Indigenous and local communities' traditional knowledge.
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) 2022: Emphasizes the participation and rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in conservation efforts.
Inadequate legal implementation
Poor FRA execution: High rejection rates (over 38%) for land claims due to bureaucratic hurdles and bias; labeling rightful inhabitants as "encroachers".
Limited CFR recognition: Recognition of Community Forest Rights (CFRs) has been slow and incomplete in most state.
Conflicts of interest and displacement
"Conservation" displacing communities: Some conservation efforts (National Park, Tiger Reserve) have resulted in displacement, even though evidence shows that communities can effectively support conservation.
Development-induced displacement: Large-scale projects, such as mining and infrastructure, displace tribal populations from their resource-rich lands without adequate compensation or rehabilitation.
Erosion of traditional knowledge
Intergenerational loss of TEK: Younger generations migrate to urban area for education and jobs, breaking the cycle of knowledge transfer and harming traditional forest management.
Non-recognition of TEK: Mainstream science and policy often disregard or undervalue TEK, ignoring its valuable insights for forest management and climate adaptation.
Market exploitation and economic vulnerability
Exploitation by middlemen: Tribal communities are vulnerable to exploitation by middlemen who offer low prices for Minor Forest Produce (MFP).
Lack of market access: Poor access to market information, storage, and transportation facilities reduces the bargaining power of forest dwellers, contributing to economic hardship.
Exclusion from climate change policies
Risk from REDD+: Can lead to land grabs and dispossession if not implemented with a strong focus on community rights and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).
Top-down climate strategies: Climate action plans are created at the national level without integrating local context or TEK, making them less effective.
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Case Study: How TEK helps forests and communities Apatani, Arunachal Pradesh The Apatani tribe practices a sustainable, integrated paddy-cum-fish farming system. By using traditional, low-input methods, they maintain soil fertility and enhance food security within the Ziro Valley, earning recognition from the FAO. Bishnoi, Rajasthan The Bishnoi community's religious beliefs prohibit harming trees and wildlife. This cultural practice has successfully preserved local biodiversity, creating vital ecological oases in an arid landscape. |
Empower communities through legal recognition
Fast-track FRA implementation: Expedite the recognition of Community and Individual Forest Rights by removing bureaucratic hurdles and reviewing rejected claims.
Strengthen Gram Sabhas: Enhance the power and capacity of village assemblies for forest governance, allowing them to integrate Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) into decision-making.
Protect rights in protected areas: Recognize and implement Community Forest Rights within national parks and sanctuaries, drawing lessons from successful examples in Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Promote economic opportunities
Reform MFP markets: Eliminate middlemen to ensure fair prices for Minor Forest Products (MFPs) and strengthen market linkages through schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana.
Boost value addition: Provide technical and financial support for community-owned processing units, scaling up models like the Van Dhan Vikas Kendras.
Integrate agroforestry: Promote agroforestry models to reduce pressure on forests while boosting rural incomes and improving soil health.
Ensure ecological restoration and climate justice
Prioritize native biodiversity: Shift afforestation efforts towards natural regeneration using native species, which is more cost-effective and ecologically beneficial than monoculture plantations.
Include TEK in climate action: Integrate TEK into climate policies like REDD+ to ensure conservation strategies are culturally and ecologically appropriate.
Invest in Green skills: Provide training for forest communities and officials in sustainable management, ecological restoration, and modern technologies.
Ensure transparent funding: Improve the utilization and accountability of Compensatory Afforestation Fund (CAMPA) funds to ensure they effectively support restoration and community development.
Forests and tribal knowledge are crucial for rural survival, supporting livelihoods and maintaining forests. However, unfair policies, land disputes, and knowledge loss threaten this balance. India can protect forests and people by providing tribes with land rights, fair markets, and a voice in climate plans.
Source: DOWNTOEARTH
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q. How can traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) be integrated with modern scientific methods to enhance the resilience of forest-dependent communities? 250 words |
The FRA recognizes the land and resource rights of forest-dwelling communities, aiming to correct historical injustices. It grants rights over land, Minor Forest Produce (MFP), and community forest management.
CFRs empower Gram Sabhas (village assemblies) to protect, manage, and conserve their community forest resources. This includes governing boundaries, managing forests sustainably, and protecting biodiversity.
This initiative transforms tribal gatherers into entrepreneurs by setting up Van Dhan Vikas Kendras. It enables tribal Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to process and market Minor Forest Produce, ensuring fair prices.
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