MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

            "I believe that the social responsibilities of our industrial enterprises should now extend even beyond serving people, to the environment. This need is now fairly well recognized but there is still considerable scope for most industrial ventures to extend their support not only to human beings but also to the land, to the forests, to the waters and to the creatures that inhabited them. I hope that such need will be increasingly recognized by all industries and their managements because of the neglect from which they have suffered for so long and the physical damage that the growth of industry has inflicts on them".

- J.R.D. TATA - January 1, 1992

            While land, water, air, forests and oceans have always been viewed as resources useful to human well being, thinking about managing these has been relatively recent. For a long time, these were considered so abundant and easily available and therefore, commanding little economic value - that there was little need felt to plan their use, to invest in protecting and augmenting them and in general to husband them better. All these concerns were relevant only for natural resources like minerals, coal, oil and such like, which nature had hidden so inconveniently that humankind has had to try harder in prospecting, locating and extracting them. With the rising pressure of human population and the demands made by modern economic progress, natural resources like land, forests, “gauchers” and oceans have come under increasing pressure. In the industrializing societies, clean air and safe drinking water too are becoming short in supply. With this pressure growing inexorably, the scarcity value of resources has risen and the idea of managing these has become worthwhile.

            There are local issues (such as groundwater depletion), meso-level questions (e.g. air pollution in cities), national problems (deforestation) and global challenges (e.g. the earth's atmosphere being the global sink for greenhouse gases held as a common property of nations). Current land and water use practices in the country are unsustainable, less productive and impact adversely on the regeneration of natural resources.

         Out of the estimated area of about 107 million ha. of degraded land, 64 million ha. are categorized as wasteland. These wastelands and other degraded areas are either unutilized or under-utilized.

            Sustainable use and conservation of natural resources are best achieved when resources and their benefits are equitably shared among stakeholder groups; when those most dependent on the resources are active participants in their management; when institutions for their governance at all levels are transparent, responsive and efficient; and when innovation and enterprises are encouraged to flourish. Progressive changes are also more likely when community level actions are effectively linked to policy and institutional reforms at higher level, and when key stakeholders work in partnership to achieve common aims.

The natural resources, such as the land, water, forest, biodiversity etc. are being degraded. It is necessary to sensitize people about the relationship of these resources with the community and nature, and to teach them to evaluate nature's gift in right perspective. People have to learn that 'life is precious, unique and rare, and is in constant danger in all its forms. The endangering process are irreversible.

 Greening India for livelihood security and sustainable development  

Dr. D.N. Tiwari President of Utthan headed the ‘Task Force on Greening India’ in 1999. The task force observed, “Land, water and forest can no longer be used in the same way as they have been used in the past. Conservation, development and sustainably equitable use of these resources for the benefit of the present and future generations, is one of the most urgent task before the humanity”. The task force recommended greening of 33% of country’s area under forest/ tree cover by 2012, adopting Joint Forest Management and Agroforestry.  

Joint Forest Management (JFM) By Utthan

Poverty of people, pace of degradation and loss of productivity resulted in decline of forest resources. For protecting forest and environment, the antagonistic relationships between forest-dwellers and foresters needed to be reset. Utthan accepted this challenge and started a JFM project in 125 villages of Bilaspur Forest Division in Chhattisgarh as under :

·       Each village was allotted about 500 ha of Forest area.

·       J.F.M committees were formed and members were imparted training about managing such areas on “care and share basis”.

·       Micro management plans were formulated for each village.  

·       Utthan developed a nursery and raised multipurpose species of bamboo and jatropha and Non Timber Forest Product (NTFP) yielding species.

·       On a watershed basis soil and water conservation techniques were adopted and plantations were raised on vacant lands.

·       Silvicultural techniques were applied for maintenance of the crop.

·       Fodder and fuel wood and small timber obtained were shared by JFM Committee members.

·       NTFP such as leaves, bamboo, oilseeds, and medicinal plants were locally processed and marketed with the help of Chhattisgarh Minor Forest Produce (Trade & Development) Federation..

            This JFM project brought greenery over an area of 62,500 ha, increased production of forest resources, created productive employment and income generation and sustainable means of livelihood to 125,000 tribals along with environmental security.  

Agroforestry & Social Forestry

            National Forest Policy and National Agriculture Policy of India recognized that “Agroforestry and Social Forestry are prime requisites for maintenance of ecological balance and augmentation of biomass production in the agriculture systems. Agroforestry is needed for efficient nutrient cycling, nitrogen fixation, organic matter addition and improving drainage. Farmers were to be encouraged to take up agroforestry for higher income generation through appropriate technology, extension and credit support packages and by removing constraint to development of this system”.

Utthan promoted agro-forestry in following areas:

1.     Arid Regions of Jodhpur in Rajasthan

Multipurpose tree species raised included Prosopis cineraria, Azadirachta indica and Zizyphus spp. Nursery raised saplings were planted with due care for moisture conservation. Nearly 5000 farmers have adopted this technique near Jodhpur in Rajasthan.

2.  Coastal Area of Orissa

Casuarina spp and Eucalyptus spp were raised with paddy, groundnut and sorgham as undercrop. Casurina served as a shelterbelt plantation. Casuarina is being utilized as pole crop, fuelwood and pulping material. Nursery raised saplings are in great demand.  More than 10,000 farmers adopted this practice in Puri district of Orissa.

3.  Dry region of Bundelkhand

Acacia nilotica, Eucalyptrs spp, Bamboo spp, Azadirachta indica was promoted with sorghum and pigeonpea. Nursery raised saplings were supplied to the farmers. In almost 16 district this model has gained popularity. Particular impact of this system can be seen in Majhgaon block of Satna district near Chitrakut.

4.     Chhattisgarh plain Areas

Acacia nilotica, Albizia procera and Eucalyptus spp. were promoted with paddy, soyabeen and wheat crops. Nursery raised saplings yielded quick results. The impact of this project may be seen in the districts of Bilaspur, Raipur, Janjgir-Champa and Korba districts of Chhattisgarh State.

Conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants in India

            The world Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 80% population of developing countries rely on traditional medicine mostly plant based drugs, for their primary health care needs. Modern pharmacopoeia also contains at least 25% drugs derived from plants since herbal drugs are natural, no-narcotic, easily available, having no-side-effect, hence gaining global acceptance.

         There is growing demand for plant-based medicines, health products, neutraceuticals, cosmetic etc. in the national and international market. International market of medicinal plants is over US $75 billion per year. However, quality medicinal plants are not available in adequate quantity hence need for the cultivation on a sustainable basis.

          After availing grants from Ford foundation and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India, Utthan started following activities:

·      Identification of rare, endangered and threatened species covering all ecosystems, forest types and subtypes and their in-situ and ex-situ conservation at specified places.

·      Collection of superior clones (pheno, geno & chemo types) of 40 important plant species capable of treating major diseases, and their micro and macro propagations.

·      Three nurseries were established for production of quality planting material in bulk.

·      Agro-techniques were developed for cultivation of important medicinal plants.

·      Utthan developed three medicinal plant gardens of 25 ha each for ex-situ conservation and seed production.

·      Utthan improved the awareness and made available planting stock and agro-techniques to the farmers for cultivating twenty-five important medicinal plant species.

·      Research and development on safety, efficacy and quality control of herbal drugs. Motivated the farmers and pharmacies to cultivate, process and market them.

·      Utthan has published 30 standard books on important medicinal plant species being used as reference material by scientists, researchers, medical practitioners and farmers (see chapter on publication).

Cultivation, sustainable harvesting and utilization of Bamboo

            Bamboo is a tree like woody grass with some 1250 species in 750 genera with sizes ranging from miniature to giant culms over 60 meters and is the world’s strongest and fastest growing woody plants capable of providing ecological, economic and livelihood security to the people. Bamboo is an enduring, versatile and highly renewable resource. Its impact on environment ecology is summarized below: -

·      As bamboo can tolerate diverse soil and moisture regime, it has ability to stich and repair degraded area, can conserve soil and moisture and drought proofing.

·      Its foliage shelter topsoil from the on-slaught of tropical downpours while its leaf litters (up to 10 cm depth in a year) provides cushion to the soil from the impact of rain and eases the soils absorption and retention of moisture.

·      Bamboo preserves many exposed areas, providing microclimate for forest regeneration and watershed protection (the plants vast underground rhizome network may cover up to 100 sq. m. around one bamboo clump).

·      It provides healthier environment by sequestration of carbon (can mitigate climate change). It also lowers light intensity and offers protection against ultraviolet rays .It provides the fastest growing canopy possible for degraded lands, developing micro-climate for conservation of biodiversity and yielding more oxygen than equivalent stand of trees or any other vegetation.

·      A bamboo forest is a part of natural environmental cleansing system that converts waste material into plant nutrient while producing valuable crop.

·     It is known to be hardy, light and flexible and sought for its nutritional and environmental value.

            Bamboo have recorded 1500 uses, from food and housing materials to a wide range of value addition and industrial activities, both in rural and urban areas, engaging millions of farmers, craft persons, industrial workers and others in the secondary and tertiary sectors. With proper development, bamboo can emerge as green gold by expanding its economy from Rs. 2000 crores to Rs. 26000 crores yearly in the country, besides generating gainful employment to about 5 million people.

            Bamboo sector suffered from technology constraint in plantation and post harvest treatment, in product development and in upgradation of skill formation of the workforce. Utthan made following efforts in developing this sector: -

·      Selection of bamboo species with no problem of gregarious flowering.

·      Promoted plantation of quality species needed by the industry and handicraft sector.

·      Promoted producing shoots of high nutritional value edible bamboo species.

·     Selection of high yielding clones, their multiplication and agro techniques for raising bamboo plantation for higher yield.

·      Arrangement for supply of quality planting materials to the farmers.

·      Modernization of design of bamboo products and their use.

·      Training facility for bamboo growers and processor.

·      Marketing of bamboo and its products.

After availing funds from the Ministry of Rural Development, Utthan raised 2 million bamboo seedlings yearly since 2000 and arranged their planting in degraded areas through farmers and SHGs of women. About 1.5 million one-year-old bamboo saplings are still available in our Kotwa nursery.

            President of Utthan wrote a monograph on bamboo and was invited by the Government of India to head the national committees for formulation of “Bamboo Technology and Trade Development Mission”. On his recommendation, a “National Mission on Bamboo” has been launched by the Govt. of India in 2006.