National Innovations Supported by the Community-Led Landscape Management Project
Contents
CHAPTER 1 – INNOVATIONS UNDER SADHANA FOREST 3
Sub Chapter 1.1 – Implementation of Sadhana Forest Model 3
Financial expenditure (INR) 10
Sub Chapter 1.2 – Implementation of Immersion Centres in Meghalaya 11
Highlights of Implementation 12
Financial expenditure (INR) 16
CHAPTER 2 – EMPOWERING INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES THROUGH AGROECOLOGY LEARNING CIRCLES (ALCs) FOR RESILIENT, INTEGRATED, AND INNOVATIVE NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 17
Highlights of Implementation 18
Financial Expenditure (INR) 22
CHAPTER 3 – REHABILITATION OF MINE SPOILED AREAS WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF MEDICINAL & AROMATIC PLANTS 24
Highlights of Implementation 27
Financial Expenditure (INR) 31
CHAPTER 4: INNOVATIONS UNDER THE LIVING ROOT BRIDGES 32
Highlights of Implementation 38
Financial sanction and expenditure status as of October 2022 44
The World Bank-funded Community-Led Landscape Management Project (CLLMP) is supporting the communities of Meghalaya to manage and conserve natural resources through a holistic landscape approach to support accelerated economic growth and institutionalize and demonstrate a model on community-led management of natural resources. The project builds their capacities through training, exposure visits, and learning from best practices, innovations, and traditional knowledge.
CLLMP identified that one of the ways to strengthen knowledge and capacity in natural resource management (NRM) is through the promotion of national and grassroots-level innovations. And while there are well-established technologies and traditional practices currently in use for NRM, there is a need to document and recognize innovative best practices that can be scaled up, support the revival of unique practices that may be dying out, and incentivize innovative ideas and technologies that provide solutions to the environmental challenges faced by the state. Innovations on how individuals and communities make decisions and mobilize themselves to ensure inclusiveness and sustainability in the management of natural resources are equally important. To this end, CLLMP has created an Innovations Fund to support and strengthen these NRM innovations that would benefit the communities that are dependent on natural resources for livelihood.
In total, 5 National-level Innovations are being supported by CLLMP.
| SN | Name of Innovation | Focus | Expected impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sadhana Forest | Sadhana Model of NRM planning to increase availability of food producing trees, improve soil quality, and water conservation | Empowered local communities with strengthened knowledge on NRM that are motivated to lead and manage natural resources independently |
| 2 | Sadhana Immersion Centres | Establishment of 3 Immersion Centres to increase awareness of climate change impact, mitigation, and adaptation | Centres will enable an immersive experience in nature and sustainable living and will provide an in-depth assessment of local needs and resources as well as knowledge in water conservation and reforestation |
| 3 | NESFAS | Establishment of 100 Agroecological Learning Circles (ACL) to defend, revive, and promote food systems for the wellbeing of indigenous |
Empowered indigenous communities that recognize, revive, practice, and develop traditional agroecology technologies and practices and |
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| communities | stimulate local innovations for sustainable local food systems | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | INR | Land Reclamation of coal mine spoiled areas through MAPs and establishment of zonal nurseries | Bio reclamation of soil health in mine spoiled areas into cultivable landforms, socio-economic upliftment of rural area, employment generation and biodiversity conservation |
| 5 | Living Root Bridges | Preservation and promotion of the State’s Living Root Bridge Cultural Landscapes of Meghalaya |
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The State’s natural resources are being rapidly degraded. In an assessment from 2011-2012, about 22% of the States area was degraded primarily because of loss of vegetation cover (19.4%) and erosion (2.37%). Given the hilly terrain, loss of top soil makes valleys unsuitable for cultivation and increases incidences of landslides and floods. Jhum or shifting cultivation, practices extensively in the state is a significant cause of forest loss and degradation, in the short term. Further, despite receiving the highest rainfall in the world, several towns in Meghalaya currently face water shortages. Mining and sand and stone quarrying has also led to large scale degradation and has made land unsuitable for cultivation and polluted water bodies in the State. Meghalaya has taken up various corrective actions to counter the constant and sustained degradation and has therefore come up with the “Community – Led Landscape Management Project” (CLLMP) and other innovation solutions for the problem. In its search the MBMA came across the work of Sadhana Forest which has been done on a sustainable basis for several years in Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India and also in Kenya and Haiti, and has awarded Innovation Grant for replicating the Sadhana model approach in Meghalaya. Under this grant, Sadhana Forest plans to focus on the following three areas:
Planting Food Producing Trees
Training villagers in appropriate planting, watering and aftercare techniques, empowering them to plant and design their own homestead gardens in a sustainable way. Growing indigenous food trees around private dwellings will increase food security and enrich the diet with diverse nutrients. When the trees are ready for harvesting fruits, nuts, seeds, leaves and flowers can be incorporated into people’s diets, reversing nutritional deficiencies and improving overall health. Reintroducing local trees, that were lost over the years, into the ecosystem, will increase the biodiversity of the area.
Improving Soil Quality
Since a large proportion of the soil in Meghalaya is acidic, the choice of species will be focused on oxalogenic tree species. These species sequester carbon in the soil long-term in the form of calcium carbonate (limestone) and increase soil PH, quality and fertility.
Water Conservation
Local water conservation structures like earth dams and check dams, swales, bunds and farm ponds are vital to geographies such as Meghalaya where high slopes coupled with
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heavy rains lead to high surface run offs. Protection and rejuvenation of catchment is necessary to improve:
Availability of water throughout the year within shorter distances to habitation
Aquifer recharge
Increased soil moisture and fertility
Increased vegetation and biodiversity
Curbing soil erosion
Broadly, the innovation seeks to introduce the Sadhana Model in NRM planning to increase available of food producing trees, improve soil quality, water conservation. Strengthening community knowledge is crucial for sustainable landscape planning and ecosystem management. The Sadhana Forest Facilitators will provide training in conservation, resource management and dry-land tree planting techniques. The local communities will lead the water- conservation design and implementation process so that they will be motivated and able of carrying out water conservation independently in the future. Specifically, this includes the following activities:
Education and empowerment of the villages in sustainable land reforestation. A preliminary study to identify and catalogue indigenous and largely oxalogenic, food producing trees according to site specific conditions and social acceptability factors is to be done for sharing with the villages.
Setting up of a team of experts and resources from Sadhana Forest for implementing the activity on the ground
Training and capacity building of project staff and staff of various government departments including onsite training and refreshers on various aspects of soil and moisture conservation and tree planting and management
Facilitating need assessment and preparation of NRM plans for 25 villages
Village and household level training of all 400 CLLMP villages pertaining to food forest plantation, water conservation methods such as swales, gabions, earth dams etc.
Monitoring and evaluation
Preliminary botanical survey to identify indigenous, food producing trees including oxalogenic species.
A database of over 100 indigenous, food producing tree species has been prepared through comprehensive review of existing literature by Sadhana Forest.
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The database captures a variety of information such as the name of the species, characteristics, uses, habitat, food uses, nutritional value, medicinal value and IUCN classification amongst other uses.
The database can be access through the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-UrGShhacN-xfCu4UsT9HBk-4nLAbQiO/view
This database acts as the base for selection of species in the Community NRM Plans, which includes those to be raised in nurseries and for planting.
Development of a mobile application dedicated to planning, implementation and monitoring of all aspects of the project.
The development of a mobile application was successfully completed during this period. The mobile application was intended to collect data pertaining to Natural Resource Management, such as information about the beneficiaries (socio-economic and health parameters), saplings (their location, and their height at the time of planting). Photos of the saplings can also be stored, along with the name of the species of tree planted. This information has been used in planning and tracking of interventions by the Sadhana Forest team for easy monitoring of aftercare of trees in the intervention sites. The app can be used by MBMA personnel.
Setting up of a team of experts and resources from Sadhana Forest for implementing the activity on the ground
Sadhana Forest recruited and trained staff for the implementation of the project. The training included the following subjects:
Soil moisture conservation
Survey of the contours (topography) of the land, with an optical/laser level finder and manually with an A-Frame or Tube Level. Design of water runoff control and soil erosion measures such as earth dams, check dams, gabions, bunds, on-contour swales, catchment ponds, percolation ponds, etc. An emphasis was put on quality assurance and long-term viability of all structures. Construction of water runoff control and soil erosion measures, including marking the land, digging (manually or with a JCB, or other earth moving equipment), seeding nitrogen-fixing plants, mulching, constructing masonry dams (emphasis on correct proportions between dam wall and apron), installing metal cage gabions in waterways, etc. Maintenance of water runoff control and soil erosion measures. Addressing erosion of earth structures and attending to cracks and structural problems.
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Tree planting
Choice of species. Determination of criteria for selection. Consideration of altitude, temperatures, rainfall, wind, and soil. Integration of tree planting with water conservation measures. Tree planting techniques (use of Biochar, Effective Microorganisms, compost tea, etc.) and technologies (Groasis - Waterboxx, Land Life - Cocoon). Watering techniques (wick irrigation bottles and drip irrigation systems). Diagnosis of common plant conditions.
The training sessions included both classroom interactions and dozens of hours of practical hands-on experience. Click the link below to view one of the sessions.
Training and capacity building of project staff and staff of various government departments including onsite training and refreshers on various aspects of soil and moisture conservation and tree planting and management
This training was originally meant to be carried out in the intervention sites. However, due to the pandemic and the lockdown across India, it was not possible for the Sadhana Forest team to travel to the State of Meghalaya. The training sessions were initially conducted virtually and subsequently after lockdowns were lifted, filed training and demonstrations were conducted. This enabled the Sadhana Forest team to train the personnel on various aspects of the project, including the water conservation techniques and data on species of trees. The training sessions were interactive and saw great participation from the attendees. The videos of these training sessions on Zoom can be accessed by clicking on the picture below.
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Facilitating need assessment and preparation of NRM plans for 25 villages Under the innovation activity, Sadhana Forest in consultation with the project has narrowed down 5 clusters of 5 villages each, for which inputs from Sadhana Forest to the Community NRM Plans would help enhance the quality of planning and subsequently the outputs of these activities. Needs assessment for the first cluster of 5 villages began in early March 2020 and the last cluster was completed in July 2021. The need assessment project involved field inspection and study of the village, desktop planning and ratification of intervention sites with the village. A total of 25 NRM plans were covered where detailed recommendations have been provided by Sadhana Forest that the VNRMCs can implement under the project. These recommendations as are given in the Annexures.
The names of the 25 villages covered are as follows:
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Click the following link to watch videos of community feedback on the planning exercise.
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Village and household level training of all 400 CLLMP villages
On the bases of lessons from the 25 villages, VNRMC members and VCFs from the remaining 375 project villages were given onsite practical training by Sadhana Forest on the various principles of soil and water conservation which includes the construction and application of Swales. The field trainings were conducted between 16th February 2022 and 2nd April 2022 covering a total of 34 batches.
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In this project, Sadhana Forest will focus on increasing the awareness of local people in three different districts of Meghalaya to the region-specific effects of climate change. Sadhana Forest will provide training in practical, efficient, and cost-effective techniques that are appropriate to their specific needs. The project will establish three permanent Immersion Centres in the state of Meghalaya (in the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia regions). The centres will enable an immersive experience in nature and sustainable living and will provide an in-depth assessment of local needs and resources as well as training in water conservation and reforestation. A team from Sadhana Forest will live in each one of the centres and work together with local people to improve NRM and provide training.
The centres will build on MBMA’s experience of using concepts such as community-driven development and landscape management approach to NRM in order to mitigate climate change. These concepts may be relatively new to several stakeholders in the target areas and Sadhana Forest will focus on increasing the awareness of the of local people to the local effects of climate change and provide training in practical, efficient, and cost-effective techniques that are appropriate to their specific needs. Interventions would also include:
Train the local Community Conservation Corp (CCC), Community Natural Resource Management Committees (CNRMCs), and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), as per the agro climatic conditions and terrain
Act as a resource centre for the implementation of CNRM plans developed by the CNRMCs
The project will establish three permanent Immersion Centres in the state of Meghalaya (in the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia regions). The local communities will be trained by Sadhana Forest staff in the three centres so that they will be motivated and able to carry out water conservation, reforestation, and soil conservation independently in the future. Strengthening knowledge is crucial for sustainable landscape planning and ecosystem management. The Sadhana Forest Facilitators will provide training in conservation, resource management, and dry-land tree planting techniques.
Sadhana Forest will build these three centres in the coming year. The team have identified appropriate pieces of land for the centres. Lease agreements for 30 years have already been signed by the two communities and the one private person owning the land, leasing the land to the Government of Meghalaya. The agreements now need to be signed by the Government. 12
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second-hand buses that will be refurbished and re-used as the main training, living and storage quarters for the Immersion Centres have been purchased. Fencing and construction work will be carried out after the 2022 monsoon. The aim is to inaugurate the centres and start their operations one by one, starting from January 2023.
The households covered under the project will benefit directly from access to support for community-led action planning, training sessions, and technical extension services related to water, soil conservation, and food production. In particular, female heads of household are targeted owing to the dominant role they play in local agricultural production as well as food preparation for the household. Youth, given limited access to formal-sector employment opportunities, are particularly intended to benefit from the program as well through their involvement in the CCC. The training will be provided for free at the Immersion Centres on a residential or non-residential basis. Those participating in residential training will be requested to make a small contribution towards their food costs while staying at the Immersion Centre.
Sadhana Forest visited all three districts in Meghalaya and communicated the intentions of starting immersion centers which was received positively by the local people, seniors and youth and the local officials. Many were acquainted with the work of Sadhana Forest from the first project that was done in 25 villages. Three pieces of land have been identified and the land lease agreements have been signed by both the Government and the communities. All the three centers were schematically designed by the Sadhana Forest team.
Twelve used buses and appropriate construction materials were purchased. The buses are now stationed in Shillong.
Financial progress: The first installment of 161.55 Lakh Rupees was paid by MBMA and fully utilized.
Work on the buses is currently being done at the SRGT Parking Lot at Polo, Shillong. Welding, carpentry, plumbing and solar electric work are being performed.
Financial progress: The second installment of 161.55 Lakh Rupees is approved and due to be paid by MBMA.
Facts and Figures
| SN. |
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Activities | Deliverables (D) and Milestones (M) | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Finalizing the locations and designing three permanent Immersion Centres in Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo regions. | D: Visits to potential locations, deciding on locations and designing the three permanent Immersion Centres M: Locations decided, and centres designed. |
Completed. Land lease agreements were signed by the Government and the communities. |
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Purchasing of used buses and construction materials | D: Finding used buses and appropriate repurposing materials. M: Buses and Materials are purchased and delivered. |
Completed. 12 buses and appropriate materials were purchased. |
| 3 |
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Repurposing of the buses and installation of solar systems, kitchens, toilets. | D: Welding, carpentry, plumbing, solar electric work. M: Mobile structures are ready for relocation to the centres. |
In progress. Work on the buses is being done at the SRGT Parking Lot at Polo, Shillong. |
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The project has created large scale awareness at the grass roots and is currently focused on capacity building on technical, managerial, and social development skills.
The project is working to improve the efficiency and tangible returns of public funding on environmental protection by ensuring convergence of various centrally and state sponsored schemes.
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NESFAS ((North East Slow Food & Agrobiodiversity Society) is a platform that connects people to the pleasure and importance of local foods and in the process links them to its journey from farm to fork. NESFAS works towards offering a singular platform for traditional knowledge systems and modern science as equal partners. Over the years, NESFAS has taken Agroecology as a framework in defending, reviving, and promoting the indigenous food systems for the wellbeing of indigenous communities.
As part of its initiatives, the Agroecology Learning Circle (ALC) was formed in 29 different villages. ALC is farmer-led and its ‘laboratory’ is the field following the lines of the Farmer Field Schools. It is also a creative and collective space where community members and scientists meet to share and learn from each other about new skills and capacities along with new tools and processes to enhance local agro-ecology practices, food sovereignty, and social transformation through local food initiatives.
The project “Empowering indigenous communities through Agroecology Learning Circles (ALCs) for resilient, integrated, and innovative natural resource management” is funded by the World Bank and supported by MBMA. ALCs combined agroecology with participatory research and aim to empower indigenous communities to recognize, revive, practice, and eventually further develop traditional agroecology technologies and practices and stimulate local innovation for sustainable local food systems.
Natural resource management investigated through ALCs include:
Land planning and seed selection for community resilience
Increasing Yield by reducing loss through Pest Management
Reversing soil degradation.
The project also aims to achieve:
Greater accountability across ALC members to resolve priority issues.
Ease of access to blended indigenous-contemporary solutions already documented.
Continued and expanded community learning through intuition and community led experiments.
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Ease of knowledge exchanges across different ALC clusters.
Preparation for long term ALC community ownership.
The project area includes 100 villages from all three major indigenous communities in Meghalaya (Khasi, Garo and Jaintia) across 7 of the 12 districts in Meghalaya.
The Project will strengthen communities through ALCs to identify existing sources of knowledge, fill knowledge gaps, test and validate hypotheses and find solutions to the climate, land, soil, pest, and water management problems that they face. The Project, both new ALCs to be established under this assignment as well as existing ones already facilitated by NESFAS will cover 100 Villages across the state of Meghalaya, engaging 500 custodian farmers and benefiting 1,500 farmers. The approach to the scope of work that the Project will undertake will happen in 6 stages:
Stage 1: Awareness and Community Trust for newly selected 71 villages.
Stage 2: Analysis of Existing Information and Identification of Knowledge Gaps and Opportunities.
Stage 3: Community Led Participatory Research and Experiments.
Stage 4: Supervise and facilitate experimentation & ensure ALC accountability.
Stage 5: Knowledge Dissemination and Propagation.
Stage 6: Empowering Community to Continue Long Term Problem Shooting.
Supervise and facilitate experimentation & ensure ALC accountability: Under this activity, the Field team members - Associates and the Community Facilitators (CFs) have continued the supervision on the experiments that have been conducted by the ALC members. In this regard, a total of 60 supervisions have been achieved till the month of September.
Support community to design their ALC experiments: During the month of September, the Field team members have initiated a follow up on the designing of the ALC experiments. In this regard, a total of 14 follow ups have been conducted.
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Agrobiodiversity (ABD) Walk: Pyngkya (East Khasi Hills) conducted an ABD walk which saw the participation of 26 youth and children, led by a custodian farmer. The main aim of the ABD walk is to facilitate intergenerational knowledge exchange, at the same time, to inculcate appreciation of the rich biodiversity of their community and the importance of protecting Mother Nature. The programme also helped young generation learn, identify and document 20 cultivated crops and wild edibles plants from the various food production systems. The custodian farmer explained children about the value of the food plants and along with the nutritive values as per the local knowledge.
Training on Participatory Research methodology for ALC Experiments: Under this activity, the Field team members, Associates, and the CFs have initiated a follow up on the methodology for conducting the participatory research on all the ALC experiments.
Facts and Figures
| SN 1 | Category 1: Awareness and Community Trust for newly selected 71 villages | Total targets | Targets achieved till Sep 2022 |
Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | General awareness and invitation to participate given to whole community - General awareness with entire community programme about the project explaining project goals and objective. Manage expectations by sharing the list of activities available under programme. |
100 | 100 | Completed |
| B | ABD (Agrobiodiversity Walks) with community and NESFAS experts to explore diversity of local species together |
40 | 100 | Completed |
| C | Custodian Farmers that agreed to join ALC - orientation and invitation to sign free and prior informed consent and engage support of Village Council |
30 | 30 | Completed |
| D | Community led ALC Kick-off Workshop - explaining | 30 | 103 | Completed |
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the purpose of ALC, ways of working, allocating leadership responsibilities, agree meeting schedules, initial expectations for long term ownership of ALC |
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| SN 2 | Category 2: Analysis of Existing Information and Identification of Knowledge Gaps and Opportunities | Total targets | Targets achieved till Sep 2022 |
Remarks |
| A | ALC Agroecology Problem Solving and Objective setting Workshop (2-3 days) - Ask community to discuss problem; reveal solutions already available in the community; identify knowledge gaps |
40 | 40 | Completed in 71 ALCs |
| B | Develop a community work plan that addresses priority problems agreed on by consensus and decide on the need for additional experts or not |
40 | 40 | Completed |
| C | Training from NESFAS and or experts to share relevant technical and practical guidance and give ALC members opportunity to ask questions e.g., how to set up a seed bank, how to choose seeds, how to create good compost |
40 | 48 | Completed |
| D | Facilitate exchange visits between villages that have complementary problems/solutions so ALC members can learn from other ALC members in other regions |
40 | 40 | Completed |
| SN 3 | Category:3 Community Led Participatory Research and Experiments | Total targets | Targets achieved till Sep 2022 |
Remark |
| A | Training on Participatory Research methodology for ALC Experiments that includes information on data collection, stakeholder engagement, data analysis |
25 | 46 | Follow up Ongoing |
| B | Support community in design their ALC experiments | 30 | 53 | |
| SN 4 | Category 4: Supervise and facilitate experimentation & ensure ALC accountability | Total targets | Targets achieved till Sep 2022 |
Remarks |
| A | Variety of activities to include field inspections, support in answering practical questions, sourcing of missing information, accountability |
55 | 60 | Follow up Ongoing |
| B | Analyse experiment results and draft feedback and recommended follow-up actions |
35 | 0 | |
| SN 5 | Category 5: Knowledge Dissemination and Propagation | Total targets | Targets achieved till Sep 2022 |
Remarks |
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| A | Transfer experiment feedback and findings into videos, leaflets, community demonstrations |
30 | 0 | Ongoing |
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| B | Share experiment findings at village and cluster level through meetings and workshops and events e.g., food festivals, seeds fairs |
10 | 0 | |
| C | Develop a Detailed Knowledge Collation and Communication Strategy |
1 | 0 | |
| D | Execution of social media and radio campaigns as per strategy | 216 social media |
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10 Radio programmes |
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| E | Regular identification of ALC community member ready to share their findings and participatory video and audio interviews |
60 stories | 39 | |
| 15 PV | 0 | |||
| F | State level workshop to share findings with policy makers |
1 | 0 | |
| SN 6 | Category 6: Empowering Community to Continue Long Term Problem Shooting | Total targets | Targets achieved till Sep 2022 |
Remarks |
| A | Workshop to develop a plan of action with the village councils to take forward the initiative | 50 | 0 | To be conducted after development of workplan |
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Mining of coal or other mineral resources results in extensive soil damage, altering microbial communities and affecting vegetation leading to the destruction of vast amounts of land. From an environmental perspective, surface mining activities substantially degrade lands disrupting both the aesthetics of the landscape and soil horizons and structure, its microflora, and nutrient cycles which are crucial for maintaining a healthy and productive ecosystem.
Reclamation is the process to restore the ecological integrity of these disturbed mine land areas. It includes the management of all types of physical, chemical, and biological disturbances of soils such as soil pH, fertility, microbial community, and various soil nutrient cycles that makes the degraded land soil productive. Vegetation has an important role in protecting the soil surface from erosion and allowing the accumulation of fine particles. They can reverse the degradation process by stabilizing soils through the development of extensive root systems. Once they are established, plants increase soil organic matter, lower soil bulk density, moderate soil pH, and bring mineral nutrients to the surface and accumulate them in available form. Their root systems allow them to act as scavengers of nutrients not readily available. The plants accumulate these nutrients and redeposit them on the soil surface in organic matter from which nutrients are much more readily available by microbial breakdown. The re-vegetation of eroded ecosystems must be carried out with plants selected based on their ability to survive and regenerate or reproduce under severe conditions.
One of the strategies to reclaim mine spoilt area and degraded land is by introducing different grasses of high-yielding variety such as Lemon grass, Citronella, Palmarosa, and Vetiver which at the same time provide a livelihood for the community. Aromatic grasses also provide sustainable stabilization of highly acidic mine waste soil and are considered as one of the potential and excellent candidates for phytoextraction and phytostabilization and have more potential than shrubs and trees due to their better adaptability to stress environments and higher biomass production. In addition, the essential oil extracted from these grasses is in high demand in the perfumery industry, soap, and cosmetic industries. Rehabilitation of degraded lands through the appropriate intervention of vegetative measures can help in the restoration of ecological security and improve the livelihood of the communities. For instance, Vetiver (Chyrsopogonzizanioides) is a known plant tolerant to heavy metals and is used as an alternative method for the rehabilitation of iron ore mine soil. Based on the previous research conducted on sustainable methods for stabilization of highly acidic mine waste using Palmarosa it was reported that the grass can tolerates multiple stresses effectively. If supplemented with
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Biochar, Palmarosa can restore the mine waste-contaminated soil with metal immobilization and improve microbial activities and nutrient mineralization.
In view of the above, the CLLMP project has sanctioned a project titled - “Rehabilitation of mine spoilt areas under CLLMP through the introduction of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants- a sustainable approach” to be implemented by the Institute of Natural Resources, Meghalaya, (INR) with an overall cost (in lakhs) of ₹. 377.8 (Rupees Three Crores Seventy-Seven Lakhs and Eighty Thousand Only).
The agro-climatic conditions of the state are suitable for the cultivation of MAPs, the aromatic plants serve as raw materials for pharmaceutical industry and traditional medicine. The demand of MAPs has grown due to local, national and international interest. The cultivation of MAPs in wastelands would protect the ecosystem by reclamation and would provide new income opportunities to the farmers of the state.
Addressing sustainable natural resource management:
Phytoremediation of the coal mine affected areas using MAPs is sustainable since MAPs have a high rate of propagation which is detrimental for area expansion.
It has been documented that MAPs increase the tillage of the soil and improve the overall health of the rhizosphere by preventing erosion of the top soil.
MAPs are valuable for the essential oils; this will encourage the stakeholders to invest on the sustainable development and management of land to sustain crop production and other forms of sustainable agricultural practices.
MAPs would also help to increase water retention capacity of the soil, thereby addressing the problem of acid mining drainage, hence, the plantation of MAPs would rejuvenate springs that are polluted.
MAPs are non-invasive plant species, thereby would not alter the succession of ecological communities, in all environmental gradients like types of soil, deposition of sediments etc.
The strategy for implementation of the Innovation would be as follows:
Awareness campaign on the importance of rehabilitation of mine spoiled areas of CLLMP villages by MINR keeping in mind the timeline of the project.
Identification and training of the local Community and Green Volunteers (GVs) for implementation of the project.
Land development and site preparation of the selected site(s) for the implementation of the project.
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Planting materials procurement and transplantation by the local Community or trained Green Volunteers.
Monitoring, Evaluation and documentation.
Project activities include:
Site Identification.
Estimation of physico-chemical properties of the soil.
Cultivation and establishment of Lemongrass, Citronella, Vetiver and Palmarosa (MAPs) varieties plantation through slips for subsequent harvest.
Estimation of vegetative parameters of MAPs for specified time, and sample size.
Determination of phytoremediation, phyto stabilization and hyperaccumulator capacities of MAPs
Post-harvest assessment of the soil.
Post-harvest utilization of biomass after hydro-distillation.
Environment: The agro-climatic conditions of Meghalaya are suitable for the cultivation of MAPs, and Ri-Bhoi district has been a pioneer in the Aroma Mission activities in terms of area expansion (currently at 32 Ha.), catering to the supply of planting materials to other districts
Innovation simplification: MINR thrust in providing equal opportunity to all sections of the demographic in the state, especially in rural areas, where a number of women SHGs are involved due to the ease in understanding of the vision and implementation of the innovation.
Training Capacity: MINR has established a SPMU team in Shillong and DPMU in Tura to address the training capacity for implementation of the innovation on site by a competent team.
Address human resource shortage: MINR as the SPMU recognize the shortage of human resource, therefore it works closely with the DPMUs and engages Green Volunteers to meet with swift and efficient execution of the innovation.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Besides Capacity building, the SPMU maintains a frequent record in monitoring and evaluation.
Indicators to assess the process: The SPMU maintains a record of the (i) No. of farmers involved
Area under plantation (iii) Crop type introduced (iv) Plant growth data (v) Physico-chemical parameters of the soil. (vi) Site feasibility.
Phytoremediation of the coal mine affected areas using MAPs is sustainable since MAPs have a high rate of propagation which is detrimental for area expansion. It has been documented that MAPs increase the tillage of the soil and improve the overall health of the rhizosphere by preventing erosion of the top soil. MAPs are valuable for the essential oils, this will encourage the stakeholders to invest on the sustainable development and management of land to sustain
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crop production and other forms of sustainable agricultural practices. MAPs would also help to increase water retention capacity of the soil, thereby addressing the problem of acid mining drainage, hence, the plantation of MAPs would rejuvenate springs that are polluted. MAPs are non-invasive plant species, thereby would not alter the succession of ecological communities, in all environmental gradients like types of soil, deposition of sediments.
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Site at Tluh, EJHD
Site at Moolamylliang, EJHD 28
Site at Phramer, WJHD
Cultivation in Lelad, EJHD 29
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Mine degraded soil has improved through the plantation of MAPs across 214 hectares of degraded land currently benefiting 40 villages and 49 Village NRM Committees/ VOs/ SHGs.
5 Zonal Nurseries have been established covering a total of 10 hectares
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Living Root Bridges (LRBs) or Jingkieng Jri are Ficus-based ecosystems within dense sub-tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregions of Meghalaya. Ranging in span from 15 feet to 174 feet, these ingenious rural connectivity infrastructure and landscape solutions are grown by indigenous Khasi and Jaintia tribes over many decades, and last for centuries in extreme climatic conditions. With 1) exceptional endurance in extreme climate and geography, 2) critical infrastructure role for livelihoods, connectivity and disaster resilience, 4) keystone role of Ficus specie and its support for native flora-fauna, 4) remedial properties of Ficus ecosystem on soil, water and air, 5) a community-based growth process across generations, and 6) minimal material and maintenance cost, LBRs offer a compelling context for responsible nature and culture-based development solutions. From an innovation standpoint, this traditional horticultural technology and living plant-based knowledge system fits all four categories under the MCLLMP innovation fund as justified below:
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Technological Innovation for sustainable NRM | Ficus-based LRB constitute a living plant-based infrastructure technology. Keystone role of Ficus specie facilitates biodiversity conservation, remediation of soil, water and air, and revitalization of degraded landscapes. The underlying horticultural technology and ethno- botanical growth process adaptation for various morphologies including bridges, ladders, towers, platforms, soil erosion and landslide prevention structures suggests its importance for disaster resilience and relevance for climate-resilient infrastructure. |
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Process or Governance Innovation for sustainable NRM | The growth process of LRBs reveals a community- based participatory method across multiple generations. Over the last decade, rapid growth of tourism has resulted in livelihood opportunities for the communities and provided an incentive for growing new LRBs. |
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Traditional Knowledge | Indigenous Khasi and Jaintia tribes have nurtured LRBs over centuries as a critical infrastructure solution for rural connectivity, livelihoods and disaster resilience in Meghalaya’s extreme climate and geography. |
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Innovative Solution to an Environmental Challenge |
As part of field research between 2013 and 2017, it was observed that despite extraordinary attributes, LRBs are under serious threat, and being damaged (Fig 1, 2) or replaced owing to lack of awareness, poor planning, lack of regulations, inappropriate development, erosion of traditional knowledge, lack of scientific research, unplanned tourism, pollution, migration and various socio-economic factors. Though the reasons for decline vary from site to site, damage in sites accessible to tourists is owing to poor management, unsustainable tourism norms, irresponsible infrastructure development, inappropriate construction, misuse or overuse of the bridges, inter-village rivalry, lack of transparent profit-sharing mechanism, lack of clear land ownership, absence of waste management protocols, and change in Lang Use Land Cover. In most cases the primary factor for deterioration is a failure to understand that these are living plant-based ecosystems, which have been nurtured over centuries and have specific carrying capacities beyond which they can collapse. It is critical for all stakeholders to understand the interaction of these structures with the environment especially soil, water and air, and how human actions can adversely affect their survival. It is also important to appreciate its symbiotic behaviour with native flora and fauna. Without understanding this interconnectedness, inappropriate human actions can severely damage these ancient and invaluable ecosystems.
Fig 1. Living root bridge deterioration due to inappropriate development approach and construction practices, Shella Bholaganj (2013 and 2017)
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Fig 2: Living root bridges damage due to nexus of poverty and environment, lack of awareness and regulations, lack of research and planning, Pynursla (2017 and 2018)
Between April 2018 and November 2020, 128 community sensitisation dialogues were held with 3743 participants as part of Meghalaya Community-Led Landscape Management Project. An innovative grass root nature-culture Cooperative ecosystem is now being nurtured to facilitate an equitable model, which converges Conservation, Research and Development through following objectives and initiatives:
Conservation of LRB sites and villages through nature-based Cooperatives at village and state level
Implementing a zone-based conservation regulation at all LRB sites and micro-watersheds within the jurisdiction of primary Cooperatives
Implementing community-based conservation-development works at all LRB sites and micro watersheds within the primary Cooperatives
Education, research, training, capacity building & poverty alleviation in LRB villages through nature-culture livelihoods across state level Federation
UNESCO World Heritage Site Nomination of Living Root Bridge Sites, Indigenous communities and Villages for long-term conservation
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Fig 3: Open community conservation dialogues using illustrations, stories, films, community science, and responsible tourism methods (2013 to 2021) (National Geographic Society & MBDA)
As of October 2022, 24 primary Cooperatives across 44 villages are legally registered in Pynursla, Amlarem, Laitkroh and Shella Bholaganj C & RD blocks. Approximately 81 LRB sites are in this jurisdiction. In addition, a state level Federation (Syrwet U Barim Mariang Jingkieng Jri) has also been registered. This will allow coordinated conservation-based development of all LRB sites spread over 35 micro-watersheds. Following community-based conservation and development works are complete / ongoing:
Community nursery for Ficus saplings, companion plants, and supporting saplings for plant- based nutrition, plant-based remediation in micro-watersheds, plant-based construction and medicinal plants for livelihoods. (Fig 4)
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Fig 4. Community nursery for Ficus elastica saplings, companion plants and supporting plant-based nutrition, plant- based construction
Mariang iing (nature home): A community education-innovation-immersion space is being created to nurture collective behavioural change through memory, dialogue, sensitization and innovation. (Fig 5)
Fig 5. A community nature-culture heritage space focussed on education, behavioural change, dialogue, immersion and transformation
Site-specific community-based conservation works: Activities focussed on conservation of atleast upto 25-meter core zone for all 81 LRBs. This is in continuation to the draft conservation regulation for conservation of living root bridge (Fig 6)
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Fig 6. Site-specific community-based conservation works within atleast 25-meter core zone and micro-watershed of a sample LRB site connecting Kudengrim and Kudengthymmai village in Amlarem C & RD block, Meghalaya.
Community
Innovation works: Nature-culture based innovation and
livelihood works with specific focus on LRBs is ongoing. (Fig
7)
Fig 7. Community Innovation Fund: Nature-culture based innovation and livelihood works with specific focus on LRBs: human carrier, natural fibre slippers/ bags / cutlery
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Community
nursery is complete / ongoing (Fig 8) for each primary
Cooperative to facilitate sustainable plant supply for LRB sites and
watersheds. Participation of village elders and farmers with deep
domain expertise in growth of LRBs and traditional plant-based
knowledge has directly informed this task. In addition, detailed
documentation and tracking of nursery performance (plant specie
identification, usage articulation, survival rate) is also being
done to inform long term policy decisions. Key insight is the
success of use of natural bamboo-based planters to replace plastic
planters.
Fig 8. Completed and ongoing Community nursery for Ficus elastica saplings, companion plants and supporting plant- based nutrition-livelihoods, plant-based construction, use of bamboo-based planters, use of traditional stone-clay based water tanks, traditional stone-based signage
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Mariang
iing (nature home) is complete / ongoing (Fig 9) for each
primary Cooperative to facilitate deep sensitization and behavioural
change for all residents of the LRB village. This space includes a
community dialogue space around a traditional hearth, and other
related elements, including a display area, a workspace, a resting
space and a traditional toilet. An indigenous natural material-based
home with local skills and materials is being innovated with
Integration of a Cultural Landscape map along with photographs of
traditional community- based activities. Engagement of village
elders as teachers has directly informed this task and each village
has developed a unique locally relevant form-design-material
language in response to its geography and climate. Detailed
documentation and tracking of nature home performance (natural
material identification, usage articulation, indigenous artisans) is
also being done to inform long term policy decisions.
Fig 9. Completed / ongoing community nature-culture heritage space focussed on education, behavioural change, dialogue, immersion and transformation. Note development of traditional stone toilets, bamboo structural system, traditional roofs made from local plants
Site-specific community-based conservation works is complete / ongoing (Fig 10) for each registered LRB site within each primary Cooperative within its area of operations. Potential LRB site specific interventions include: nurturing the area as a Law Adong (protected forest), appropriate site repair/nourishment, removal of inappropriate materials, replacement of non- native plants, nurturing appropriate ambient humidity using bamboo drip irrigation, addressing
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soil erosion/landslide, addressing river bank/bed scouring, addressing flooding/debris deposit, constructing a Jingkieng siej (bamboo pedestrian bridge), making a kor shong thait (stone seating), making a stone signage. Participation of village elders with deep domain expertise in growth and repair of LRBs is facilitating this task. Engagement of village teachers and youth is ongoing for long-term education, capacity building and inspiration.
Fig 10. Completed / ongoingn Site-specific community-based conservation works within atleast 25-meter core zone
Community Innovation works is complete / ongoing (Fig 11). Specific activities include developing an innovative human carrier (khoh kit briew), natural fiber-based craft innovation, natural construction-based innovation (vernacular/traditional construction), natural landscape- based innovation (ecosystem-based disaster resilience), and other natural resource-based innovations. This is ongoing for each primary Cooperative to rejuvenate and sustain nature- culture links in the LRB village.
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Fig 11. Completed / ongoing community innovation works
Insights and learnings from all four activities above are now being shared with all Living root bridge villages within the state through NRM trainings within the MGNREGA-SRES scheme through the Community and Rural Development Department, Government of Meghalaya
Facts and figures on achievements
26 Cooperatives registered involving more than 46 villages and 81 Living root bridge sites in more than 35 micro watersheds. This will act as a base for nurturing Meghalaya as an Environment State.
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142 Community dialoguess, sensitization, awareness 5355 participants |
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Community and Science-based Conservation, Research, Development National Scientific Research Convention on Jingkieng Jri Cultural Landscape 40 Scientists live-work-present with indigenous communities of Meghalaya |
December 2021 |
UNESCO World Heritage Site Tentative Listing of Jingkieng Jri : Living Root Bridge Cultural Landscape of Meghalaya |
March 2022 |
Mariang Festivals One year Anniversary of Syrwet U Barim Mariang Jingkieng Jri Cooperative Federation Ltd. 24 Cooperatives, 44 villages, 75 Jingkieng Jri Sites |
April 2022 |
All Department Responsible Development Meeting Chaired by Hon’ble Chief Secretary |
June 2022 |
| Expert visit for UNESCO World Heritage Site nomination | July 2022 |
| UNESCO World Heritage Site Draft Nomination Submission | September 2022 |
| Community learning workshops and update - UNESCO WHS |
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| COP 27 participation: Nurturing equal value for all: complex problem solving | November 2022 |
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NRM training by Syrwet U Barim Mariang Jingkieng Jri Cooperative Federation Ltd. SRES – MGNREGA – Community and Rural Development Department |
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Government of Meghalaya | World Bank | 2022
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