Ronggopgre’s Community Nursery Triumph

Introduction:

Ronggopgre, nestled in the North Garo Hills district and falling under the Bajengdoba Community and Rural Development Block, stands as a testament to community resilience and proactive environmental stewardship. Located approximately 25 kilometers from Resubelpara, the district’s headquarters, and just 2 kilometers from National Highway 217, this village thrives primarily on agriculture. Its fertile lands and abundant natural resources, including lush forests and various water bodies, sustain the livelihoods of its residents.

With an estimated population of 1,284 individuals, comprising 583 males and 701 females, Ronggopgre boasts about 271 households, overseen by Bolwary Aking Nokma. Agriculture, both conventional and horticultural, serves as the backbone of the villagers’ livelihoods, driving their economic sustenance.

The families of Ronggopgre, mostly belonging to marginal communities, rely heavily on natural resources for their daily needs. Recognizing the need to diversify income sources and promote sustainable practices, the villagers embarked on a mission to produce and sell forest products. However, faced with challenges such as limited resources and inadequate vegetation in certain areas, the community came together to establish a community nursery, aiming to support livelihoods and foster afforestation efforts.

Support Received:

The inception of the Community-led Landscape Management Project (CLLMP) in the village marked a turning point. The formation of the Village Natural Resource Management Committee (VNRMC) enabled the community to secure aid for cultivating approximately 5,000 saplings. Revenue generated from selling these saplings, both to governmental offices and other buyers, injected vital funds into the community’s coffers. Moreover, training and conceptual guidance provided by the staff of the CLLMP equipped villagers with the necessary knowledge to efficiently manage the project and understand its environmental implications.

Achievements: Ronggopgre village emerged as a shining example of effective community-led initiatives, earning recognition as the best-practicing CLLMP village in the district. Its success lies in the efficient completion of interventions within stipulated timeframes, showcasing the dedication and hard work of its residents.

Impact on the Community:

The establishment of the community nursery has yielded tangible benefits for the village. Revenue generated from sapling sales has funded crucial upgrades to the project, including enhanced nursery facilities and second-year plantations. Increased orders from governmental offices and heightened demand during events like World Environment Day underscore the project’s success in generating income and promoting environmental stewardship. Additionally, the planting of thousands of saplings along roadsides and barren lands has revitalized degraded environments, contributing to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration.

The village has become exemplary to various other CLLMP villages in their dedication, perseverance, hard work, teamwork and achievement. The VNRMC has cultivated saplings of different plant species. They are as follows:

The reason for selecting the above-mentioned plant species is that the plant saplings are easily available and they are highly exposed to human activities and are vulnerable. The climatic conditions of the region and the soil texture of the region highly favor the cultivation of these plants. The community is able to cultivate the above-mentioned plant saplings in a great number and the government departments like Horticulture, etc have already demanded them to produce them in a greater number for them to buy. The activity has improved the environmental status of the region. The villagers have planted the trees from the nursery on the roadsides and on the barren lands. Through these activities the village has revived a certain portion of the degraded environment. Planting of trees and their different types leads to the increase in the population of the plant diversity   and providing shelter to various flora and fauna. The villagers make their own growing medium from the naturally available resources consisting of cow dung, litters and gur. This knowledge of making the compost or the manure is shared within the villagers.

Impact on Others:

Beyond its immediate community, the establishment of the community nursery has had far-reaching impacts, mitigating overexploitation of natural resources and fostering nature preservation efforts. The initiative has inspired similar endeavors in neighboring regions, promoting knowledge-sharing and collaboration. By initiating roadside plantations and generating revenue through sapling sales, Ronggopgre has set a precedent for sustainable development and community engagement.

Future Plans:

The VNRMC is determined to enhance its nursery facilities and extend its efforts in vegetation management. This involves incorporating new plant varieties, distributing products to nearby communities and government agencies, and increasing staffing to bolster nursery operations. Furthermore, the committee is dedicated to tackling environmental issues through strategic planting initiatives, preserving natural resources, and enhancing the local environment for future generations.