COMMUNITY LED LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT PROJECT (CLLMP)

The Government of Meghalaya with financial help from the World Bank is implementing the Meghalaya Community Led Landscape Management Project (MCLLMP). The project covers the entire state of Meghalaya and implementation of community-led plans are rolled out in a phased manner throughout the state. The Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) will facilitate community-led planning by providing support, technical inputs and funding.

The project is intended to strengthen community-led natural resources management in selected landscapes within the 7 districts of the state. This would be achieved through a variety of planning, capacity building, and on-the-ground interventions to promote the conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, social inclusion and community mobilization; building traditional knowledge and learning, mapping of natural resources management; strengthening the community institutions and creating linkage with financial institutions and community organizations.

The project interventions will include preparation of community led natural resource management plans. The CLLMP has the following three components:

1. Strengthening Knowledge and Capacity of Communities for NaturalResources Management

2. Community-Led Landscape Planning and Implementation

3. Project Management and Governance

The project objective is “to manage and conserve the natural resources, especially forests, soil and water sources, in a manner that supports the financial and physical well-being of communities in the State”

INTRODUCTION

Arbella Chidikgre village is situated under the Rongram C&RD block of West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. The village is about 14 km from the Rongram Block and 30km from the district Headquarter, Tura. The village is under the traditional land owner of A’king Nokma. The total population and the demographic of both male and female of the village is about 219 with 46 number of household. The village Latitude is 25.566782°North and Longitude 90.328098°East.

The total geographical area of the village is around 167.14Ha with 1.6714sq.Km.

SOCIAL PROFILE

The Village is about 14 Km away from Rongram Block and 30 km away from district headquarter Tura. The public transport facilities to and from village is in Auto rickshaw transport, bus and private vehicle.In respect to the Social Mobilization, it wasn’t that difficult to handle the community of this village as they are active and hardworking. Despite of very less facilities available, the community are very keen towards achieving the aims and objectives of CLLMP.

Fuel /LPG /biomass/gas most of the households are using Woods and very less access to LPG.The community has few facilities such as education, safe drinking water supply, road and access to medical facilities. The village is under Head of village (Nokma).

Arbella Chidikgre village has total no of 46 households with the total population of 219. Out of which114 are males and105 are females.

The following is the demographic break up information acquired by the CLLMP team of WGH district.

The main occupation of the Arbella Chidikgre village is farming which includes agriculture, multi cropping and cattle-rearing. They did not grown arecanut plantation like any other CLLMP Village. The Community mainly cultivate Elaichi, Ginger, Coffee and squash. There are 42 HH Farmer, 2 HH are Council, 1 HH Nurse and 1 HH Police Service.

ACTIVITIES

GROUND TRUTHING AND SENSITIZATION PROGRAMME

Shri Challang K Marak, APO, Rongram Block and DPMU team of West Garo Hills visited Arbella Chidikgre village for Sensitization cum Ground Truthing on 5^th June 2020.

CASE FINDINGS AND LIST OF NATURAL RESOURCES.

1. The village has 46 HH with 219 total populations.

2. The village water sources are springs and streams. It has 2 streams and 9springs.

3. Low discharge of spring.

4. The village has indigenous tree species such as: -Boldak, Chambu, Gambare, Bolbret, Bolbit, Megong, Chamisi, Chaku, A.chri, Bolsati, Chigambal, Bolchu, Bolchiring, Neemgas, Sangsim, Matchugisep, Bolmerong, Siso, Prap, Bolchim, Bolkasin, Bolchu, Agong, Mandal, Matchusam, Bolong, Boldakaki, Chagru, Ampak, Te.brong, Te.gatchu, Sakap, etc.

5. The village Forest has medicinal shrubs/trees such as Boldakaki.

6. Commercially valued Trees/ Shrubs/Plants in forests available in the village forest are Chagru, Boldak, Chamisi, Ampak, Siso, Neemgas, Te. brong.

7. Endangered species such as Jambol.

8. The village has Fodder Species/Valuable Grasses in the forest such as Ampang, Matchaduri, Sampatchi, Samskal, Mesenachil.

9. Water scarcity during the month of March and April.

10. Land Degradation.

11. According to the record of October 2022, the saplings raised in the community nursery was 8006 they are Tebrong, Chambu, Letchu, Gasimbi, Gambari, Dalim, Tespata, out of which 4905 are dead and with replanted saplings the survival saplings is 3607.

PRA EXERCISE AND CNRM PLAN PREPARATION

The District team of West Garo Hills conducted PRA and CNRM plan on 5^th June 2020at Arbella Chidikgre Village Rongram Block, WGH.

The exercises were conducted by the district team Environment, M&E and NRM/GIS. The Team informed the community that PRA exercise is to understand and locate the natural resources of the village and plan the activities according to their need. The community had an exercise to plan and draw resource and social map on the same day.

In the exercise of CNRM plan preparation, the community were asked to prioritized the plan /activities and submit the plan to DPMU for 5 years. The exercises were done in the presence of village headmen, VNRMCs and Village facilitators.

1. Signing of Documents:

As an acceptance and agreement to the project, every member of the village households had to sign green charter on 5^th June 2020and submitted the Village agreement and Expression of Interest to DPMU.

2. Formation of the VNRMC

On5^th June 2020, after the ground survey and sensitization programme, the village signed the EOI, VGA and Green charter as a sign of accepting the project. Whereas in regards, to the selection of Village Natural Resource Management Committee (VNRMC) members the Village Executive Committee (VEC) along with entire community carried out the process of selecting 15 chosen members such as 9 Executive members, 3 Purchase committee and 3 Village Community Facilitator.

3. Listed below are the members of the VNRMC:

Sl No	Name in Full	Gender M/F	Age (in Yrs)	Education	Designation	Occupation	Community	Contact No and email address
1	Arballine Ch Marak	F	36	Class- 12	President	Farmer	Garo	9612192895
2	Grover A Sangma	M	28	Class-10	Secretary	Farmer	Garo	6009341469
3	Krenish Ch Marak	M	27	Class-10	Book keeper	Farmer	Garo	8731997371
4	Joshna Ch Marak	F	33	Class-2	Member	Farmer	Garo	-
5	Rinna Ch Marak	F	39	Class -8	Member	Farmer	Garo	8974236361
6	Hellina Ch Marak	F	33	Class- 10	Member	Farmer	Garo	6009301988
7	Lolith Ch Marak	M	45	Class- 2	Member	Farmer	Garo	6909236380
8	Elwan T Sangma	M	64	Class -2	Member	Farmer	Garo	-
	Ritna D Sangma	F	43	Class -2	Member	Farmer	Garo	6909236380
9

Village Community Facilitators (VCF)

Sl No	Name in Full	Gender M/F	Age (Yrs)	Education	Area of specialisation/ focus (forests, water, soil, accounts, environmental and social safeguards, knowledge management, GIS)	Trained under CLLMP (Yes/ No?) if Yes, date training was received	Contact No and email address
1	Julious Marak	M	19	Class-9	NRM&GIS	Yes	6909022390
2	Binthu Ch Marak	M	28	Class-10	SM&KM	Yes	9366824297
3	Salbina Marak	F	22	Class-10	M&E	Yes	8732055011

Plan Estimate:

The DPMU team of WGH made an inspection to the proposed intervention sites soon after the CNRM plan preparation gets over.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

Sl No	Implemented Activities	Name of Site	Work Status
1.	Water Reservoir	Chinamgija Chimik	Completed
2.	Community Nursery	Chinamgija Kama	Completed
3.	Plantation	Chinamgija	Completed
4.	Spring Chamber	Singsingkol Chimik	Completed
5.	RCC Check Dam	Dinu Chiring	Completed
6.	RCC Check Dam	Tosan Chiring	Completed
7.	Water Conservsation Dam with trenches and Plantation	Malsam bisik	Completed
8.	Water Conservation Dam	Tebil Bisik	Completed
9.	Composting pit	Chinamgija Ka.ma, near nursery	Completed
10.	Staggered Trenches	Chinamgija bisik	Completed
11.	Dugout Pond (Additional)	Ringgi Bisik	On-going
12.	Dugout Pond (Additional)	Songgitcham Chimik	On-going
13.	Permanent Community Nursery (Balance fund)	Chinamgija Ka.ma	On-going

4. Fund Status

1	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount	Work Status
	Water Reservoir	Chinamgija Chimik	Elevation 950m N 25.56287 E 090.33170	Rs.3,62,500	Completed

Before After

2	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount	Work Status
	Community Nursery	Chinamgija Kama	Elevation: 922m N 25.56606 E 90.329222	Rs. 89,000.00	Completed

Before After

3	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount	Work Status
	Plantation	Chinamgija	Elevation: 942m N25.56281 E90.33161	Rs.52,000	Completed

4	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount	Work Status
	Spring Chamber	Singsingkol Chimik	Elevation 897m N 25.56756 E 090.33052	Rs.2,89,000	Completed

Before After

5	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount	Work Status
	RCC Check Dam	Dinu Chiring	Elevation 922m N 25.56407 E 090.33257	Rs.3,25,000	Completed

Before After

6	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount	Work Status
	RCC Check Dam	Tosan Chiring	Elevation 903m N 25.56566 E 090.32951	Rs.3,26,000	Completed

7	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount	Work Status
	Water Conservsation Dam with trenches and Plantation	Malsam bisik	Elevation 930m N 25.563137 E 90.326250	Rs.3,25,000	Completed

Before After

8	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount	Work Status
	Water Conservation Dam	Tebil Bisik	Elevation 822m N 25.56455 E 090.32752	Rs.3,12,500	Completed

Before After

9	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount	Work Status
	Composting pit	Chinamgija Ka.ma near nursery	Elevation 922m N 25.56613 E 90.32917	Rs.49,000	Completed

Before After

10	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount	Work Status
	Staggered Trenches	Chinamgija Bisik	Elevation 966m N 25.56269 E 090.33141	Rs.25,000	Completed

11	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount	Work Status
	Dugout Pond	Ringgi Bisik	Elevation 935m N 25.56334 E 90.33386	Rs.250,000	On-going

Before After

12	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount	Work Status
	Dugout Pond	Songgitcham Chimik	Elevation 896m N 25.56699 E 90.32503	Rs.250,000	Ongoing

Before After

13	Type Of Intervention	Site Name	GPS Co-ordinates	Amount	Work Status
	Permanent Community Nursery (Balance fund)	Chinamgija Ka.ma	Elevation 922m N 25.56606 E 90.329222	Rs.3,00,000	Ongoing