20/01/2024
Ghatanji, Yavatmal (Maharashtra)
Team: Tejaswini, Shruti, Praneeth, Puneshwar, Subhash
As part of our Natural Resources and Governance curriculum at TISS, Hyderabad, our five-member team interned with the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) in Yavatmal District, Maharashtra. Our ten-day Experiential Learning Rural Exposure Visit (REV) covered four villages; Jarur, Lahan Mowada, Khadki, and Bhutaipoda, along with Khadki Forest and Saikheda Dam, in the Ghatanji sub-district.
The primary objectives of the REV were to establish connections with communities in different village settlements, analyse socio-economic conditions through Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools and informal interactions, understand the management of common property resources, assess the state of natural resources, identify on-site problems, and evaluate FES's role in community welfare and natural resource conservation.
Learnings showcased village communities' sustainable use of natural resources, with an emphasis on environmental preservation. Villagers embraced technological advancements like solar panels on farms. In Jarur village, FES collaboration transformed barren land into communal grazing space with diverse tree plantations. FES's check dam restoration positively impacted the village's water table, providing fishing as a livelihood. The REV highlighted the significance of community-driven initiatives, exemplifying resource conservation and the positive impact of organisations like FES on rural well-being.