It is proposed to document and revive the traditional practices of the indigenous communities in Rajasthan which are more-or-less associated with the conservation of nature and natural resources. It is the fact that the indigenous culture is eco-friendly. With the pace of development, the eco-centric approach is being lost. It is the need of the time to document and revive eco-traditional practices based on the symbiotic relationship with nature.
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Bharatpur
Describe the specific community with whom you will be working.
The Banjara (Gypsies of India) community in Rajasthan, is the first target group. Due to dominance of other groups of people, this community lost its essence of conserving nature. Most of the water harvesting structure in arid land of India are associated with the Banjaras. With the advancement of time, they lost their eco-traditional approach of water conservation. It is proposed to work on their eco-centric culture of past and need of present.
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
It is the demand of time to learn the sustainable approach of livelihood in the rural areas. It is evident that the policies made by the urban people are enforced in the rural areas which result in the failure. Through this proposed action, a platform will be created to document and create successful models from the rural areas of the target groups which will be linked with the international platform to consider such indigenous policy actions.
What technologies and digital tools do you plan to use in the trainings?
Other tools
Libraries & information centres at local level for imparting training on indigenous approach
Describe the connections that you or your organization have already established that will contribute to the success of the project.
RSNH is already working with such groups & Banajars is first target. Successful models are created at one of their village. Scientific platform is used to present the past activities. Strategy is planned in the direction to include all other villages in holistic manner. Studies on the traditional approach are being carried out. Literature collection and the documentation of the experiential traditional knowledge is the next step.
How many participants do you think will be involved in your project?
Total thirty persons are being proposed to train. Out of these ten will be identified and taken up to at the higher level of training as “Mentors”. The sustenance mostly depend on the community support and external support from other agencies with the establishment of Library & Information Centre which will be used as the training site for the community people (low fees) & other rural people (high/professional fees) in future.
Besides the microgrant funding, what other resources and support are you seeking for your project to ensure its success?
Procurement of the infrastructure for establishing full fledged Library & Information Centre cum Training Centre for the community will be the focus in next steps. The circulation of the message among the rural India is important which is possible only through traditional circulation (printed material) which need support from external agencies.
Contact name
Dr Satya Prakash Mehra
Organization
Rajputana Society of Natural History