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Tribal Forest Relationship
Tribal Forest Relationships
Backdrop:
From the inception of human civilization man used to live in the silvian jungle and was nurtured in the cradle of Mother Nature. The degree of association of the forest with the tribal livelihood is symbiotic as well as mutually reinforcing relationship. The tribe is an important component of forest ecosystem in which they are in a multiplex relationship among populations of organisms for the means of adaptation within their habitat. The historic association with the forest through the ages has made the tribal a critical link in the system.
In the Indian context we refer to them as Adivasi, which means the original inhabitants of the land. They make the ecology of a given context complete.
They are referred as indigenous people and can be described as social groups with a social and cultural identity distinct from the dominant society. This distinction makes them vulnerable to being disadvantaged in the development process. The very definition of a tribal life/culture talks about mainly five characteristics. Firstly a close attachment to ancestral territories and to the natural resources in these areas, secondly, identification by self and others as members of distinct cultural groups, thirdly indigenous language, fourthly presence of social and political institutions and lastly primary subsistence orientation production. There description it self talks about their close relation and dependency on the forest in which they dwell. Their indigenous knowledge and tradition both concentrate on subsistence and therefore sustainable interaction with natural resource.
Inspite of these facts it is shameful to note that till 1990 almost 50% of the people displaced due to ‘development’ projects were Adivasi communities and this phenomenon is on the increase as the juggernaut of economic growth for double digit Gross Domestic Product is wrecking a havoc on the ecologically fragile habitats of the Adivasi communities. The cruel joke in this regard is the use of law to push them out of their context and make them ecological refugees.
ECONET's Role:
We at ECONET believe that Supporting Empowerment processes of vulnerable and marginalised communities like Adivasi by creating a critical mass of leaderships at different levels of Socio-Political spaces with Human and Institution Development as our core intervention role. We support and facilitate creation of collective action reflection platforms for effective and sustainable empowerment process.
We have right from our inception worked with Adivasi communities and this relationship got strengthened and focused by articulating the perspective as Adivasi Forest Relationship canvas. Our work on Sacred Groves protection and restoration formed the cornerstone of our relationship with the community and their issues.
Subsequently the shallowness of the Joint Forest Management (JFM) scheme of the Government was ascertained through a status study conducted in the Karjat taluka of Raigarh District of Maharashtra. These hands on experiences helped us in focusing on Non Timber Forest Produce on which the Adivasi Communities’ life and livelihood depends as an element to begin weaving the larger picture of the Adivasi Forest Relationship fabric.
Adding to the local level support to the empowerment processes the role of undertaking Implementing Advocacy and feeding the experiences gleaned thereof at subsequent levels of the socio-political spaces is being crystallized.
This process is also leading into analysis of the different scenarios changing rapidly at the global and National level and its impact on the lives of Adivasi communities and their natural resources.
NON TIMBER FOREST PRODUCE (NTFP)