Watershed management work.

Adan, Arunavati, Bembla, and Kapasi river basins are the part of North-Eastern Godavari basin in Central India. These basins are poorly explored basins of Peninsular India and under severe threats due to widespread ecological destructions.

The main reasons behind this ecological meltdown are habitat destruction, pollution, over use of resources, invasive species and encroachments. Immediate negative effect of this erosion is on ecosystem people like fishermen, labours and farmers. We believe that, for the conservation of natural resources including wetlands and sustainable livelihood of dependent people holistic ecosystem approach is an important approach. The movement of whole river basin management is essential where we have to consider various anthropological, ecological, economic, educational, cultural, political approaches to save natural resources and to ensure sustainable livelihood.

Present project will strengthen and extend activities/processes started during previous RSGs. Conservation of Riverine resource through people’s participation and to link conservation with livelihood generation are main goals of project. Project will strengthen; extend activities/processes started during previous RSGs. River conservation through holistic ecosystem approach is goal. Objectives are to conserve riverine resources, fish fauna and to generate sustainable livelihood for fishermen, farmers and labourers. Diverse activities includes rejuvenation of local decision making systems, its capacity building, data generation, awareness creation, engaging students and youths, eco-restoration, livelihood generation through producer company and aquaculture, to run river study course and establishment of FPAs. Completion grant will focus on incorporation of results of RSGs in education, advocacy and will create such institution which will look into the sustainability of the project. Apart from the above objectives, present initiative will focus on the welfare of farming system which will includes sustainable low input agriculture to sound marketing mechanism in the form of promotion of Producer Orgnization.

The project will be run through an NGO, SAMVARDHAN, established during previous RSGs. The main goal of SAMVARDHAN is to work for conservation of natural resources, to promote its sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits through people’s participation and holistic ecosystem approach. SAMVARDHAN is mandated to create such a society where development will be calculated by amount and quality of surrounding natural wealth, where every species, every ecosystem and every diverse human groups will live together in harmony with nature, where the most neglected member of society will have equal opportunity in decision making and in securing employment and resources.