PROJECTS
Currently we are focusing on Great Indian Bustard conservation with a landscape level approach through these projects :-
- Godawan Mitra Program : A project with direct involvement of community people in monitoring of GIB and other wildlife on a day to day basis. This is one of the strong pillar of our program where locals are helping us in sighting reports of wildlife from their neighboring landscape.
- Anti-Poaching Networking : A strong network of community volunteers, supporting us through in through any information related to wildlife poaching/hunting as well as become our ears and eyes in greater Thar Landscape.
- Conservation Education Program: Upcoming...
- Promotion of Organic Farming Practices in GIB Arc Landscape: Over the centuries, economy of western Rajasthan is based on farming and livestock rearing. Agriculture was totally dependent on rain, and which was intermittent with 4-5 famines in a decade. Large part of this landscape changed over the last 5-6 decades, due to canal irrigation with the help of Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojna (IGNP Canal Scheme) and tube wells. We are working with farmers to embrace organic farming, partially or completely. Since no use of chemical fertilizers and no insecticides/pesticides allowed in organic farming, this will be a totally GIB Friendly Farming.
- Indigenous Cattle Breed Improvement Program - Tharparkar Cow Artificial Insemination and Breed Improvement: The current GIB distribution area is largely dominated by farming communities as well as rearing livestock. The current livestock breeds are mix local cows, with the improve technology, we are trying to improve the existing cow breeds through artificial insemination program.
- Backyard Poultry Farming: To support marginal communities with more financial security, we have envisioned to start a backyard poultry through indigenous chicken breeds.
- Identification and Documentation of Oran landscapes of Jaisalmer: Oran or Sacred Grove are community conserved areas and repository of local biodiversity. Total 85 Oran landscapes have been documented in entire Jaisalmer district and report submitted to competent authorities for further notification and updation in Govt. Land Records (Revenue Record).
- Geoglyphs of Thar Desert: Landscape level human markings on on earth surface have been identified and documented in the form of Geoglyphs. Total 22 such Geoglyph sites have been recorded in Jaisalmer district alone.
- Desilting of Village waterbodies : To support and enhance the water capacity of village ponds, desilting and catchment clearance was done in 6 water bodies (4 in Dholiya village and 2 in Mokla village) in Jaisalmer district.
- Grassland development in partnership with local farmers : To augment the natural habitat for conservation of Godawan or Great Indian Bustard, 13 hectare land is under restoration and development of Sewan grassland in Dholiya village (Ganga Ram ki Dhani), Pokhran, Jaislamer.
- Plantation and distribution of sapling of local tree species : To support marginal communities with more financial security, we have envisioned to start a backyard poultry through indigenous chicken breeds.