Solving the Problem of Fuel and Fodder of the Rural Poor Women through Wasteland Development - India

This activity is addressing climate change through a reforestation project. It is involving the local community in stabilizing sand dunes, plugging deep gullies, checking soil erosion, planting various trees, harvesting rainwater and protecting wildlife and indigenous plant species.

Fast facts:

50,000+ trees of various species have been planted;
1,320 women have benefited from the production of fuel and fodder from planted trees and they have been benefiting from these trees for the past 12 years;
The planted trees are removing 26,500 tonnes of CO2 and 97,500 kilograms of other air pollutants per year;
Communities are harvesting millions of barrels of rainwater every year;
This activity has helped protect over 30 endangered species of indigenous plant species of medicinal value and at least 18 species of wild animals.

The problem

Rural women living near the Aravalli Range in western India were unwittingly cutting down trees from the natural forests near their neighboring villages for fuel and fodder. Deforestation is a significant contributor to climate change.

The solution

A plot of barren and unused land in the area was selected for a reforestation project. A project advisory committee (PAC) was formed and is comprised of women leaders from self-help groups (SHG). It is a first of its kind a project in the area where the low-income rural women are taking on leadership roles. The women members of the PAC were involved in activities of the planning phase i.e. selecting the land area for forestation, identifying the indigenous species of plants to be raised, sand dunes to be stabilized, gullies to be plugged etc. They properly implemented project activities and evaluated the outcomes and achievements in monthly meetings. The women were given training on how to develop a tree nursery, how to plant saplings and how to prune the twigs and branches of the trees to ensure healthy growth. They were engaged in raising awareness among women leaders with regard to the importance of protecting the trees to ensure a more sustainable future.
Helping the planet

Every woman who has participated in this activity has become and aware of climate change and how it is exacerbated by deforestation. They have also been experiencing increases in local temperature due to deforestation. Because of this, women are committed to increasing vegetative cover by planting trees around their own houses and on the periphery of their agricultural fields.

Helping people

Reforesting barren lands is providing fuel and fodder for low-income rural women. The women are no longer deforesting the land around them and are instead being involved in conservation work.

Scaling Up

More than 80% of women in the rural villages do not have access to gas connections. In order to cook their food, they must depend on the forest for fuel wood. To meet this serious threat to the small part of existing forests, this kind of activity must be scaled up extensively. Also, depending on resources, the project can be expanded to another piece of 100 hectares of land in the area.