Consultation Meeting on the Status of Adivasi Livelihoods Report
BAIF Development Research Foundation
Empowering People, Transforming Lives!
The Status of Adivasi Livelihoods (SAL) studies cover states such as Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan located in the central Indian belt, which have a significant population of Adivasis (tribal communities). The SAL studies are instrumental in bringing insights, learnings, data and discussions and encouraging pathways that would contribute to the well-being and betterment of the Adivasis.
For Maharashtra SAL initiated in 2023, BAIF Development Research Foundation is the anchoring agency in partnership with PRADAN. BAIF holds a rich and long experience of working in tribal areas and works towards improving the quality of life of the tribal communities by focusing on improving and diversifying their livelihoods. PRADAN has published SAL Reports for Jharkhand and Odisha and the upcoming Report also covers Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. A consultation meeting on SAL was organized by BAIF in collaboration with PRADAN on October 17, 2023.
Dr. Alok Juneja, Vice President, BAIF, gave a background of the initiatives taken up by BAIF in tribal livelihoods. Mr. Sanjiv Phansalkar from VikasAnvesh Foundation spoke about PRADAN’s work in the extension of livelihoods amongst Adivasi. He also mentioned that Adivasis live in resource abundant areas but never consider these resources to be their individual property but that of the communities.
The objective of the meeting was to seek feedback and suggestions on the SAL study being conducted by BAIF and PRADAN from various stakeholders – civil society organizations government agencies, experts and academia – working on tribal issues in different parts of Maharashtra. The dearth of information on the current status of Adivasi livelihoods, the challenges they face and opportunities for meaningful engagement and the collective need to build knowledge has prompted the publication of periodic reports on SAL.
Mr. Dibyendu Chaudhuri, Integrator, PRADAN, explained the rationale behind this study and the cultural ethos which contributes to their livelihood. This study will be conducted every four years in the states of Odisha, Jharkhand, MP, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
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Mr. Girish Sohani, Principal Advisor and Trustee of BAIF spoke on the changing context in tribal areas and researching livelihood direction. The poor need livelihood and not income as income is limited in nature.? However, livelihoods are sustainable in the long term. Resources available with the Adivasis are based on their needs and they are happy with the available resources. Whenever we use criteria for evaluation of Adivasi, then we need to change the criteria according to their situation, he further stated.
The feedback and suggestions included capturing of various diverse aspects. Some highlights of the suggestions included: the need to emphasize qualitative aspects as much as the quantitative data and statistics, capturing voices of tribal youth and tribal women, ecosystem changes and climate vulnerabilities, the impact of forest rights and PESA Act, the efficacy of Government schemes, migration pattern, impact of existing education system, Ashram schools and human and animal conflict.
Sixty participants from academia, government institutions and social organizations such as NABARAD, Tribal Resource and Training Institute, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, YASHADA, AROEHAN, Gondwana University, Kavayitri Bahinabai Chaudhari North Maharashtra University, Shramik Mukti Sanghatana, Pragati Pratisthan, Vayam, Janarth and Vachan, participated in the state consultation meeting.
Founder, Edu-GIRLS Inc
1 年It is a raw power play. When the state is taken over to serve the landed and the monied classes, then who would protect the interests of the marginalized? Whether it is land use or livlihoods or education. The state actors backed up by progressive laws are meant to bring the balance back. If that does not happen then we wait for the neglected people to show up on the streets.
Manager at Dufins Solutions
1 年Are you seriously working on the same.somehow and sometimes it fills the same..yea, BAiF us working in the same domian but u likely not reaching the goal.
Leading Agricultural Policy Expert Driving Innovation in India's Agriculture
1 年Hearty Congratulations to BAIF for doing this pioneering study on SAL. Curious to know how this study has addressed the issues concerning land use rights of tribal communities. The lands occupied by tribal communities are usually owned by the forest departments, vatandars, and private families or individuals. Some states do have laws that abolished the "inam" or laws that protect residences and livelihoods of tribal communities. However, the scope and implementation of these laws tend to have unacceptable gaps. As for tribal communities" access to forest lands for use of non-wood forestry products, in practice, this access is constrained by many factors including overexploitation of such non-wood forest products by surrounding agricultural communities who too have access to forest lands and illegal occupation of forest lands for private use which not infrequently tolerated by forest officials. I am sure the BAIF's SAL would have addressed this issues in depth. It will be great if BAIF could please make its SAL study report available on the web for information of all those interested in this nationally important topic. Thanks. Ramesh Deshpande.