Carrying Forward Learnings on CFRR implementation and management to greater Bastar region

In any action research project, how does one balance the need to improve the quality of on-ground interventions with the need to scale-up these interventions to wider geographies? This is a challenge we have been navigating throughout the course of our project on training and capacity building for CFRR recognition and management in Bastar district. For the past year, our team has been working with the Bastar district administration to expedite the CFRR claim making process, to ensure that claims being filed are accurate and thorough, to mediate and resolve conflicts that occur during the claim-making process, to develop mapping systems to aid in claim-making and conflict resolution, to provide support for CFRR management planning and suggest policies to improve forest-based livelihoods.

While we have made considerable progress over the course of the year, the next challenge we faced was how to take forward the work and learnings from Bastar district to benefit other geographies and populations. With this in mind and with the support of the Divisional Commissioner (Revenue), Shri. Shyam Dhawade, and the Bastar district administration, we  organised a dissemination workshop on 16th July 2022. The aim was to share our learnings and start a conversation with officials and civil society members from the other 6 districts in greater Bastar: Sukma, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Bijapur, Kanker, and Kondagaon. The workshop, conducted on 16th July, was attended by Tribal and Forest Department officials, elected SDLC and DLC members and representatives of various NGOs and CSOs working in the area of forest rights from all 6 districts. The workshop was inaugurated by the District Collector Bastar (Shri. Chandan Kumar), the Chief Conservator of Forests Jagdalpur Circle (Shri. Shahid Muhammed) and the Divisional Commissioner himself. The ATREE team presented learnings and recommendations from all our areas of interventions, followed by an engaging discussion with participants regarding their own experiences, concerns and suggestions.

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