Key repositories of the information and knowledge existing within the community have been identified and the various knowledge/information categories that need to be documented are being inventoried. Rigorous surveys will be carried out for the collection of the required content in each category (pictorial, graphic, audio, verbal content). This will be followed by the digitalisation of images and audio contents, preparation of databases, and compilation of issue/information sheets, for publishing on the website.

Website Development ~ The complete website will be prepared as per the planned design. The basic design & outlay will be finalised, the sitemap and the information flow & theme will be developed. The text, graphics and images to be hosted on the site will be developed. The finished site will be programmed, uploaded, tested and debugged, and linked to search engines.

Community Capacity Building ~ The community will be developed with the competencies and the capacity to utilise the web-based forum developed for optimal benefits, and to manage it. A group comprising select community members from each geographical pocket will be constituted for managing the developed website. Two resource centres equipped with computers, scanners and printers will be set up- one in the eastern Indian Himalayas, and another in the western Indian Himalayas. A training for web trainers and managers will be designed and intensive training provided to the above community group in internet use and information access and sharing, towards effectively utilising the website for their benefit. Transfer of training to a larger number of members in the community will also be facilitated. The project will be institutionalised through the development of systems and processes for regular information sharing and access by community members. We are also liasing with the relevant authorities to provide adequate infrastructure.



DEVELOPMENT MODEL FOR COLD DESERTS

As a distinct biome, cold deserts need specially focussed research and a concerted effort in terms of natural resource management, especially in the light of their vulnerable ecosystems and highly deficient natural resource status. However, their remoteness have led to they being neglected. Development policies and schemes applied to them have been the same as those applied for hot, arid regions, disregarding their uniqueness and its implications on policy. At the same time, development trends are leading to increasing degradation of the cold desert environments.

The Pragya project on Design of an Appropriate Development Model for Cold Deserts involved research into the environmental conditions and development mediators in the cold desert region, as well as the development interventions and traditional practices, towards evolving a model for appropriate development and environment monitoring for the region. The primary focus of this project was the cold desert region in the western Indian Himalayas comprising the districts of Kinnaur, Lahaul & Spiti, Leh and Kargil.

Environmental & Developmental Status Assessment ~ The natural resources of the four focus districts were inventoried and valued through physical survey and community valuation. The longitudinal trend of agricultural practices, natural resource usage and developmental activities and their environmental and socio-economic impacts were also studied. The current status of the environment and the community was mapped and their vulnerabilities and criticalities established in the context of these trends and impacts.

Evaluation of Development Interventions ~ There have been various interventions attempted in different parts of the world to fight desertification and develop arid regions. A study was made of these interventions in terms of their design and impacts, and evaluating their applicability to cold desert regions evaluated. A detailed assessment was being made of the desert development activities being carried out by governmental as well as non-governmental agencies in the four focus cold desert districts in the western Indian Himalayas.

Alternate Techniques Study ~ In keeping with its philosophy of blending traditional and modern techniques for development solutions for pristine areas, Pragya had also studied traditional, indigenous methods of managing natural resources in cold deserts. Community elders were tapped to elicit data on these techniques and research bodies, environmental sciences experts, and development professionals were consulted for developing potential alternate techniques for development of cold deserts.

Recasting Govt. Scheme ~ Towards the assessment and recasting of the Desert Development Programme (DDP) being implemented by the Government of India in the cold desert regions, a workshop was conducted in Delhi (May 2002). The workshop brought together several cold desert development stakeholders to work on designing an appropriate development model for cold deserts. It served as a platform for discussions and debates on cold desert specific interventions, an opportunity for a meeting of minds of experts from diverse disciplines, community members, people with hands-on development experience in the region and the Government. Based on the recommendations of the study and workshop, the norms and guidelines of the Desert Development Programme have been recast for greater alignment to cold desert requirements.

Development Model Design ~ Based on the above research and its findings, a development model has been designed for cold desert regions. This includes the most critical development issues to be addressed, the most appropriate development techniques, and the roles of different agencies in the development process.



COMMON PROPERTY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Common property resources (CPR) denote natural resources used by many individuals in common, such as fisheries, groundwater basins, and irrigation systems. They are often a major source of livelihood for the rural poor and a safety-net for food and income in bad times. However, three dominant long-term trends threaten the sustainability of the CPRs: a) conversion of common property into private and state property, with the consequent disempowerment of those most dependent on the commons, b) unsustainable use of the resources of the commons through overharvesting by the users of the commons, due to rise of the individual self-interest over collective interest, and c) unsustainable use of the commons by externals for commercial interests. Most common property lands are being reduced to open access land and are highly degraded.

The Pragya project on Management of Common Property Resources involves a study of the patterns of use and benefits of CPRs, and the indigenous techniques and evaluation of current programmes for CPR management in select areas in the Indian Himalayas. This would be followed by the design of an appropriate institutional framework for CPR management in mountain regions.

CPR Usage Study ~ The role of Common Property Resources in the lives of mountain communities womenfolk in particular, was studied by Pragya. The key CPR products and their patterns of use and the key users were identified. The benefits and impacts of these CPR products for the livelihoods and quality of life of the indigenous population were measured, in terms of the contribution of various CPR products to the incomes of different population groups, and the relationship between CPR usage patterns and economic status of the indigenous population. The impact of the patterns of use on the CPRs, the degradation and depletion of forests, grasslands and water resources, was estimated.

Evaluation of CPR Management Techniques ~ The traditional practices of managing CPRs throughout the Himalayas- sacred groves, harvesting limits, grazing rights- and their current status, was studied. Governmental and non-governmental interventions to arrest the degradation and regenerate the CPRs- afforestation, eco-development, joint forest management- had also been evaluated in terms of their effectiveness and sustainability, as well as involvement of and awareness building among the host communities. Case studies of community evolved solutions and movements were compiled.

Institutional Framework Design ~ Through a collaborative community-based process, an institutional framework is in the process of being evolved for managing CPRs. This will include the design of composite resource management strategies, blending the traditional practices with the effective modern interventions. It will also address the issue of social infrastructure for implementing these, in terms of community structures and processes. This will incorporate the learnings from the cases studied.



MICRO-ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT MODEL

India has had long experience with microenterprise development interventions. Over the years, several models for MED have emerged in the country which seem to have a certain ‘perennial philosophy’ or a similar essence, although there are many differences as well. But no universal model has yet been developed for a successful microenterprise intervention.

The Pragya project on Microenterprise Development Model was aimed at designing tools for effective microenterprise development, including a prototype for MED and a toolkit for guided use; the study also worked on developing a strategy for the dissemination of these MED tools and a model for an Institutional Network for the MED sector to facilitate overall sectoral development. The study was commissioned by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and supported by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).

Sectoral Survey ~ The study process involved a wide-ranging literature study followed by an extensive survey of nearly a 100 organisations and interventions in the MED sector, across all geographical zones, several ME sectors and target groups, and many categories of intervening organisations. Apart from the formal MED channel, microenterprise clusters, which could be defined as ‘spontaneous evolution of microenterprises’ were also studied, across different geographical zones and sectors of activity.

MED Prototype Design ~ Analysis had revealed that there are two essential MED models functioning today: the economic welfare model and the micro credit model, each with its own lacunae. The MED prototype developed attempts to combine the positives of both models, and goes a few steps beyond them to a ‘long-term entity creation and TQL improvement’ mode. The study had also revealed that the ME’s needs in terms of services from the MED agencies vary with the phases of its life. The model therefore spans the complete enterprise development period, varying the MED interventions to the different stages of the enterprise’s life - from planning through initiation, development, growth to diversification & revitalisation. It addresses all enterprise aspects – financial, technical, raw material related, marketing, and HR skills, providing at the same time, a strong thrust to the lacunae in the current models, viz, to technology and marketing services for the enterprise. It also combines the aims of enterprise performance and larger economic development and Total Quality of Life improvement. The Best Practices in MED were drawn out from these studies, as were the Critical Success Factors and the Contributors to Failure of MED interventions and the required MED prototype was crystallised from these findings.

Toolkit Development ~ After finalisation of the prototype, a toolkit was also designed to enable smooth dissemination of the developed prototype. The toolkit includes a detailed explanation of the prototype and instructions on how to implement it. Instructions are given on implementing the common core factors, on identifying factors that dictate the uncommon specific factors, and on implementing the uncommon specific factors as well.

Prototype Validation & Dissemination Strategy Development ~ The study also involved multiple workshops with participation from all levels of stakeholders of microenterprise development in the country. All the findings of the study as well as the developed prototype were tested and validated through the unique mechanism of a workshop with participants representing all levels and agencies of the MED channel. Another workshop was also held with a small group of representatives from the MED channel to validate the developed toolkit and to discuss the need, problems and prospects of an MED Institutional Network.

MED I-Net Design ~ The institutional network for the MED sector was developed so that the facilitating agencies not only have a step-by-step manual and toolkit for MED but also a strong delivery mechanism which works for the overall development of this sector.

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