PRAGYA - RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Introduction

Programs

Research

Advocacy

Services

The regions that Pragya works in are among the most neglected in terms of research and development attention. We are working on addressing this gap, our members engaged in research activities directed at assessing the needs and developing technologies to ameliorate the constraints of remote and ecologically fragile regions. Several studies have been carried out that are being used for policy determination & formulation. These are on various developmental issues, ranging from role of civil society to micro-enterprise development to management of common property resources.

PUBLICATIONS

Application Research and Technology Dissemination:

The secluded and insulated existence of the communities we serve has resulted in huge technological gaps. Successful technologies that are in use in other parts of the world for resource management and sustainable use, agricultural development and enhancing livelihoods, are not appropriate for adoption in these parts and very few attempts have been made to develop technologies specifically for such regions. Hence, the rural communities are completely dependent on traditional knowledge and indigenous technologies that however have not been able to meet the demands of modern times.

Pragya has an integrated research and extension programme for developing and implementing improved technologies in an effort to address area specific problems and conditions, and primarily aimed at ensuring improved quality of life, livelihood security and natural resource sustainability. The programme seeks to make the system of research and technology development more responsive, accessible and relevant to the needs of the poor in remote, unserved regions of the world. It works on developing and implementing improved technologies that are effective in the unique conditions of these regions and improves local practices with scientific inputs, following a participatory process that encourages local innovations. Going beyond pure development, the programme also facilitates the infusion of the said technologies through various modes of dissemination. Pilot and demonstration projects are being carried out and training programmes conducted for potential users in the Indian and Nepal Himalayas and in east Africa. Seminars and conferences are also held/participated in for reaching the technologies to policymakers and scientists. Exhibitions are held/participated in to build awareness of the technologies in the wider public.

Policy Research Studies:

An ongoing initiative of Pragya is the effort to enhance the understanding of remote areas and peoples among key influencers and the wider public, and address the current neglect in terms of development attention and policy focus. Our studies seek to examine critical issues and potential solutions, and help extend the frontiers of knowledge on the region with findings being used for policy determination and formulation.

Appropriate Development Model for cold deserts and semi-arid stretches

Being a distinct biome, cold deserts need focused 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 has led to them being severely neglected, while development trends are leading to increasing environment degradation. Pragya’s initial surveys and stakeholder consultations have generated understanding of the issues and the potential action options in arid and semi-arid lands in east African highlands and savannahs. Further in-depth research and design of development blueprint are underway. The Pragya study on Appropriate Development Model for Cold Deserts involved research into the environmental conditions and development mediators in the Himalayan cold deserts, in order to evolve a model for appropriate development and environment monitoring for the region. The findings of the study have been used as inputs for modifications in the government-delivered Desert Development Programme to make it applicable to the cold deserts.

Common Property Resources Management

Common Property Resources (CPR) are a major source of livelihood and a safety-net for the rural poor. However, sustainability of CPRs is severely threatened by their conversion to private/state property and the unsustainable use of their resources through over-harvesting by local users and exploitation by outsiders. The Pragya study on Common Property Resources Management involved an examination of the patterns of use of CPRs and an evaluation of indigenous techniques for CPR management. An appropriate institutional framework for CPR management was designed through a multi-stakeholder process. Pragya seeks to undertake similar studies and community based management of CPRsin east African countries in near future.

Voluntarism in Remote Communities

The remoteness and harsh conditions, the environmental fragility, the geographical spread and low population density, and the unique but closed cultures severely limit the reach of development and access to opportunities in target regions that Pragya works in. In any poorly developed region, civil society forms an effective bridge between administrators and the local populace and leads to benefits reaching the most vulnerable sections of the population. Yet the disadvantaged regions have but a rudimentary, and not particularly effective, civil society. Pragya’s interactions with CBOs and local development actors have revealed the low capacity and rudimentary involvement of civil society in the remote stretches of east Africa. The Pragya study on Voluntarism in Mountain Communities involved an assessment of the civil society movement in the challenging mountain areas, and led to strategies for the development and enhanced effectiveness of the NGO sector in this region.

Micro-enterprise Development Model for Poverty Alleviation

Some of Pragya’s target regions have had long experience with micro-enterprise development interventions. Over the years, several models for Micro-enterprise Development (MED) have emerged, 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 micro-enterprise intervention. The Pragya project on Micro-enterprise Development Model for Poverty Alleviation was aimed at designing tools for effective MED, including an MED prototype and a toolkit for guided use; the study also worked on developing a strategy for the dissemination of these 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).

Knowledge Management:

Remote and unserved regions of the world are uncharted territory except for the intrepid traveller, and their people continue to exist in relative obscurity. This has gravely hampered the development of such regions. In the absence of adequate information and research, policies usually fail to respect their geographical identity and address their unique problems. Pragya initiatives seek to undertake appropriate research and create a compendium of information on such regions, to enhance understanding among policy-makers and awareness in development workers, and thus catalyse area-specific policies & interventions. The initiatives also seek to document and thereby, preserve and revitalize the rich natural and cultural heritage of less-known peoples and regions.

Publications

Use of information from the website should be accompanied by an acknowledgment of Pragya as the source. Reproduction or translation of substantial portions of the website for any use other than for educational or other non-commercial purposes, require explicit, prior authorization in writing. Copyright remains with the original sources and shall be binding on all users of the site. Applications and enquiries should be addressed to info@pragya.org