NATURAL
REGENERATION OF
COMMON LANDS
- Mass Education, Anantapur, A.P.
1
THE MAIN COMMON PROPERTY
RESOURCES (CPRs) ARE…
Revenue Poramboke Lands
Reserved Forest Areas
Tanks- Irrigation and
Percolation Tanks
Gram Panchayat lands
2
LAND UTILISATION DISTRICT-WISE (Area in Hectares) –1987
THE TABLE SHOWS THE AVAILABILITY OF CPRs…
Geographical area by
village papers
Net area sown
Other fallow lands
Current fallows
Land put to nonagricultural uses
Land under misc, tree,
crops and groves,
not included in
net area sown
Permanent pastures and
other grazing
lands
Cultivable waste
Barren and uncultivable
land
Forests
District
Sl.No.
1
Kurnool
3,45,337
99,374
92,541
4,075
2,029
88,559
85,539
1,13,703
9,28,877
17,60,034
2
Anantapur
1,96,797
1,89,553
85,990
23,326
20,810
1,58,178
1,66,351
1,23,516
9,48,971
19,13,492
3
Cuddapah
4,98,014
2,55,321
70,166
22,819
19,636
1,53,366
9,480
1,10,918
3,98,118
15,37,838
4
Chittoor
4,53,679
1,69,127
55,106
45,844
28,941
1,37,374
53,188
72,322
4,83,189
14,98,770
14,93,827
7,13,375
3,03,803
96,064
71,416
5,37,477
3,14,558
4,20,459
27,59,155
67,10,134
TOTAL
FOR
RAYALA
SEEMA
REGION
5
Mahabubnagar
3,03,631
1,16,417
12,818
45,959
7,854
97,689
2,51,842
52,455
9,58,576
18,47,241
6
Prakasam
4,46,768
1,31,334
1,13,448
72,121
11,252
1,23,229
1,01,893
69,658
6,44,359
17,14,062
Source: Andhra Pradesh Statistical Abstract 1987.
3
STATEMENT SHOWING DISTRICT-WISE LIVE- STOCK CENSUS – 1983
THE TABLE SHOWS THAT MOR THAN A CRORE OF LIVE STOCKS ARE
DEPENDING ON THE SO CALLED WASTE LANDS
Sl
No
District
Cattle
Buffaloes
Sheep
Goats
Other live
stock
Total live
stock
1
Kurnool
5,66,035
4,06,186
4,49,489
3,13,204
28,756
17,63,670
2
Anantapur
6,78,152
2,98,421
7,54,757
5,81,748
41,571
23,54,649
3
Cuddapah
2,87,641
4,39,321
4,88,371
3,81,345
19,269
16,15,947
4
Chittoor
9,10,622
2,26,950
5,06,391
4,29,435
40,093
21,13,491
TOTAL
FOR
RAYALASEEA
REGION
24,42,450
13,70,878
21,99,008
17,05,732
1,29,689
78,47,757
5
Mahaboobnagar
11,15,101
3,20,340
8,41,611
2,80,594
28,040
25,85,686
6
Prakasam
2,61,056
7,04,650
6,02,621
2,90,317
50,100
19,08,744
Source: Andhra Pradesh Statistical Abstract 1987.
4
DISTRICT WISE NUMBER AND AREA IRRIGATED
BY TANKS IN ANDHRA PRADESH (1998-99)
Sl.
No.
District
Total Tanks
Area (hectares)
1
Srikakulam
8399
74715
2
Vijayanagaram
9741
99394
3
Visakapatnam
2470
42045
4
E.Godavary
1686
41145
5
W.Godavary
1891
30134
6
Krishna
983
39818
7
Guntur
206
5884
8
Prakasam
919
33199
9
Nellore
1888
93281
10
Chittoor
7734
61369
11
Kadapa
1599
16702
12
Anantapuram
1738
13638
5
13
Kurnool
726
17146
14
Mahaboobnagar
4731
24797
15
Rangareddy
1976
9455
16
Hyderabad
8
101
17
Medak
6043
25275
18
Nizamabad
2432
30582
19
Adilabad
1324
22101
20
Karimnagar
5414
54850
21
Warangal
5069
105342
22
Khammam
2696
60157
23
Nalgonda
3931
27085
TOTAL
73604
928215
Source: Crops and Season report 1998-1999, Directorate of
Economics and statistics, Hyderabad.
6
SOME IMPORTANT MINOR FOREST PRODUCES (MFPs) NORMALLY
COLLECTED BY THE VILLGES COMMUNITIES PARTICULARLY
THE RESOURCE POOR
S. No
Different uses of MFP
Names of Different MFPs
Grass varieties:
Fodder grass, Thatched Grass, Broom Grass
Fruits Varieties
Seethaphal, Ber, Date-palm fruits, Palmyra fruits,
Nuts
Soap nut (Seekaya), Ink nut (Karakkaya), Chilliginja (Cleansing nut)
Leaf varieties
Leaf plate plant ( Moduga),Beedi leaves,
Green manure leaves like pongamia, neem etc
Fencing materials for the farmers:
Different shrubs and bushes used as fencing material are available
Fuel Wood
Different kinds of plant materials used as fuel wood material are available
Small timber for agriculture
implements
Neem, Nalla thumma
Construction material:
Neem tree, Nallathumma
etc
Medicinal plants
Hundreds varieties of marketable medicinal plants are available in the common
lands
Raw material available for the
artisans
Rope Making: Sisal fiber varieties to make the ropes,
Basket Making: bamboo, date palm branches to make baskets
Mat Making: Date palm and Palmyra leaves for making the mats.
Other marketable MFPs
Gum Honey
7
THE USER / DEPENDANT GROUPS ON MFPs AVAILABLE
IN THE COMMON PROPERTY RESOURCES.
 SHEEP REARERS
 CATTLE REARERS
 ARTISANS LIKE ROPE MAKERS,
 BASKET MAKERS, MAT MAKERS Etc.
 POOR WOMEN
 LAND LESS LABOURERS
 FARMERS
 MFP COLLECTORS
 FISHING COMMUNITY
 FISHERMEN
 HEAD LODERS
8
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO STRENTHEN THE
LIVELIHOODS OF THE RURAL POOR
1. CONSEVATION OF CPRs:
Motivation, Sensitization and Organisation of the dependant communities
to conserve the CPRs so that the availability of the CPRs is enhanced.
2. ENSURING STAKES (USUFRUCT RIGHTS) AND BENEFITS FOR
THE VULNERABLE GROUPS:
Assisting the resource poor to avail Usufruct Rights over custard
apple and other MFPs
3. TREE PATTAS:
Assisting the resource less poor women and the laborers to
available tree pattas on the tree existing in the CPRs
4. TANK FARMERS / USERS ASSOCIATIONS.
Organisation of the Tank Farmers / Users Associations
for the sustainable and effective management of the
Panchayat Raj tanks.
9
5. FISHING RIGHTS:
Fishing Rights for the poor women and landless poor
6. TANK BED CULTIVATION
Take advantage of the residual moisture in the tank bed and
promote tank bed cultivation by the vulnerable groups.
7. TO DEVELOP LEGAL FRME WORK ONe CPRs
To ensure the rights of the vulnerable groups over CPRs there is a
need to develop a legal frame work on the line so JFM or CFM
8. LOBBYING AND ADVOCACY
There is a need to lobby with the government on many
issues related to the usufruct rights for the vulnerable
groups.
10
NATURAL REGENERATION COMMON
LANDS
AREAS SUITABLE TO PROMOTE NATURAL
REGENERATION:
•HILLY REGIONS PREFERABLY WITH ROOT STALK.
•LOW LAYING AREAS PARTICULARLY THE BANKS OF STREAMS,
RIVERS AND VALLIES. DATE PALM, PALMYRA ETC., TREES GROW
NATURALLY IN THESE LOCATIONS.
•FORE SHORES AND CATCHMENT AREAS OF TANKS. NALLA THUMMA
GROWS WELL IN TANK FORE SHORE AREAS.
11
CRITERIA FOR THE SELECTION OF VILLAGES TO
PROMOTE NATURAL REGENERATION:
1. The villages adjacent to and around the big chunk of revenue
poramboke common lands particularly (hilly regions).
2. The villages having homogeneous community.
3. Small and remote villages.
4. The villages without factional conflicts.
5. Tribal villages.
6. Watershed and JFM villages.
12
CONSTRAINTS IN PROMOTING NATURAL
REGENERATION:
1. FOREST FIRES.
2. UNCONTROLLED GRAZING.
3. UNREGULATED HACKING OF TREES.
4. DELAY IN OBTAINING RIGHTS OVER PROTECTED AREAS.
5. LONG GESTATION PERIOD.
6. CONTRADICTORY
GROUPS.
INTERESTS
OF
DIFFERENT
USER
13
STEPS SUGGESTED TO PROMOTE NATURAL
REGENERATION:
1. COMMUNITY CONTACT DRIVE THROUGH AWARENESS CAMPS SUCH AS
MEETINGS WITH THE DIFFERENT USER GROUPS, PADAYATRAS,
CULTURAL PROGRAMMES ETC.
2. STUDY EXPOSURE VISIT
REGENERATION VILLAGES.
TO
THE
SUCCESSFUL
NATURAL
3. BENCH MARK SURVEY AND LINE RESOURCE INVENTORY.
•
•
•
Trees, Bushes, Shrubs and grass varieties.
Wild animals
Birds
4. . SOCIO ECONOMIC PROFILE OF THE VILLAGE.
- Details of population
- Community wise
- Occupation wise
14
b. .Land resources
- Govt. waste land
- Private waste land
- Common grazing land
- Forest land
- Agriculture land
c.
Crop pattern and Agricultural practices
d. Water resources
- Irrigation tanks
- Percolation tanks
- Check dams
- Streams, Springs
- Open wells
- Bore wells
e. Live stock details.
- Small Ruminants
- Cows and Buffaloes
f.. Existing people’s Associations
- Cooperatives
- Unions
- Thrift and Credit groups
- Any other
g. Details regarding natural resource user group communities.
- Small Ruminant rearers
- Cattle rearers
- Head loaders
- Coal, brick, lime and illicit liquor makers
- Hunters
- Forest produce collectors
15
5. CONFLICT RESOLUTION BETWEEN DIFFERENT USER GROUPS
6. CLEARCUT DEMARCATION OF THE AREA TO BE PROTECTED, EXTENT AND SURVEY
NUMBER ETC.
7. FORMATION OF PARYAVARANA PARIRAKSHANA SAMITIES WITH REPRESENTATION
FOR ALL USER GROUPS.
8. VOLUNTARY VIGILENCE COMMITTEES.
9. MEMORANDUM TO THE REVENUE AUTHORITIES TO OBTAIN USUFRUCT RIGHTS
OVER THE PROTECTED AREAS.
10. FORMATION OF ECO-CLUBS IN THE SCHOOLS.
11. LOCAL SEED BANKS.
12. FIRE PROTECTION THROUGH COMMUNITY ACTION.
13. SEED DIBBLING DURING THE RAINY SEASON BY INVOLVING LOCAL STUDENTS,
YOUTH AND USER GROUPS.
14. PERIODICAL GET-TOGETHERS OF DIFFERENT PPSs AT INTER VILLAGE, MANDAL,
DISTRICT LEVELS.
16
GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO PROMOTE NATURAL REGENERATION
OF COMMON LANDS:
EQUAL REPRESENTATION FOR ALL USER GROUPS.
SOCIAL FENCING
ROTATIONAL GRAZING/CLOSE DOWN THE PROTECTED AREA FOR
CERTAIN PERIOD/CUT AND CARRY SYSTEM.
MOTIVATION OF THE NEIBOURING VILLAGES
MOBILISATION OF LOCAL FUNDS IN THE FORM OF CASH, FOOD
GRAINS ETC.
PROMOTION OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY RESOURCES.
EQUITY OF USUFRUCTS
17
ACTIVITIES SUGGESTED TO ACCELERATE THE NATURAL
GROWTH IN COMMON LANDS
 SOIL AND MOISTURE CONSERVATION
 REVIVAL OF WATER HARVESTING
STRUCTURES OR CONSTRUCTION OF
NEW STRUCTURES.
 SEED DIBBLING IN STRATEGIC
LOCATIONS LIKE UNDER THE BUSHES
AND SHRUBS NEAR BOULDERS, VALLIES.
 FIRE CONTROL
 BROADCASTING OF GRASS SEEDS
18
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NATURAL REGENERATION AND AFFORESTATION
AFFORESTATION
NATURAL REGENERATION
COST INTENSIVE MODEL
LOW COST/NO COST MODEL
SCOPE FOR PEOPLE’S PARTICIPATION
IS LIMITED
IT’S A PEOPLE – CENTRED ACTIVITY
PROTECTED BY PAID WATCHER
VOLUNTARY SOCIAL FENCING
CANNOT PRESERVE BIO-DIVERSITY
PRESERVES BIO-DIVERSITY
EFFECTIVELY
DISTURBS WILD LIFE HABITATIONS
WILD LIFE - FRIENDLY. WILD LIFE GET
ATTRACTED AND DEVELOPED
FULFILS THE NEEDS OF OUTSIDERS
PARTICULARLY INDUSTRIES.
FULFILS THE BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS
FODDER, FUEL, FRUITS, RAW
MATERIALS ETC.
SURVIVAL PERCENTAGE IS VERY LOW.
SURVIVAL OF NATURALY GROWN
TREES IS VERY HIGH.
CANNOT EFFECTIVELY CONSERVE SOIL
AND MOISTURE.
SOILS AND WATER ARE EFFECTIVELY
CONSERVED.
19
Activities suggested to promote natural regeneration of the common
lands (revenue common lands) and also to accelerate its growth.
Soil and moisture conservation activities like contour bunds, gully checks,
staggered trenches etc.
2.Pitting work to take up plantation in the low lying areas in the next rain season
3. Seed dibbling.
4. Broadcasting of the grass seeds.
5. Pruning of the existing trees that are naturally growing in the common lands,
6. A trench around the selected common land to control the open grazing.
1.
7
20
District wide Awareness campaign through Padayatra – To
Save Anantapur from Desertification Process (Photo: 1990)
21
22
23
24
Discussions on the need to restore the tanks
in Kalyam-Hulikallu villages (Photo 1995)
25
NATURAL REGENERATION HILLS
26
27
28
Acacia Nilotika (Nalla Thumma) in Kalyam - Hulikallu tank
under the protection of village community
29
30
Natural growth of Nalla Thumma trees in Hulikallu
Tank under the protection of the village community
31
Acacia Nilotika (Nalla Thumma) Orchard in Hulikallu tank
provides nutritious fodder to sheep and goats
32
Jagganna Cheruvu after restoration in Hulikallu (Photo 2005)
33