Presentation by the Foundation for Ecological Security at “Commons tenure for a common future” Discussion Forum on the first day of the Global Landscapes Forum 2015, in Paris, France alongside COP21. For more information go to: www.landscapes.org.

1. Collective
Tenure over
Commons
Experiences from India
Foundation
for
Ecological Security
(FES)

2. An Overview of the Presentation
• Principles of Commoning
• Extent and Nature of Problem
• Key tenets of Work
• Commoning at Local Level
• Commoning at Landscape Level
• Policy and programmatic action
• Emerging Issues

3. Principles Underpinning
Commoning
We believe :
• All human beings are EQUAL
• Local communities have
CAPACITIES to manage their
resources
• Natural Resources are FINITE
resources
• INTER GENERATIONAL
responsibility

4. • Commons range from about 48.69 to
84.2 million hectare constituting 15%
to more than 25% of the total
geographical area of the country.
• Around 84-100% of the rural poor
depend on the Commons for fuel,
fodder and food items. (Jodha, 1982)
• Over the last 30 years, common lands
have declined by 31 to 55%.
The primary reasons being neglect of
tenure rights of the local communities
and erosion in governance institutions
Extent and
Nature of
Problem

5. Where We Work
Southern AP and Karnataka—drought
prone, intensive production systems, water
crisis
Gujarat—Ravination, salination,
intensification of agriculture and
livestock rearing
South-Eastern Rajasthan Agro-
pastoralist systems in which livestock is
a major asset
Eastern MP and Odisha—forest dependent
livelihoods; large number of indigenous
communities

6. Key Tenets of our Work At local level
 Community institutions formalise/ evolve
rules and regulations for governance
of Common land
 Claim collective tenure arrangements (in
favour of Community institutions) so
that the constituent village
communities can make secure
investments
 Assist in restoration of degraded
ecosystems
With Governments
 Favorable collective tenure arrangements
 Devolution of management and
governance of common lands to
lowest tier.
 Programmatic action to translate policy
intentions and public investments
towards ecological restoration.

7.  To formalise village specific rules for
establishing democratic system ,
provisioning for poor, rules for resource
governance
 Final image
 defined boundary,
 universal membership,
 supremacy of the General Body,
 proper representation,
 decentralized structures,
 eligibility, right and duties of
members
 fund management system,
 access and appropriation rules,
 conflict resolution mechanism,
 provisioning for poor
Working with villages –
Evolving Byelaws

8. Recognition of Rights
over Commons
• Long term Lease
arrangements (15-99 years)
• Co-management (Negotiating
rights over forests through
Joint Forest Management &
Eco-Development
Committees)
• Inalienable Tenure (through
Community Forest
Management & Conversion of
Pastures)
• Strengthening existing Tenure
(Lands under the Panchayats)

9. Bio-physical Restoration
 Ecological Profiles
 Floral and faunal diversity
(Biodiversity)
 Data on Hydrological status
 Assess the status of
catchments –existing Water
bodies
 Assess the Soil status
 Data on Agriculture (Cropping
pattern, types, yield etc.)
status
 Identify Indicators for future
monitoring
 Evolving restoration &
Conservation Action Plans for the
village & the Landscape

10. Commoning at a
Landscape Level
• Evolving programmatic action
with State/District
governments for restoring
commons
• Campaigns for securing and
restoring Commons
• Building capacities of local
governance institutions to
claim and secure commons
and leverage programmes for
restoration
• Build Collaborations and
platforms that facilitate
convergence and dialogue.

11. Lithology
Water Table
Recharge
Potential
Slope
Landuse &
Landcover
CLART
Recommendation
Very Good
Recharge
Surface Storage Treatment Plan
Treatment Plan based on
Composite Land Assessment & Restoration Tool
(CLART)

12. Planning for conservation of land & Water (Composite Approach)

13. Planning for conservation of land & Water (Composite Approach)
Drainage Line

14. Drainage Line
Planning for conservation of land & Water (Composite Approach)

15. Drainage Line
Planning for conservation of land & Water (Composite Approach)

16. Drainage Line
Planning for conservation of land & Water (Composite Approach)

17. Drainage Line
Planning for conservation of land & Water

18. MA
IEXT
RAC
TIO
N
Quantity(MT)
Estimated tree biomass in RF = 4,72,315 MT
Mean annual increment (MAI) = 2.84% of tree biomass
= 13,555 MT
Recommended harvest limit = 33% of MAI
= 4,473 MT
Present level of extraction = 8,185 MT
Therefore, the extraction is much more than the permissible
harvest limit (85% higher).
Extr acti on of tr ee bi omas s f r om the RF
4 4 7 3
3 7 1 2
5 3 7 0
0
4000
8000
12000
16000
1
Bi omas s us e
Net additi on
Excess
extr acti on
Per mi ssi ble
li mit

19. Forest Cover Single Crop Double Crop Scrubland Wasteland
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Change in Land Use Land Cover in Thoria Watershed
1993
2002
2006
2013
AreainHectares

20. • Evolving a framework to
value collective action
• Promoting Polycentric
Governance for
governing Commons
• Aligning and and water
related policies
Emerging Issues

21. THANKYOU
Jagdeesh@fes.org.in

22. We aimed at
– Dispelling the notion of
wastelands and showcase its
critical importance for
agricultural economy
– Demonstrating that local
communities are very much
capable of managing their
forests, land, water…
– Advocating alignment of ‘Right
to Employment Act’ with
‘Right over Resources’
– Building bridges- Commons
need Commons
Policy and programmatic
action

23. Policy Formulation
Reframe the need to protect
Commons by building up
economic evidence of
Commons in rural livelihoods
Review the existing legal
provisions and programmes to
understand the gaps and
integrate 'Commons' in the
mainstream.
Build a common platform for
different Departments to
discuss and deliberate on
Commons issues.
Embed flexibility-moving
beyond one-off processes,
leveraging new opportunities
Design programmes
focusing on Commons
Build on commonly agreed
rather than getting into
contestations
Draft Policy on Commons
Facilitate government in
issuing Executive Orders
and Advisories
Hosted the 13th IASC
Conference, pitching the
Conference to highlight the
need for Policy on Commons
in India and influence the
12th five year plan.
Collaborate with other
organizations across the
domains of forests, pastures,
water as well as knowledge,
digital and urban Commons
surfacing a Commons
vocabulary

24. • Evolving a framework to
value collective action
• Promoting Polycentric
Governance for
governing Commons
• Aligning and and water
related policies
Emerging Issues

25. THANKYOU
Jagdeesh@fes.org.in

27. LOCAL COMMUNITY: TAKING STEWARDSHIP OF COMMONS

28. KHORWAD, GUJARAT, 2001
KHORWAD, GUJARAT, 2008

29. KHORWAD, GUJARAT, 2014

30. GUDLAVARIPALLE,
ANDHRA PRADESH
August 2002
GUDLAVARIPALLE,
ANDHRA PRADESH
July 2009

31. GUDLAVARIPALLE, ANDHRA PRADESH
November 2014

32. GYANGARH, RAJASTHAN
February 2004
GYANGARH, RAJASTHAN
July 2009

33. GYANGARH, RAJASTHAN
August 2014

34. MOYA KHEDA, MADHYA PRADESH
February 2003
MOYA KHEDA, MADHYA PRADESH
September 2006

35. MOYA KHEDA, MADHYA PRADESH
September 2014

36. SAJJUPALLI, KARNATAKA
September 2002
SAJJUPALLI, KARNATAKA
September 2009

37. SAJJUPALLI, KARNATAKA
November 2014

38. THENGA, ODISHA
March 1999
THENGA, ODISHA
October 2010

39. THENGA, ODISHA
October 2014

40. BATHNIGARIPALLE THANDA,
Andhra Pradesh
October 1992
BATHNIGARIPALLE THANDA,
Andhra Pradesh
October 2005

41. BATHNIGARIPALLE THANDA, Andhra Pradesh
October 2015

42. BARUNDNI, RAJASTHAN
October 2002
BARUNDNI, RAJASTHAN
October 2006

43. BARUNDNI, RAJASTHAN
October 2015

44. DHAMANGATTI, RAJASTHAN
October 1998
DHAMANGATTI, RAJASTHAN
October 2005

45. DHAMANGATTI, RAJASTHAN
October 2015

46. NABKISHOREPUR, ODISHA
May 1998
NABKISHOREPUR, ODISHA
September 2006

47. NABHKISHOREPUR, ODISHA
October 2015

48. CHARANGAM, GUJARAT
July 1987
CHARANGAM, GUJARAT
July 2007

49. CHARANGAM, GUJARAT
July 2015