Sanio ka Sangathan

Sanio ka
Sangathan
RINGAL
CONSERVATION
AND LIVELIHOODS PROJECT
SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT
OF NATURAL RESOURCES
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Ministry of Environment &
Forests (MoEF)
U N
D P
CEE
GEF India UNOPS
Centre for Environment Education

Sanio ka Sangathan (SKS) is a voluntary organization
established in 1996. Since its establishment, the SKS has focused
in creating better opportunities for Dalits & Women. Presently
organization is working on women development and Natural
Resource Management (NRM) issues among 8 development
blocks of districts Nainital, Almora, Bageshwer and
Pithoragarh of Uttarakhand.
Sanio ka Sangathan (SKS) has organized women into Self Help
Groups (SHGs) during last 12 years in rural areas of Uttarakhand
State, SKS is successfully mobilizing SHGs into informal forums for
empowerment and better livelihoods. SKS has also organized
camps on Women Violence, through the groups, diagnose root
causes for lack of space for women in society and find ways to
address them. Women are getting space, freedom to express and
skills through continued dialogues and one to one meetings.
Under its health programs, SKS trained Dai (nursing women) who
are handling much better in their neighborhood villages in delivery
cases.
Skills of girl/adolescents are strengthening through library
programs, tailoring and allied activities and adolescent health
programs for better quality of life.
SKS organized Ringal (a variety of bamboo) workers and stressed
the local governments to reopen their Ringal permits, so as to
manage their natural ringal resources. In agro-pastoral villages,
seed bank program have been operated by SKS. Compost
formation, Rain Water Harvesting tanks, Ringal/Lantana trainings,
plantations, wasteland development are still going on in working
villages. SKS has focused on the community mode of working,
capacity enhancement and decision making among males &
females in villages.
SKS has completed a detailed study on Van Panchayat (VP) system
of Uttarakhand. Since last 5 years, the issue has become a state
level concern for government. SKS is regularly analyzing the VP
Rules with Sarpanch (head of VP), providing trainings on
management of VP and betterment of forest resources.
SKS organized
women as SHGs
during last 12
years in rural
areas of
Uttarakhand
State. Where SKS
is operating the
groups, are
learning from
each other;
mutual trust and
exchange visits
are impacting
livelihoods. SKS
has also
organized camps
on women
violence.

RINGAL
REGENERATION
PROJECT
Ringal (a variety of
bamboo i.e.,
Dendrocalamus spp.)
is a prominent source
of livelihood for the
poor and
marginalized in Baidi
and Rudi villages, but
government banned
ringal consumption
in 1983, and
cancelled all the
permits. As a result,
this community
became helpless and
Ringal
Entrepreneurship
was about to vanish,
till SKS addressed
these issues...
SKS inter face for Ringal Regeneration & Conservation
Facilitate Permit Reopenings
Organization of Ringal Workers was formed and forced
government to reopen the permits for villagers.
Link to Markets
Trainings enhanced capacity for ringal workers. Development of
variety of items, gifts etc, opened new scope of markets for them.
Enhance Raw Material
Lack of raw material (ringal) compensated by plantation of ringal
in nearby villages and local forests.
Empowerment of Women
Traditionally women were out of ringal work but after various
trainings and meetings, men understood the importance women
play and now jointly work together.
Alternate to Ringal
Lack of ringal and distance from forest creates hindrances for
people. SKS suggested Lantana as alternative for ringal as per
market demand.

During first project, village meeting; use of participatory rural
appraisals led to form Parayavaran SHGs. Micro-credit started in
20 villages. This led to easy and cheap access to credit at source.
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Persistent efforts of the
communities (Ringal
Organization), Government
reopens restrictions and
permits for ringal use.
• Agri-tools, fancy items from
ringal linked to markets in
local haats/fairs/occasions.
• Plantations save time and
people get raw material in
near by villages.
• Women engaged in ringal
work, getting income from it,
enhanced economic status
and skills for better results.
• Lantana furniture, items,
book racks etc. new items
developed.
SKS started the first project in 6 villages with assistance of
Paryavaran Sikshan Kendra (PSK) and Global Environment Facility
(GEF) United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Small Grants
Program (SGP) in 2003. Following interventions were made in the
project from 2005-06:
Agro-Pastoral Concerns
With involvement of women, 20 Eco-development Committees
were formed in villages. 5 Seed banks formed other activities
conducted by locals through informal institutions.
Avoid seed brokers, use of local seeds promoted and cash payment
system for seed evolved. Educational tours, bio-manure and
polyhouses constructed with women especially.
Fodder problem addressed, nearby land protected and fodder
species planted. This developed about 20 acres of wasteland to
grazing land.
Water Concerns
To mitigate water problem, 45 small irrigation systems and rain
water harvesting tanks were constructed.
Reconstruction and cleaning of 15 traditional waterbodies, layout
of pipe lines took place in villages.
To revive traditional water conservation methods, water
campaigns (JAL YATRA) was organized in villages with Mr.
Rajendra Singh of Rajasthan. This led to building mutual trust as
results were seen by locals.
Gender Concerns
Micro-credits through SHG, Banks linkages established. IGPs
started like goat/buffalo husbandry, vegetable production etc in 5
villages. More than Rs. 100,000 loans have been accessed in SHGs.
All SHGs have bank accounts.
Lantana trainings for furniture and other fancy items.
Awareness about violence on women resulted in cluster level
resolutions. Many women were saved in villages from male
dominance and society neglect.
Ecological Concerns
Organizing camps, seminars, tours and competitions on
environmental issues with school children, led to build sensitivity
in the locals to address their concerns.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF PROJECT
• The project was scaled from 5 villages to 50 villages to
have a widespread impact.
• In the scaled up project nearly 37 SHGs have been
formed and nearly Rs. 3000 savings take place monthly
in all SHGs.
• Seed banks developed and people encouraged for use
of local seeds. Easy availability and low cost methods
are encouraged.
• People have accepted traditional water use and
enhanced production of potato and pea yield by rain
water harvesting tanks.
• Wasteland development provided additional livelihood
benefits and regenerated new land areas.
• Through Income Generation Programs (IGP), economic
status raised and better livelihoods process started.
Women's identity and social status increased.
• Continuous inter face against violence on women.
Mainstreaming gender concerns into a male dominated
society has given local women better space to express
their rights.
75
70
Progress of Field Area
• Organizational capacity and unity among women
increased. Local capacities of NGO enhanced in a wide
range of issues.
With continuous support and involvement of people, SKS
extended its first project with GEF UNDP SGP. Currently this
project has expanded in 70 villages of 5 blocks in district
Nainital. New ideas added i.e rain water harvesting, bio-gas
plants, technical trainings etc. In all activities the
communities are sharing costs (10.25%); taking joint
decisions and agreeing norms and modalities for
developing sustainable approaches.
Year Village
30
28
23
20
15
10
8
4
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008

S.No. Activities No. of No. of Families Impacts
Villages Benefitted
1. Entry into 34 937 Most of the Villages in
Villages
Nainital District
2. Denotification of Ringal 10 128 15 Acre Land
both for Food & Plant
3. Lantana Trainings 7 185 5 Women recognized as
members
4. Self Help Group savings 37 2130 Rs. 465,000
in villages
5. No. of SHGs 53 1440 Income generating program
6. Bank Loans 7 107 Rs. 226,250
7. Seed Banks 7 90 Saving Rs. 93,000
in Village Seed Bank
8. Waste land Development 7 102 20 Acre Land developed
9. Rain Water Tanks 11 43 43 Tanks developed
10. Jal Yatra 6 490 30 Village Awareness Created
11. Environmental Schools 350 Camp; Exhibitions 2
Awareness with in Tours; Competitions
school children Villages
12. Bio Gas Plants 5 15 15 Plants Developed
13. Trainings in 51 165 Waste Land Development;
villages
SHGs; Compost Making;
Bio Gas; Forest Land
Rights.
SKS
Sanio ka Sangathan
Village- Nagarigaon, Post- Bhowali,
Nainital, Uttarakhand
PIN - 263 132
Ph.: 05942 - 220714
vanpanchayat@rediffmail.com
sksbhowali1@yahoo.co.in
National Co-ordinator
GEF UNDP Small Grant Programe
CEE Delhi,
C-40 South Extension-II,
New Delhi-110049
E-mail: sgpdelhi@ceeindia.org
www.sgpindia.org
www.ceeindia.org
CEE North
Co-ordinator/Office-in-charge,
Centre for Environment Education
19/323, Indira Nagar, Lucknow,
U.P. - 226 016. Tel.: 0522-2716570
Fax : 0522-2716628
E-mail : ceenorth@ceeindia.org
sgpnorth@ceeindia.org
(For Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttaranchal)