Community-Led Forest Conservation and Water Management Efforts in Duda Panchayat

Community-Led Forest Conservation and Water Management Efforts in Duda Panchayat

Strengthened Through the Intervention of NIRMAN Odisha

Under the Duda Panchayat, the collective efforts of the Jarikibadi, Baijhari, and Badiring Jholi Community Forest Resource Management Committees (CFRMCs)—with active facilitation and technical guidance from NIRMAN Odisha—have significantly strengthened forest conservation, biodiversity documentation, and water management initiatives.

In the Sarnaju region near the Fagundei Hill, a detailed study and documentation of forest resources were conducted with support from NIRMAN Odisha. This included identifying various tree species, climbers, medicinal shrubs, wildlife, reptiles, and bamboo clumps, thereby preserving vital ecological knowledge for future planning. Alongside this initiative, two stone check-dams were constructed along the Kakari Nala stream, and soil bunds were created around small bamboo clumps to support natural regeneration.

Women from the village, encouraged and mobilized by NIRMAN Odisha, took a leading role in constructing a 20-foot-long, 6-foot-high, and 2.5-foot-wide stone bund over a forest stream originating from the Fagundei Hill—an important water source that flows for nearly eight months a year. This perennial stream acts as a lifeline for cattle, goats, buffaloes, forest wildlife, and leaf collectors who rest along the cool banks. The bund was built with a long-term vision of retaining water for extended periods, ensuring ecological balance while safeguarding the livelihoods and daily needs of the villagers.

Similarly, in Badiring Jholi, the forest resource documentation—carried out with technical assistance from NIRMAN Odisha—revealed the absence of Shalei and Kanta bamboo species, though 55 clumps of Singi bamboo were identified. While Singi bamboo is unsuitable for construction, it is locally used for crafting fine sticks for stitching Sal and Siali leaf plates, supporting the livelihood of women involved in leaf-plate making.

With the support of NIRMAN Odisha, the villagers collaboratively built two additional stone check-dams along the Badiring Jholi stream—one near a large Banyan tree and another close to the Thakurani shrine. The documentation also highlighted the absence of Char and Anla trees in the area, leading the Gram Sabha, along with NIRMAN Odisha facilitators, to plan plantation activities in the upcoming monsoon season.

These community-driven conservation activities—strengthened by NIRMAN Odisha’s intervention in planning, mobilization, and technical support—are playing a crucial role in sustaining water flow, enhancing paddy cultivation, improving ecological resilience, and protecting natural resources for future generations. The collaboration between communities and NIRMAN Odisha demonstrates how participatory forest and water management can create long-lasting environmental and livelihood benefits.