Abstract
With a growing human and livestock population, there is tremendous pressure on the natural resources and they are being continuous exploited. Gaining an understanding of the status of resources and the drivers of change would aid in better planning and management, particularly at the village level. Given the vast resources, multitude of issues and a dearth of funds, a centralized monitoring system is difficult to put in place. Therefore, promoting participatory natural resource management is the key to creating awareness and also generation of basic information on the status of natural resources and factors contributing to changes in those resources. This paper highlights one such case study of participatory research of natural resources involving scientists, undergraduate students and the community of Shinduvadi village in the Western Ghats region of Karnataka India. This endeavor was aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of monitoring village ecosystems by local institutions by adopting an indicator-based method and guidelines developed by the Centre for Sustainable Technologies, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. The Shinduvadi study has identified key environmental issues and also suggested management options for the same. In the process of this participatory monitoring exercise, students have not only gained understanding of the natural resources, the pressures on them, the inter-linkages but also gained as individuals as the experience helped integrate academic content with community service. The Shinduvadi experience is a milestone in participatory research in India and is an example for educational institutions across the country and elsewhere to take up pro-societal research initiatives.
Highlights
Natural resources are being continuously exploited and suffer degradation due to high human and livestock population density as well as poor management
In the Shinduvadi case, the students of Sahyadri Science College got an opportunity to learn basic research methodologies involved in natural resource monitoring at a budding stage and the interactions with the communities especially during surveys and participatory discussions natural resource monitoring exercise sensitized the students to issues and problems of the farming community and the underlying causes
The researchers from the Indian Institute of Science were confronted with a learning process that was very different from typical classroom setting as the students were learning the fundamentals of participatory research and its application at the grassroots’ level with all its nuances and particularities of context
Summary
Natural resources are being continuously exploited and suffer degradation due to high human and livestock population density as well as poor management. Maguire (1993) defines participatory research as a process of collective, community-based investigation, education, and action while the Commission d'étude sur les universités au Québec defines participatory research as research undertaken by scholars who, coupling theory with intervention, work with groups outside of their institution, analyze with them the problems faced by communities and help them perceive these problems more clearly and formulate strategies to take charge of the sectors that influence their collective life (Alery et al, 1990). These definitions encapsulate the key elements of participatory research. These definitions encapsulate the key elements of participatory research. i.e., research through collaboration, education and action (Boutilier, 1997; Yeich, 1992)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Advanced Earth Science and Engineering
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
