Nivedita Menon

Nivedita Menon
Building capacities for natural resource stewardship
Empowering village community facilitators to manage natural resources: The journey of a woman community facilitator in Meghalaya Posted on 29 Sep, 2023 04:22 PM

Hailing from Mawtangor village in Meghalaya’s Mawsynram block, Larishisha Pdahsiej has always been keen on supporting her community and being an active participant in the village’s development.

Breaking Barriers: Women Leading Natural Resource Management in Meghalaya (image: FES)
Empowered by the PESA Act, a Mahila Sangh relentlessly works to reclaim governance
PESA Act unleashed: The Mahila Sangh's ongoing governance transformation Posted on 21 Sep, 2023 05:42 PM

In 2018, when the communities of Ghatanji Block in Yavatmal attended a workshop about the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, the information accessed brought about a shift in their perspective, where they felt empowered to reclaim common resources that rightfully belonged to them.

Women from the Mahila Gram Sangh (Image: FES)
Waghadi Bachao: A call for collective rejuvenation of the river
Working together towards restoring the river’s catchment and drainage lines
Posted on 29 Jan, 2022 10:56 AM

Maharastra’s Yavatmal district in the Vidarbha region is home to several tribal communities. Largely rainfed, monocrops like cotton, soybean, wheat, and turmeric, among others, are grown in a majority of the region. However, reduced rainfall, water shortage and soil infertility plague the region, causing crop failures and resulting in severe agrarian distress. 

River flow improved at Jarur since soil and moisture conservation measures along the catchment area were prioritised (Image: FES)
Villagers’ shramdaan revives canal, enhances area under cultivation
Benefits of well-managed commons on livelihoods
Posted on 17 Sep, 2021 10:38 PM

The village of Urdali is a predominantly rain-fed area, belonging to the Deelwara Gram Panchayat, in Bichhiya Block, Mandla District, Madhya Pradesh.

Collective efforts revived the canal structure of Bichhiya dam bringing water to the village (Image: Foundation for Ecological Security)
Desilting their way to water sufficiency
Augmenting tank storage has good impact on the livelihood options of the poor and the marginalised. Posted on 03 Sep, 2021 04:21 PM

For over 1,200 livestock of Cheemanahalli, located in the Abludu Gram Panchayat of Sidlaghatta Block, Chikkaballapur District, the village’s cattle pond is the only source of drinking water. The area is predominantly rain-fed and the village experiences water scarcity due to low rainfall and excess groundwater extraction.

The village pond after the rehabilitation (Image: FES)
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