Overview
Bastar district in Chhattisgarh has over 40% forest cover and 80% of its population depends on forests. In October 2021, we
initiated a one-year project to enhance Gram Sabha’s capacities for Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR) recognition and
sustainable management. The project also aims to support the district administration in strengthening claim processes and
integrating livelihood-focused policies with decentralized forest governance.
ATREE’s key activities, supported by the Bastar district administration, include:
- WebGlS Platform:Offers overlays of block, village, revenue, and forest compartment boundaries on satellite maps, enabling stakeholders to have easy access.
- Aamcho CFR Boundary App: A mobile tool for Forest Rights Committees to upload CFR claim boundaries during the recognition process.
- CFR Claim Training: Workshops for village representatives, District/Sub-District Committees, and field staff to facilitate CFRR claims.
- Conflict Resolution: Strategies developed through consultations and tools like the Chhattisgarh FRA manual and ATREE's WebGlS.
- CFR Management Planning: On-site training for communities and coordinators to create conservation-focused, livelihood- oriented plans.
- NTFP Policy Convergence: Field research for policy briefs to integrate Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP)-based livelihoods into CFR governance.
This initiative seeks to empower forest-dependent communities, promote sustainable forest use, and enhance equitable
livelihoods through a participatory approach. Simultaneously, it strengthens administrative processes and policy convergence to
ensure robust, community-driven forest governance.