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The Prakratik Society aims at protecting Ranthambore's dry deciduous forests from the pressures of an ever-increasing population. Its innovative biogas digesters help reduce the villagers' dependence on forests for fuel and fodder
In 1973, there were around 70,000 people living around the Ranthambore National Park in south-eastern Rajasthan. Today, that number has increased to over 200,000 people. This tremendous growth has led to dwindling tiger populations, thanks to rampant poaching and habitat destruction, aggravated by the demand for fuelwood. Recognising the need for providing people with alternative renewable resources, Dr Goverdhan Rathore, son of Fateh Singh Rathore, Ranthambore's celebrated park director, set up the Prakratik Society in Sawai Madhopur in 1994. "I could see that this park versus people conflict would ultimately result in the destruction of both the tiger and Ranthambore. I knew the long-term solution lay in finding a way in which both the people and the park could live in harmony. This meant creating sustainable alternatives that could both improve the lives of the local people and allow them to have a symbiotic relationship with the park and its tigers," says Dr Rathore. The Prakratik Society works with local people to help find alternative means of earning a livelihood; means that are not dependent on the park as a resource. The society has initiated an integrated programme incorporating healthcare and family planning, alternative energy sources, education, afforestation efforts and community building. "The Prakratik Society has offered three valuable means to improve the quality of our lives. I have used the artificial insemination programme to improve the quality of my cattle, planted trees under the agroforestry programme to become self-reliant for my fuelwood requirements, and built biogas units for my entire joint family, providing light and energy for the family. Today, our needs for fuel and fodder from inside the park have been minimised. I don't remember when I last went inside the park," says Parmanand Meena of Charoda village. Providing villagers living around the park with 'biogas digesters' for cooking has been one of the Prakratik Society's most important contributions, helping ease the pressures on dwindling forest resources. The digester uses cowdung as a raw material. It not only produces gas for cooking but also provides organic fertiliser in the form of slurry -- a better and cheaper alternative to commercial fertilisers. Crop yields have gone up 25%. So far, the society has installed 225 biogas plants; over 1,350 villagers are currently benefiting from this technology. People are also gainfully employed in the construction and maintenance of the biogas plants. "The benefits of biogas have changed our lives forever. We no longer have to go inside the forest for fuelwood-collection and the by-product is excellent manure, which increases the productivity of our land. Today, nearly every household in our village is using biogas," says Prithviraj Meena, a tribal from Padli village. "People have improved the breed of their cattle (thanks to) the artificial insemination centre at Kundera, started by the Prakratik Society. As a result, stall-feeding has become viable and milk yields have increased 10-fold. Our dependence on the tiger reserve has reduced dramatically," Prithviraj adds. Biogas digesters offer many benefits. They save around 1,500 metric tonnes of fuelwood, which contributes towards saving entire habitats and their animal and plant populations. Biogas also improves the health of women by reducing their exposure to smoke. In recognition of its innovative renewable energy project, the Prakratik Society has been nominated a contender for the prestigious Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy to be announced on June 24, 2004. Contact: Prakratik Society
Ranthambore Sevika village
Post Sherpur Khiljipur
Sawai Madhopur district
Rajasthan InfoChange News & Features, June 2004
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