Grazing Rights in National Parks Under Review

Context

The Wildlife Institute of India has been asked by the Standing Committee of the National Board on Wildlife to do a thorough study on the reliance of pastoralists on forests in national parks and sanctuaries.

Why This Study Matters

• The pastoralist and nomadic communities are a vital component of the Indian rural economy:
  • In 46 communities, some 13 million pastoralists rely on grazing.
  • The Gujjars, Bakkarwals, Rabaris, Dhangars and Changpas are communities.
  • They are important to dairy, meat, wool, and leather.
• They are livestock farmers, whose livelihoods rely on rangelands- grasslands, scrublands, and forest fringes.

Key Issues Identified

• Restricted Grazing Rights
  • Pastoralists experience problems gaining access to grazing zones within safeguarded forests.
  • Ambiguity in law brings about uncertainty about the rights.
• Seasonal Migration Challenges
  • Seasonal grazing of animals involves movement of communities across states.
  • Some barriers are created by multiple administrative jurisdictions.
• Shrinking and Degrading Pastures
  • Loss of grazing areas as a result of:
    • Land-use change
    • Over-concentration of livestock
    • Causes pressure on covered regions.

Conservation vs Livelihood Debate

• The problem presents a typical policy dilemma:
  • Conservation Requirement: Preservation of biodiversity in the national parks and sanctuaries.
  • Livelihood Need: Provide access to traditional pastoral communities.
• The committee emphasised a balanced approach, as it realised that:
  • Habitat management can also be facilitated by controlled grazing.
  • It is possible that their exclusion can be detrimental to the vulnerable communities.

What the Study Will Examine

• The Wildlife Institute of India study will encompass:
  • Nature and degree of pastoral reliance on forests.
  • Law and policy issues.
  • Pastoralism has a socio-economic significance.
  • Environmental effects of grazing.
• It will target such states as Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

Global Context

• Under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification:
• Rangelands all over the world are almost 50 percent degraded.
• Worldwide, there is a need to take urgent policy interventions.
• This is a global challenge in the case of India.

Way Forward

• Legalise grazing access using transparent legal frameworks.
• Encourage sustainable pasture management.
• Establish alternative livelihoods and pasture management schemes.
• Incorporate pastoralists into conservation planning.

Conclusion

The relocation is an indicator of a change to more inclusive conservation, with a realisation that conservation of the biodiversity and preservation of traditional ways of life should be a unified process. The results of this research may influence future policies of access to forests, grazing rights, and sustainable land management in India.

Source: The Indian Express

Prelims PYQ

Q. Which one of the following protected areas is well-known for the conservation of a subspecies of the Indian swamp deer (Barasingha) that thrives well on hard ground and is exclusively graminivorous? (2020)

(a) Kanha National Park
(b) Manas National Park
(c) Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
(d) Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary

Ans: (a)

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