Vasundhara’s intervention in terms of facilitating the process of networking amongst the forest protecting villages in Ranpur area in Nayagarh district dates back to 1995. Before the intervention, efforts were made to develop a comprehensive understanding on the dynamics prevailing in the ground, the institution and the processes in forest protection and management. The facilitation process resulted in the formation of a federation of forest protecting groups at the block level named by Maa Maninaga Jungle Surakhya Parishada in the year 1997. Thereafter, Vasundhara has been undertaking various initiatives to strengthen the federation. An important realization has been that, community forestry initiatives can be strengthened with the active involvement of forest dependent marginalised sections, and this calls for addressing their livelihood issues. With this realisation Vasundhara’s focus expanded to livelihood intervention in the area. Vasundhara supports the federation in advocacy efforts on livelihood issues like lobbying with the state for establishment of Kendu Leaf Phadi (Government collection centers), against privatization of Cashew plantations and in livelihood promotion activities like Siali leaf plate stitching enterprises.

Empowering community to ascertain greater access and rights over natural resources that contributes to long-term control of local communities over their lives and livelihood.