Vasundhara was conceived to support and strengthen community forestry initiatives in Orissa. Community forest management practices are spread across the state and have been in existence since last several years. However, till 1990s these self-initiated forest protection efforts were not discussed nor acknowledged at any front. The later half of 80s and early 90s marked the large-scale implementation of social forestry plantation with huge SIDA assistance, which primarily aimed at creating village woodlots, thus the state emphasized on plantation instead of nurturing community efforts. It was during this period, when the founder members were undertaking an assignment on social forestry plantation experienced numerous community forest protection initiatives in the western regions of the state. Inspired by these unique community processes, Vasundhara was informally formed in 1991 to work for institutional and policy changes in the directions of community forest management. It got registered under the Societies Registration Act in 1992.
The first two years went into critically understanding these community forestry efforts through intensive research work. Subsequently Vasundhara got involved in networking efforts with forest protection groups, people's organisations and Non-Government organisations (NGO); also assisted various NGOs in their forestry activity planning for coordinated efforts in the direction of strengthening community based forest management.
Implementation of JFM programme in 1993 in Orissa saw diversification of our research with focus on understanding JFM related institutional, economic and ecological aspects, NTFP livelihood and policy issues. Vasundhara received its first ever funding support from Ford Foundation in the year 1994. During 1994-96 Vasundhara designed and facilitated participatory trainings for the frontline officials of territorial forest department and social forestry department in 13 forest divisions on JFM concept and PRA tools for micro-planning. To facilitate proper implementation of JFM programme in the State, state level JFM steering committee and working group were constituted wherein Vasundhara was a member. Besides we were also a part of JFM-National Support Groups formed like, Economic and Ecological Research Network, Gender & Equity Sub-Group and Institutional and Training Sub-Group at the national level and undertook collaborative research and contributed in methodology development in different subject areas.
The year 1995 has been very important for Vasundhara when we attempted to practice our learning from our past research work. The process of working with communities involved in forest protection aimed towards strengthening the capacities of local communities for resource management and facilitating interaction and linkages amongst them in Tangi-Ranpur blocks of Khurda and Nayagarh, two neighbouring districts was initiated in this period.
The period 1997-2000 was an exciting and eventful. Vasundhara spearheaded a State-wide consultative process on evolving a pro-poor forest policy framework involving large number of community groups and civil society actors across the State During the period, we ventured into some new areas of research like community based-fire management, sustainable NTFP harvesting etc. The end of the period also witnessed initiation of the process of community based NTFP enterprises.
The year 2001 has been a watershed with change in organizational leadership. This happened keeping in tune with values of dynamism and collective leadership. Mr. Ashok Babu, an economist replaced Ms. Neera M. Singh as Director of the organization. Intense mobilization on KL issues also marked the period.
The year 2002 saw diversification of research covering areas like PESA, feasibility studies on NTFP enterprises, market studies etc. The KL mobilization process got a boost with people strongly putting forth their demands though a State-level workshop and subsequently a massive public hearing programme on the issue. During the period, our research focus expanded covering conservation and livelihood issues in Protected Areas.
The year 2003 was really very shocking for the sudden and untimely departure of our beloved Director, Mr. Ashok Babu. This saw Mr. Sudhir Pattnaik who also happened to be the EC member, stepping into shoulder leadership responsibilities at that critical juncture. However under the guidance of Ashok Babu, the unique process of NTFP cooperatives had started then. In research we also ventured into the new area of land rights, only to end up with startling and remarkable findings. In the loving memory of Mr. Babu, Vasundhara gave away its first Ashok Babu Parivesh Mitra Award to one of the oldest CFM group from Lapanga village of Sambalpur district.
The year 2004 saw NTFP cooperative process gaining momentum and exploration of remarkable organic clues to detoxification of contaminated water which could lead to development of low-cost and local resource based water treatment systems. We are in process of getting this knowledge patented and further our research in this line. In order to sustain and strengthen the community enterprises process, several support initiatives in terms of marketing, working capital support were initiated. The Centre for Cooperative Business (CCB) was conceptualized during this period and was put into action.
IIn the following year Ms. Neera Singh came back to take over the leadership of the organization. With an aim to increase our sharpness and effectiveness, we reorganized ourselves into thematic groups and ventured into newer arena of bio-diversity and environment conservation. Land rights are another area where we intensified our research intervention.
Subsequently in 2006, owing to our intensive and seminal research work on land rights, Government of Orissa involved us as a resource organization in its ongoing Orissa Tribal Empowerment and Livelihood Programme. Apart from our regular work along thematic lines, we are also contemplating establishing a legal defense cell particularly to look into cases of incarceration of marginalized sections of the community and would undertake legal research and support.
