Judgment of the Supreme Court regarding status of Zudpi lands in Maharashtra, 22/05/2025

Judgment of the Supreme Court in the matter of In Re: Zudpi Jungle Lands. A batch of applications involved a peculiar issue concerning the situation prevailing in the six districts of eastern Vidarbha region namely Nagpur, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli. The issue pertains to the status of the …

Leaf traits and herbivory as indicators of ecosystem function

Plant functional types bridge the gap between plant physiology and ecosystem processes. In the present article, we review the plant functional traits and their response to grazing, and discuss how this affects the nutrient dynamics of the system under the pressure of herbivory. The results also strengthen the management of …

Quiet transfer of commons - Pastoralism, shrinking pastures and the new GR in Gujarat

On 17 May 2005, the Government of Gujarat issued a resolution (GR) to bring wastelands under cultivation inviting big corporate houses and rich farmers – a beginning of corporate farming in a big way in the state. The GR has the provision of giving wastelands up to 2000 acres for …

Return of village land

Supreme Court has asked the states to evict illegal occupants of village commons. This a report by Down to Earth on the apex court judgement which said that transfer of village community land for private & commercial use is illegal and asked all state governments to prepare schemes for eviction …

Common concerns

A special report on the five-day biennial conference of the International Association for the Study of the Commons that ended on January 15 at Hyderabad. As the commons come under increasing assault, academics, practitioners and policymakers came together to devise ways to protect shared resources.    

The potential of common pool resources

The 13th Biennial Conference of the International Association for the Study of the Commons that was held in Hyderabad earlier this month discussed the idea of the

Supreme Court judgement on gochar (village grazing land) village Solagaria, district Pakur, Jharkhand

Supreme Court judgement on gochar (village grazing land) village Solagaria, district Pakur, Jharkhand.

Population growth and the decline of common property resources in Rajasthan, India

Using data from villages in three districts of Western Rajasthan, this paper describes the decline in area and deterioration in quality of common property resources over three decades. The decline of common property resources is associated with institutional changes in the villages. The introduction of land reforms in the early …

Changes in biodiversity threaten Kangeyam cattle breed

R. Vimal Kumar Cattle foundation to try for in situ breeding to protect them Towards extinction:Lack of awareness of the distinct advantages of Kangeyam cattle cited as reason for its reduction in popularity among breeders. Tirupur: Degradation in biodiversity, including the reduction in the

The Fox, outfoxed

The Indian Fox is a widespread animal of arid and semi-arid areas, especially partial to grasslands. It is mostly crepuscular and nocturnal in habit and rarely wanders around during the day.

The goat gamble

Giyasilal Saini is a marginal farmer who has market savvy. It comes from experience. Living in a semi-arid area like Alwar in Rajasthan, he always knew he could not depend on farming alone. So he would keep some goats, like others in village Jaitpura. Then three years ago the pond …

Rajasthan state livestock development policy

The objectives of this policy are: To enhance animal protein availability to fulfill the nutritional requirement; To ensure equitable, sustainable and balanced development of the sector; To provide an enabling environment for the growth & development of the livestock sector by providing quality services and inputs; To promote proper and …

Costly silence

Goats give good returns only as long as fodder is free. Unlike cattle that are fed crop and crop residue, goats and sheep graze in wasteland, common grazing land and forests. In western Rajasthan, where degrading farm land and feed shortage forced people to abandon farming and cattle and turn …

The goat gamble

Today, goats ensure income to five million households in India. But goat rearers face an opportunity and a threat as the demand for goat meat is set to shoot up, while grazing land is shrinking. If India does not secure its pastures, goats might turn from an asset to a …

Act before vicious cycle sets in

Goat rearing is the poor’s survival response to an ecological crisis. It has turned out to be an economic success. But the goat economy has the potential to precipitate an ecological crisis if grazing is not ensured. Options before India are very few: shrinking grazing ground, restricted forest land and …

Veggieworld: Why eating greens won't save the planet

If you're a typical westerner, you ate nearly 100 kilograms of meat last year. This was almost certainly the costliest part of your diet, especially in environmental terms. The clamour for people to eat less meat to save the planet is growing ever louder. "Less meat = less heat", proclaimed …

Rural needs: Free (range) grazing

India carries a huge livestock population. Small ruminants, namely, goats and sheep, play a vital role in securing the livelihood of small and marginal farmers and landless labourers. Such animals should not be blamed for the ecological degradation, soil erosion and desertification caused by human activities. There is an acute …

Common land development-Strengthening institutional and physical spaces for poor livestock keepers

Investments in strong institutional arrangements in common property resources can contribute to better access to fodder and water for the poor livestock keepers. A strong institution and collective action has helped improve commons, thereby improving the livelihoods of poor livestock keepers in Udaipur region.

Rahul Gandhi plays proxy at Mahuva farmers meet

Mahuva: AICC general secretary and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi sent his envoy of the party

People of arid lands

www.pastoralists.org Ecologists recognize that pastoralism represents a sustainable method of utilizing ecosystems such as deserts, steppes and mountains. Continued utilization of the world’s arid lands depends on viable pastoral systems. But pastoralists are under pressure due to a variety of circumstances that include population growth, environmental degradation, unsound development and …

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