The Area

ATI is presently working in the mountain state of Uttaranchal along the Central/Western Himalayas of India. The area contains the upper watershed of two of India's major rivers, the Ganga and the Yamuna, which flow out of these hills to eventually benefit hundreds of millions of people living in the Indo-gangetic plains.

Subsistence agriculture supplemented by livestock continues to be the main occupation of the people living in this area. Farming in this region is only able to supply about one third of the needed grains with the agricultural land producing only 1 ton grain per hectare/yr. and the forests providing composting vegetation at about 10-20 t/ha/yr.

Significance of the Project Area to Global Biodiversity

The global significance of the project region’s biodiversity has been highlighted in The Global 200, a representative approach to conserving the earth’s most biologically valuable eco-regions undertaken jointly by the World Wildlife Fund and others.

Even beyond this the Western Himalayan Eco-region (WHE) is vital to India as a provider of ecosystem services. The productivity and sustenance of the Gangetic Plain is largely dependent for regulated supply of soil fertility and water on the ecosystem subsidy of the WHE. This robust and productive zone supports a population of nearly 400 million people.

Conservation – Defining Issues:

The population of Uttaranchal according to the census is approximately million of which approximately are involved in subsistence agriculture. The dominance of peasant based subsistence agriculture is perceived in negative terms in its relation with poverty due to declining and low levels of productivity.

The problem of creating productive employment for people, has been addressed by ATI keeping in mind the comparative advantages of the area, in terms of availability of resources and the ecological needs of the region.

Contemporary literature on the ecological condition of the region, generally accepts that the decline in forest cover (in Uttaranchal) from the recorded 3.47 m/ha, to an actual of approximately 1.15 m/ha (dense cover), constituting approximately 33% of geographic area can be attributed to cultivation, to meet subsistence needs of a growing farming population.

Therefore the critical need of conservation can possibly be addressed by addressing this competitive interaction between forestry and agriculture - by providing alternate productive employment.

Activities: Conservation Through the Economic Participation of Stakeholders

The ATI strategy for conservation has been designed to achieve community participation by ensuring that there is direct benefit to communities from the conservation effort. Our activities can be classified under three major heads:

 Economic Activities | Research | Training

Team/People

Appropriate Technology India is governed by a board of directors headed by Ms. Sharmila Ribeiro an agro-economist from. Board representation includes well-known professionals from the development and commercial sectors, who have held, or are presently on top management assignments in their respective fields. We also have strong links with academic institutions and draw on advise and technical support from the department of botany, University of Kumaon.

	Sharmila Rebeiro is Masters in Agricultural Economy from Rutgers University, USA and the founding member of Appropriate Technology India. She has 15 years experience in agricultural-based project management and AT. She has worked on global projects with Enterprise Works Worldwide, ICRISAT and the World Bank.
	Vijaylakshmi Das is the Chief Executive of Friends of Women’s World Banking, India. She is a specialist in micro-credit issues pertaining to women in development, credit planning for commercial banks, and monitoring and evaluation of livelihood programs.
	V.K. Govil is an eminent advocate for the NGO sector and is involved in the executive boards of many organizations including Population Services International, South South Solidarity, Plan International, Voluntary Health Association of India, Netherlands Leprosy Relief Foundation.
	Lakshmi Venkatesan is the Vice President of Bhartiya Yuvak Shakti Trust (BYST), an organization that is implementing a successful mentorship model for small-scale entrepreneurs, that has been replicated in 6 states of India.
	Girish Bahuguna, M A (English Literature), Joined BATA India as Management Trainee in 1965 and Retired as Executive Director (Manufacturing and wholesale) BATA India in 2001
	Ashok Kumar represents WildLife Trust of India and is a leading environmentalist, specializing in legal activism in the national parks.
	Prabhu Ghate, an ex-IAS officer, has a doctorate degree in Economics from Princeton University, USA. He has worked with many international organizations including a long tenure at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the Philippines. He is currently a consultant, specializing in rural enterprise development and micro-credit.
	Dr. S.K. Ranjhan is one of India’s leading animal nutritionists and has authored several of the basic textbooks on the subject. In his long career, he has worked with the Indian Veterinary Research Institute as well as the FAO, based in the Philippines. He is presently involved in programs with government, non-government and the private sector, contributing to livestock development in India.
	Kamal Nain Badoni, a development professional with wide experience and understanding of working with rural communities
	Rohit Devlal , an NRM professional with a postgraduate degree in Forestry (Economics and Management) from Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Uttaranchal. Looks after Conservation: Research and Training component.
	Technical support to our activities is provided by:
	Dr. Jack Croucher is a pioneer in livelihood promotion and enterprise based conservation and development in India. Jack has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in Common Property Resource Management. He is currently a senior advisor to AT India and deeply involved in fundraising for the organization and working on institutional sustainability.
	Dr. S P. Singh, Vice Chancellor (H.N.B. Garhwal University) contributes in an advisory capacity to AT India. His inputs have played a pivotal role in the evolution our program in the Garhwal Himalayas.
	Bhagat Singh Negi, an expert on sericulture, has also undergone extensive training in China on methods and processes of sericulture.
	Attar Singh Kaintura provides support to the beekeeping operations of ATI. Shri Kaintura is a trained apiculturist from the Central Bee Research and Training Institute Pune.
	Dr.Harikrishan Bagwari has a doctorate in forestry from the University of Garhwal and was working on various research and teaching assignments prior to his joining ATI.

Partners

AT India believes that partnerships are key to more effective and sustainable development programs. Over the past 6 years we have partnered with the Central Silk Board, Kumaon University, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University, Uttaranchal Forest Department, Department of Sericulture, PRADAN, as well as local Van Panchayats, and Mahila Mangal Dals. Currently we are also working with several NGOs in Uttaranchal such as:

• Prerna Bahudeshi, Ukhimath

• Jai Nanda Devi Swarojgar Shikshan Sansthan (Janadesh), Joshimath

• GRASS, Mayali

• Swaraj Bahudeshi Swayat Sahkari Samiti, Masta, Gupt Kashi

• Parwatiya Niyojan & Vikas Sansthan

• CHIRAG

Funders

AT India is grateful to the following former and current Funders who support its activities at the field level:

• Biodiversity Conservation Network

• The Ford Foundation

• Small Industries Develoment Bank of India

• The Central Silk Board

• The United Nations Develoment Program

• India Canada Environment Facility

• Government of Uttaranchal – Department of Sericulture

• US Agency for International Development (USAID)

• Sir Ratan Tata Trust, Mumbai

• The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

• The International Fund for Agriculture and Development (IFAD)

• The World Bank