Dependence of Livestock Rearers on Common Lands - A Scoping Study

This study is a review of the Good Practice documentation by SA PPLPP, supplemented with desk research on emerging issues and macro perspectives, field visits to Rajasthan, Gujarat and Odisha, and meetings with experts and practitioners working on issues related to community management of common lands. The study, in particular, focuses on the linkages between common lands and smallholder livestock rearing, and livelihoods supported by the commons.

The report comprises three sections. The first section – “Commons, livestock and livelihoods: Findings from desk research” - positions CPRs-Livestock-Livelihoods trends against a historical perspective and highlights the contribution of CPRs to this changing livelihood scenario. This is the back-drop against which the key findings and learning from the SA PPLPP documentation is subsequently reviewed.

The second section of the study – “Review of CPR development projects and SA PPLPP documentation” - builds on the desk research with a limited number of visits to a few project areas to assess the situation on the ground with the help of community perceptions and insights of practitioners. The findings in this section are indicative of the potential for the development of common lands for fodder and the management options practised. This includes bio-physical changes, impact on livelihoods, and issues related to institutional management, equity and access to CPRs.

The third section on “Recommendations” makes a modest effort in bringing together various perspectives in livestock development and CPRs, and highlights the key linkages between livestock rearing and CPRs. A strong case is made for the protection, regeneration and sustainable use of common lands from a poverty reduction point of view. The section identifies the key challenges and suggests priority areas for policy advocacy in the coming years.

Author: Depinder Kapur

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