Title: Livelihood Strategy and Implementation Plan
KeyWords: Livelihood Activities, Value Chain Analysis, Piloting of livelihood sub-projects, Product Development, Marketing in Sikkim
Year of Publication: 2020
ISSN No: NA
Author Name: WWF
Details:
Executive summary
The SECURE Himalaya project aims to support the Government of India and State Governments to effectively promote sustainable land and forest management in alpine pastures and forests in high range Indian Himalayan ecosystems that secure sustainable livelihoods and ensures conservation of globally significant biodiversity and threatened species.
The project would be implemented over a period of five years in the high altitude trans-Himalayan region and has the following major outcomes:
1. Improved management of high range Himalayan landscapes for conservation of Snow Leopard and other endangered species and their habitats and sustaining ecosystem services;
2. Improved and diversified livelihood strategies and improved capacities of community and government institutions for sustainable natural resource management and conservation;
3. Enhanced enforcement, monitoring and cooperation to reduce wildlife crime and related threats;
4. Effective knowledge management and information systems established for promotion of sustainable management practices in the High range Himalayan ecosystems.
In Sikkim, the SECURE Himalaya’s geographic focus is around the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve covering both North and West District. These areas are important habitats for the enigmatic snow leopard, which is at the center of the project. 27 villages have been identified in the two districts, which shall be the main areas for project implementation. In this report a total of 25 villages have been listed as some of the villages were merged in secondary data.
The following are the villages, which have been merged in the Livelihood Plans and the Pilot documents. In North district Thangu has been merged with Lachen and listed as “Lachen-Thangu” while Theng and Chungthang are merged into “Theng-Chungthang”. Similarly in Upper Dzongu, Tholung and Pentong have also been merged into Bay-Pentong.
The first section of the report outlines the socio- economic situation of the identified villages drawing from the village level community discussions, PRA exercises and the data from the household level baseline study that was conducted. The current livelihood options that communities in the village are engaged form a part of the first section, along with the various challenges, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. The various programmes that are ongoing in the villages have also been mapped along with the presence of Government Departments, and other organisations at a cluster level.
The second section of the report focuses on the 5 livelihood pilots and the strategies that have been outlined for the villages. These have been arrived at through many consultations with relevant stakeholders at the village, district and state level. The value chain of each of the pilots have also been mapped and the strategies have been written to address issues and challenges along the value chain. Details of the villages where each of these strategies could be implemented is also provided. M and E plans for each sector have also been developed.