RACHNA

RACHNA is helping local communities in developing and implementing annual community-based conservation and climate risk reduction work plans to ensure effective conservation of the sites/ micro-watersheds where it is promoting rural tourism.

Village communities are getting trainings to gather data, in collaboration with experts and government officials, on biodiversity; water; forests; soil; and local traditions/social norms related to conservation. The data gathering process is empowering local people, especially women, to do objective analysis of the status of their natural resources to prepare a holistic work plan for the preservation of their watersheds. The conservation and climate risk reduction plans will include activities such as alternative energy sources and devices for cooking, setting-up of women managed plant nurseries and plantation of fodder and fuel wood plants, adaptation of new crops, and conservation of local water sources. The program supports local communities to build synergistic partnership with NGOs, businesses and the government to implement their annual work plans.

To facilitate the planning and implementation process and to make it lasting, RACHNA helps communities in developing a watershed level association and establishing a watershed conservation fund by mobilizing government programs, revenues and donations from the visitors, and establishing partnerships with green businesses as well as responsible corporations, institutions and concerned citizens.