International Learning Exchange 2023 Builds Hope For Forest Communities

Forests play a central role in diverting climate change, natural disasters, and food shortages, and maintaining the intrinsic biodiversity required to keep intact the complex ecosystems of forestlands. One of the important components of this ecosystem is the forest dwelling and forest proximate communities’ support in maintaining conservation practices that preserve a cover of an estimated 21 per cent of all land on Earth covered via forests, according to the report released by the ICCA Consortium. 

Yet, these forest-dwelling communities have not always had the value of their presence and work recognised by either civic bodies or the government. To move away from this narrative trajectory in India, the government has made provisions such as the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 which “encompasses Rights of Self-cultivation and Habitation” approving self-sustaining forest activities as well as working with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Settlement Act, 2013 to protect the tribal population from eviction without rehabilitation and settlement.

However, these attempts have been slow processing and an entanglement among the stakeholders and communities have not been unknotted completely. To bring up the voices from these communities and build a multi-stakeholder partnership, the Bharti School of Public Policy, ISB launched the first edition of ‘International Learning Exchange 2023’ (ILE 2023), in partnership with the Policy and Development Advisory Group, Society for Rural, Urban and Tribal Initiative, Vasundhara, and AJK Mass Communication Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia.

The attendees at the event hailed from communities from different states and different parts of the globe, government departments, corporate, media and academic institutions. During the course of ILE 2023, community leaders and women pioneers discussed the gaps that exist among the stakeholders entrusted with the protection of forests and the people who depend on these forests for their livelihood and survival, and the specific conditions they have faced when dealing with intricate operational challenges. 

Another key component often found amiss with the implementation of the FRA deals with pastoral communities. As per a representative from Uttarakhand, there is little recognition of the Van Gujjars which is a nomadic pastoral community that practices seasonal migration and rotational grazing. Many such communities have yet to benefit from the FRA. 

While the event focused on the existing gaps accounted for by various stakeholders from communities, government, industry and academia, it also made an attempt to streamline a way forward for these communities by developing multi-stakeholder partnerships. Presenting beacons of inspiration and women empowerment, the ILE 2023 saw four women leaders spanning Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan. These women shared their stories of how their actions and relentless drive shaped and improved the rights of their local forests as well as the communities. This learning exchange also expanded its reach from showcasing ideas just from communities, to also bringing prominence to journalists who have been intrinsic in promoting the value of forest rights.

As part of its event roster, the ILE 2023 hosted a media roundtable with prominent journalists and media personnel who have established themselves through their extensive coverage of forest issues and opportunities. Their discussion encompassed the need and value of building an immense repository of stories from these local people, not only covering the problems they face but also stories of hope and inspiration to bring communities out of a one-dimensional representation that is sensationalised by the media. 

The crescendo of this boisterous three-day event occurred with a festive show of unity among communities, hailing from a multitude of communities across India as well as representatives from Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, Malaysia, Nepal, Indonesia and Brazil, as they got together to sing, dance, and play music together, to show a momentum of hope and solidarity.