Pachgaona small village in Maharashtra, India, has experienced an extraordinary transformation. From an impoverished community dependent on seasonal migration, it has transformed into a thriving economic centrethanks to a precious resource: bamboo.
This incredible success story began with obtaining ownership rights to the forest surrounding the village. Thanks to the Forest Rights Act of 2006, the residents of Pachgaon were able to claim ownership of over 1,000 hectares of forest landonce controlled by the forest department.
“Earlier, the forest was with the forest department. But now he is with us,” he explained to The Migration Story Sanjay Gajanan Gopanwarmember of the Gram Sabha, the village council. “We have formulated 115 rules on how to expand, nourish and protect it.”
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The community decided to exploit the wealth of bamboo present in the forest to start a commercial activity. The villagers, led by the activist Vijay Dethethey learned to cut, grade and sell bamboo, turning it into a stable source of income.
“As long as you depend on the government for everything, you won’t be able to create your own jobs,” Dethe explained. “Forest-based livelihood was the right way“.
The success of the company exceeded all expectations. In the last financial year, the bamboo business generated a profit of more than $40,000creating jobs and halting migration to cities.
“The day we received the documents (on forest rights) was a celebration,” he said Vinod Ramswaroop Tekama villager. “We were overwhelmed. We were now 100% certain that the forest was truly ours.”
The profits generated by the business are reinvested in the community. The Gram Sabha finances the construction of houses, supports the education of youth and promotes gender equality by ensuring equal pay between men and women. “Now we have equal wages, which helps us“, he said Jaishree Tarache Atramwho previously worked as a seasonal migrant.
A community management model
Pachgaon’s success is largely due to community management of the forest. The Gram Sabha, comprising all the villagers, takes decisions democratically, ensuring that the benefits of the activity are shared equally among all members of the community.
“When the villagers received forest rights, the first thing they did was to establish rules and regulations on how they would use their forest,” he said Pravin Motea forest governance researcher. “They created a forest conservation methodology.”
The Gram Sabha has instituted norms for bamboo cutting, job allocation, wages, wildlife protection and resource management. Furthermore, has started a reforestation program to ensure the long-term sustainability of the business.
Despite its success, Pachgaon still faces some challenges. The community is aware of the need to diversify their activities and find new markets for bamboo. Furthermore, it is important to ensure that forest management remains sustainable in the long term.
The people of Pachgaon are confident that they can overcome these challenges and continue to thrive with their forest. “Our next generation will live here,” he said Gajanan Themkea villager. “What if they can’t find work elsewhere? They would always have the forest business.”
