Bhopal,
The training programme on Community Resource Management for Women Scientists sponsored by Department of Scientist & Technology, Govt. of India was inaugurated at Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal on Monday. The programme was attended by 15 senior women scientists from different government institutes of India.
Speaking on the occasion, Director, IIFM, Dr. Pankaj Shrivastava, IFS referred to the living planet report and expressed his concern regarding the pressure on various species of flora and fauna which is causing food change and ecological systems at stake.
He also mentioned about the subsequent challenges for the human race and need for focusing anthropogenic factors to address this forthcoming challenge. Further to that, he quoted that infinite growth cannot be expected in the word of finite resources and for that reason community resource management is one of the biggest challenge. He also expressed the need for joining hands across disciplines to address the issue of resource management with the participation of communities.
Subsequently, chief guest of the occasion, Shri S.K. Bansal, Chief General Manager NABARD addressed the participants. He focused on women empowerment and skill upgradation of women and rural youth for taking the government of India’s skill development mission ahead. He acquainted the participants with the NABARD’s initiative of Self Help Groups for women around three decades back and focused on group dynamic and behaviour of people as the crucial factors for bringing people together and empowering them.
He said that the collective learning of managing business is best taken care of by giving importance to capacity building of women as they play a crucial role in resource conservation as they are the better community mobilisers. He also stressed upon economic empowerment of women through capacity building which will automatically lead to social empowerment.
The programme will continue for five days till 19th July 2019 and will have sessions on sustainable development goals, collaborative forest management, sustainable livelihood, community leadership, wildlife management, climate change and adaptation and many other areas related to community resource management.
The programme will also include field visit to community areas in the vicinity of Bhopal. The programme is being directed by Dr. Amitabh Pandey and Dr. Parul Rishi, faculty at Indian Institute of Forest Management.