The population of GIB in India was 1,260 in 1969 and it has become a critically endangered species with total population of just around 150.
As India is struggling to save the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) from extinction, women have come out as a significant part of a conservation effort in Kutch of Gujarat to develop grassland in the region, which is the habitat of the bird. Habitat degradation is one of the major reasons of the plummeting number of the GIB. Gujarat currently has six GIB individuals.
Women’s role in the conservation effort was highlighted at a side event of the ongoing United Nations 13th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP13) at Mahatma Mandir here. GIB is the mascot of the convention, which India is hosting for the first time. The side event was organised by Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) on the theme of ‘Women Farmers as Custodians of CMS’.
One of the speakers on the panel for the subject was Devesh Gadhavi who is part of the GIB conservation effort of an NGO in Kutch district through development of grasslands in the region. He said, “We believe that women are the first teacher as mothers. We are taking support of women for the conservation of GIB.”
The population of GIB in India was 1,260 in 1969 and it has become a critically endangered species with total population of just around 150. The region is also habitat of two other endangered bird species, Lesser Florican and MacQueen’s Bustard.
Gadhvi said that loss of grassland is the main reason for the near loss of GIB and therefore, they are promoting development of grassland in the region which has been encroached upon by wild weed called Proposis. “So to remove Proposis and replace it with grass, we decided to take help of the community. In grassland development, seed collection is very important which men cannot do as it happens after first rain when men would be occupied in farming. Therefore, the role of women is very important and we requested the women of a village (Kanakpar) for timely harvest of grass seed,” said Gadhvi.
Gadhvi further said that the women agreed and started collection of grass seeds for the past two years. Now, from a plot of land of around 40 acres, they manage their grass seed bank and the grassland remains sustainable.
“The benefit of this is that when grazing grounds are decreasing everywhere, for this village it has become sustainable,” Gadhvi said. During the event, women from different projects of SEWA also presented their cases while highlighting the fact that women are playing pivotal role in everyday life that helps conservation of the ecology.
One such woman, Rajiben Parmar, is a rag-picker from Ahmedabad and leads an organisation of rag-picking women. She said that how women rag-pickers’ work of collecting plastics, wires, metal objects, etc. help keep the environment cleaner and prevents animals like cow from consuming such objects.
A woman salt pan worker from Surendranagar district, Manguben Jaga, said how use of solar energy through solar pumps by women was helping in improving the local ecology by reducing voice and air pollution.
The discussion was chaired by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests of Himachal Pradesh, Dr Savita.