Frequent concern has been expressed regarding the degradation—or even the ‘vanishing’—of pastures and common grazing lands in rural communities. Yet the protection of existing pastures and the regeneration of degraded grazing land has often been neglected. This has become a silent crisis, weakening the foundation of sustainable livelihoods in many villages. Hence, any effort to prioritize pasture regeneration and improvement, while involving rural communities, is highly desirable.
Seva Mandir, a voluntary organization working in South Rajasthan, has placed great emphasis on regenerating pastures and prioritizing community-based protection of common lands. In 2023, this work was honored with the Elinor Ostrom Award, a prestigious global recognition for excellence in commons governance. Since 1985, Seva Mandir (SM) has also helped develop shared uncultivable private lands, enabling families to grow fodder and minor forest produce. This has, in turn, motivated villagers to develop community pastures.
Jhadol Block of Udaipur district is a key region where the development and regeneration of numerous pastures has been undertaken. Over time, significant experience has accumulated among field and community workers who have collaborated closely with villagers.
As Bhanvar Singh of SM, who has been at the forefront of these efforts, explains:
“In our area, 67 pastures have been taken up for development and regeneration, covering approximately 1,000 hectares. This achievement must be seen in the context of the planning and care involved in the proper regeneration of any village pasture. There has to be sustained dialogue with villagers over a long period. The sensitivities of many people must be taken into account. Therefore, initial planning and resolving conflict issues can take a long time, even before the actual development work starts.”
One major reason why preparation can take time is that, in most cases, there are illegal encroachments on pasture land, usually by more powerful and influential individuals. Removing such encroachments is understandably difficult. Yet community members working together in committees have succeeded in clearing encroachments in one pasture after another. A notable achievement of these Seva Mandir initiatives is that permanent hostility has been avoided and settlements have been reached without violence. This reflects a high degree of trust between SM and community members, as well as within village community organizations.
A more complex dilemma arises when an encroachment is found to involve a poorer household. One example shared was of such an encroachment being removed as per rules—since rules must be the same for everyone—but the affected family was assisted in other ways to compensate for the loss. Similar approaches could be developed as a general practice.
Once conflicts are resolved, villagers become ready for the actual regeneration work—creating boundaries, digging trenches for rainwater conservation, preparing pits for tree plantation, followed by planting, and finally caring for the trees and maintaining other interventions. Those involved recognize that all three stages are crucial: planning and conflict resolution, implementation, and follow-up care.
At the heart of this success is the creation of strong community organizations in SM’s work area. Without earlier efforts at community mobilization and building trust—including creating village development committees—it would have been extremely difficult to smoothly resolve conflict or enforce removal of encroachments.
Successfully regenerated pastures help ensure easier availability of fodder, strengthening animal husbandry-based livelihoods and reducing drudgery, especially for women. Water and moisture conservation also gain significantly. Together, these improvements lay the foundation for more sustainable livelihoods and contribute to climate resilience and adaptation, and to some extent even mitigation.
However, the full potential of pasture regeneration will be realized only if it is integrated into a broader environmental protection and sustainable livelihood strategy. Currently, many villagers are reducing animal husbandry activity as bullocks are rapidly being replaced by tractors, and dairy development remains limited. Additional challenges arise from keeping only cows while discarding bullocks.
If an innovative model can be developed—linked to natural farming, village-based food and milk processing, and close partnerships with urban consumers seeking healthy food—then, combined with pasture regeneration and water conservation, it could create far more promising livelihoods for present-day small farmers as well as the younger generation. Such a model would offer space for creativity and innovation, providing opportunities for youth to apply their education and computer skills, particularly in marketing. At the same time, promoting natural farming and greatly reducing fossil-fuel dependence would make the initiative highly relevant for climate adaptation and mitigation.
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The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Planet in Peril, A Day in 2071, Man Over Machine and Protecting Earth for Children
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