Role
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Implementation of the Forest Rights act, 2006 for recognition of rights of the pastoralist communities of the Indian state of Telangana.

What We do
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The Centre for Pastoralism (CfP) works across India on collaborative programs to enhance pastoralist livelihood security, gain mainstream recognition of livestock breeds developed by pastoralists, explore ways of securing their access to grazing resources, promote research to enhance understanding of pastoral systems and undertake outreach to educate society on pastoralism and its many contributions. In advancing these goals, CfP works in close partnership with civil society, academia, government agencies and the private sector.

• CfP is a Sahjeevan initiative that emerged from Sahjeevan’s 2016 Living Lightly: Journeys with Pastoralists Exhibition Sahjeevan’s work on pastoralism in Kachchh, Gujarat over the past two decades has enjoyed a number of successes, and CfP was set up with the idea of expanding this work outside of Gujarat, in the rest of India.
• WASSAN (The Watershed Support Services and Activities Network), a national level non-profit organization works with the rainfed farming and pastoralist communities, civil society organizations, research institutes, and government institutions for bringing in prosperity and ecological security of rainfed areas. Small holder farmers, farm workers, women and tribal communities are in focus.
• CONARE (Conservation of Nature through Rural Awakening – CONARE) was founded in the year 1999 by a group of socially concerned and committed people with an aim to facilitate socio-economic and cultural development of the most marginalized and deprived communities. Since inception the approaches towards the holistic development of the communities has been taken up through the collective actions. CONARE is based at Nagarkurnool District of Telangana State in India and geographically reaching to the communities in Nagarkurnool, Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy Districts by its interventions.

About the Project
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Implementation of the forest rights act, 2006 (FRA, 2006), for recognition of traditional rights of the pastoralist communities of the Indian state of Telangana: This project is designed to build capacities, of the pastoral communities depending on commons and forests, including the protected areas (including the Amarabad Tiger Reserve and other wildlife sanctuaries) in Telangana state. The project envisions to help the pastoralist communities of the state to reclaim their customary rights on commons, forests and other natural resources and establish their traditional existence for generations to come.

About the Role
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State Coordinator’s (SC) role is an integral part and vital for smooth functioning of the present project. SC is expected to coordinate among the different organisations and team of at least 5 members on a regular basis. The job is stationed at CONARE office based out of Atchampet town, Nagarkurnool district, Telangana. The role requires frequent travel to remote locations inside the forests and protected areas of the two districts of Nagarkurnool and Nalgonda of Telangana. The travel often involves driving extensively over rough terrains and inclement weather conditions.

The role requires developing a deep understanding of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 in the context of mobile pastoralism; however, this can be developed over time but a basic orientation of the FRA 2006, before joining the project is expected. It requires one to work quite closely with pastoral communities belonging to the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), other scheduled tribes, scheduled castes, and other traditional forest dwelling communities (OTFD) in the two project districts of the state. The position requires to maintain objectivity and have respect and sensitivity to the culture, aspirations, needs, livelihoods, and practices of the local communities.