Appraisal of natural resoueces and socio-economic endowment of Laporia Village - a participatory GIS approach
Student name: Ms Anushree Singh
Guide: Dr Mala Narang Reddy
Year of completion: 2009
Host Organisation: Division of Agricultural Physics, Indian Agricultural Research Institute
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr Debashis Chakraborty
Abstract: The study aims to monitor the current status of natural resources along with socio-economic condition of the people in Laporia village, Dudu block, Jaipur district, Rajasthan through application of geoinformatics tools and participatory approach in order to evolve suitable options for sustaining its natural resource base and improving the livelihood of the people. A detailed household socio-economic survey of people in the village was carried out giving special emphasis on capturing the decision making process of the community people through participatory approach. The biophysical aspects of the area in its present state were monitored using GIS tools. Validation of the GIS and resource map was done visually and was found that the people are quite aware of their natural resources and have sufficient knowhow of their sustained utilization. The survey revealed that people in Laporia live in intense poverty and have only subsistence livelihood though animal rearing and marginal farming activities. The soil maps generated through GIS indicates that the production potential is not satisfactory and soils in some parts of the village are not suitable for good crop harvest. Lack of rainfall and its ill distribution are major constraints leading to more soil degradation and consequently low crop productivity in the area. Though the NGO GVNML, working in the village, has made tremendous attempt in conserving the water through many indigenously fabricated systems including unique water harvesting structures (‘chauka’ system) to reduce the acute water scarcity, especially in lean months, consolidated efforts are required to strengthen the initiatives of the NGO and the local people through more scientific and technological interventions. The development taken place only through the indigenous knowledge of the villagers that has helped in conservation of natural resources, needs also to be explored to find out possible scientific reasons so as to apply the same elsewhere.
Keywords- natural resources, income groups, participatory GIS, decision making, indigenous knowledge
