Ms. Arjumand Nizami in her presentation Forest Management in NWFP: Issue of Access and Benefit Sharing made a case for ensuring the meaningful participation of the marginalized communities by involving their experiences and knowledge at a strategic level. This will make certain that we have sustainable livelihood approach at policy making levels.
The livelihood approach not only gives better understanding of poverty but it also helps in building strategies which are pro poor and de-mystifies misconception about the participation of the stakeholders. On the basis of the DFID livelihood framework, ten different projects are running in Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. These follow strategies like identification of correct clients, setting of priorities, and working around those priorities in interest groups.
Shreekant Gupta from DSE, India in his presentation The Effect of Natural Resource availability on Women's time Allocation decisions in Rural India expressed his view that the greatest challenge facing India is improving the economic well being of 30% of its rural people who live in abject poverty, particularly women. Resource degradation forces rural households, especially women to spend more time in collection of natural resources. Spending time collecting resources such as water and firewood—which are essential commodities for these households means that they will have less time for income generating activities.
Nizamuddin Nizamani, in his presentation Share of Native Balochs in Balochistan's Natural Resources and Prosperity elaborated on how Balochistan though conflict ridden, being rich in natural resources remains an important territory of Pakistan. Balochistan remains an impoverished province with the lowest per capita income as compared to other provinces in Pakistan. Disparity in income and distribution of resources have brought about upheavals and insurgencies in the province during the last few decades. He recommended that the federal government and other stakeholders should ensure that people get their rightful and legal share of natural resources.
Ismail Khan in his presentation entitled Case Studies of Access Benefit Sharing in Northern Areas, highlighted concerns at the international and national levels about the fair and equitable benefit sharing of genetic resources and the need to acknowledge the traditional knowledge of indigenous communities. The process of globalization and mutual economic dependencies demands frameworks and mechanisms to regulate access and procurement of genetic resources in a way that would ensure prior informed consent and sharing of benefit to the country or community, from where resource is extracted.
The process of ‘globalization' and ‘change' witnessed in the South Asian region has carried both positive and negative impacts. The Karakoram Highway opened a number of avenues in trade. Nonetheless, there have been negative effects of unanticipated and unplanned developments. The cultural and indigenous knowledge base has seen a decline, with local languages and traditional dietary and health practices being effected. Social, physical and economic development witness diminishing local tradition, customs and livelihood practices. Now that entrepreneurs and middle men are buying certain indigenous resources from mountain farmers, these farmers are finding themselves hard pressed between their food and livelihood security. There are also companies competing to seek more control over the supply and extraction rights.
The session was chaired by Anwar Naseem from COMSTECH. Gul Najam Jami as the discussant pointed out that sustainable natural resource management in Pakistan lacks planning. It is also essential to draw policy relevant conclusions. Natural resources such as natural gas in Balochiastan or medicinal plants in the northern areas should be used in a sustainable manner and keeping in mind the concerns of local communities.
Reported by Mehnaz Ajmal Paracha
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