Environment and Climate Change

Northern Chhattisgarh’s tribals face climate challenges; Chaupal promotes sustainable resource management and community‑led, climate‑resilient livelihoods.

Northern Chhattisgarh is characterized by dense forests and a large population of Adivasi communities whose livelihoods are closely linked to forests, land, and water resources. However, increasing climate variability, degradation of natural resources, and limited institutional support have made forest-dependent communities more vulnerable. Forest degradation, frequent wildfires, loss of indigenous species and decreasing volume of NTFP (e.g. Tendu Patta, Mahua) further weaken ecosystem resilience and livelihoods. Shifts in monsoon patterns have disrupted traditional farming, especially for smallholders reliant on paddy and millets. The resulting livelihood insecurity, malnutrition, and ecological decline highlight a need for community-led, climate-resilient governance and sustainable resource management.

Projects

The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 recognizes the rights of forest-dwelling communities over Community Forest Resources (CFRs) and entrusts Gram Sabhas with the responsibility to protect wildlife, conserve biodiversity, and sustainably manage forest resources. Despite this legal recognition, many communities face challenges in effectively exercising these rights due to limited awareness, technical capacity, and systems for decentralized forest governance.

Chaupal’s environment and climate initiatives focus on strengthening community-led forest governance and sustainable natural resource management. Throughout northern Chhattisgarh districts, the organization is mobilizing more than 200 Gram Sabhas where CFR rights have been recognized, facilitating the formation and strengthening of Community Forest Resource Management Committees (CFRMCs). Through awareness generation, participatory planning, and GIS-based mapping of traditional boundaries and forest resources, Gram Sabhas are supported in preparing and implementing CFR conservation and management plans. These plans guide community-led activities such as soil and water conservation, nursery development and plantation of indigenous species, wildfire prevention, sustainable harvesting of non-timber forest produce, revival of traditional forest protection systems such as Thengapalli, and improved management of grazing areas and water bodies. Chaupal aims to enable 200 Gram Sabhas to conserve and sustainably manage at least 5000 hectares of community forest resources, strengthening biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and livelihood security for Adivasi communities in northern Chhattisgarh.

The GROW+ supported Climate Action initiative aims to strengthen Chaupal’s institutional capacity while advancing community-led climate resilience and sustainable natural resource management in northern Chhattisgarh. The project focuses on integrating a climate action perspective into Chaupal’s ongoing work with Adivasi communities, Gram Sabhas, and Community Forest Resource Management Committees (CFRMCs), enabling communities to better conserve forests, manage natural resources, and adapt to climate change impacts. A key component of the project is strengthening organizational and human resource capacity to lead climate action initiatives, especially on climate action frameworks, forest conservation, soil and water management, and sustainable resource governance. The initiative also promotes community-led conservation and regeneration of forest landscapes. Through workshops, knowledge-sharing platforms, and collaboration with government departments and civil society organizations, Gram Sabhas are supported in protecting and managing their Community Forest Resources. Activities such as seed ball campaigns across CFR areas, forest regeneration efforts, and improved management of forest resources contribute to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration. By building stronger institutional foundations alongside community-level climate action, the GROW+ initiative enables Chaupal to scale and sustain its work on climate resilience, forest governance, and sustainable livelihoods for Adivasi communities in northern Chhattisgarh