Felicitated farmers with medals and other materials provided to them to aid their sarus conservation activities
Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh, December 29, 2017: In order to acknowledge the stellar efforts of local farmers for sarus crane conservation in eastern Uttar Pradesh, a felicitation event was organised in Nichlaul Forest Range Campus, Maharajganj Forest Division under the aegis of Wildlife Trust of India’s (WTI) Sarus Habitat Securement Project earlier today.
Twenty-six farmers from the Maharajganj and Kushinagar districts were the stars of the event, having protected the nests of the sarus crane, the world’s tallest flying bird, on their agricultural lands and small wetlands. A total of 138 sarus nests were identified and monitored under WTI’s project in 2017.
In recognition of their conservation efforts the farmers were each presented a medal, a certificate of appreciation, an umbrella and a torch by the Chief Guest Mr Kuruvilla Thomas, Chief Conservator of Forests, Gonda Forest Circle. A leaflet with a pictorial profile of all 26 farmers was also released on the occasion by Mr Thomas.
The support of farmers is crucial if the sarus crane is to survive in the matrix of agricultural lands and wetlands in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The support of farmers is crucial if the sarus, which is also the State Bird of Uttar Pradesh, is to survive in the matrix of agricultural lands and wetlands in the state. WTI has been working since 2013 with farmers and other grassroots-level stakeholders in 10 districts in eastern UP – Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Deoria, Siddarthnagar, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Pratapgarh, Faizabad and Barabanki – to conserve the species and its habitat through community participation. As per a count done in 2017 by the village-level Sarus Protection Committees constituted under the project, there were more than 1800 sarus cranes in these districts.
Mr Thomas praised the farmers for their efforts for the protection and conservation of sarus cranes and highlighted the importance of eco-friendly agricultural practices as well as the sustainable and wise use of wetland resources by farmers, local people and government and non-government stakeholders. He emphasised the need for joint initiatives within a framework of community institutions for the long-term conservation of the species as well as the management of wetland ecosystems.
Mr Kuruvilla Thomas, Chief Conservator of Forests, Gonda Circle, felicitating one of the farmers
“Village level Sarus Protection Committees and local farmers help protect the species against poaching, besides supporting sarus population counts as well as nest monitoring and protection activities”, said Arshad Hussain, Assistant Manager at WTI and point-person for the field implementation of the project, which is supported by Tata Trusts. “This is the third successive year that we have organised an event to honour farmers”, said Mr Hussain.
Other dignitaries who graced the occasion included Mr Manish Singh, Divisional Forest Officer, Maharajganj Forest Division; Mr Anil Dixit, Assistant Conservator of Forests; Mr Ashok Chandra, Range Forest Officer, Nichlaul; and Mr Imteyaz Ahmad Siddiqi, Range Officer, Madhwaliya.
