Livelihoods

The livelihood of the people living around the IFAP sites has been heavily dependent on natural resources. Most people are engaged in primary sectors of production such as agriculture and fishing or in labor intensive occupations.
For majority of the people residing around Keti Bunder, Keenjhar and Chotiari, fishing is the main source of income. This is followed by farming or agricultural activities either on their own land or as farm labor. In Pai Forest, the majority is involved in agricultural activities followed by livestock farming. Traditionally majority of the people were engaged in cattle farming but over the years due to reduction in water resources, pastures and forests, agricultural activities have gained prominence in this site. A small proportion of the population in Chotiari and Keenjhar sites are also involved in livestock farming.
However, over the years the people in these areas have been facing substantial loss of incomes due to depletion/degradation of natural resources. This has been mainly as a result of mismanagement of natural resources which includes factors such as:

• Illegal hunting of wildlife
• Invasive species
• Encroachment over natural biota
• Lack of good governance
• Lack of awareness about wise use of natural resources
• Ill-managed protected areas
• Soil degradation
• Lack of a sense of ownership
• Encroachment of forest lands
• Over-exploitation of fisheries


As a result of the above people have been forced to seek alternative means of livelihood and local women have taken to craft production, embroidery, weaving fishing nets, collecting wild grass and so forth to supplement household income However, in most cases families have had to resort to selling their livestock or obtaining loans, which has further pushed them down the poverty spiral.