Towards Green Villages: A refresher workshop on sustainable villages
(New Delhi, February 12- 16, 2008)

The questions we will raise…

Why do some villages remain poor despite execution of development programmes? Why is the high growth in the Indian economy not translating into prosperous villages? Why is the gross national produce (GNP) not an indicator of real wealth? Why is the Gross Nature Produce (GNP) an answer to sustainable villages? Why will the conventional development model not make villages poverty-free? How is a poverty line created? How can the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) be used to eradicate poverty?

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi, announces a five-day refresher workshop on how to use the environment to eradicate poverty in rural India.

For more than two decades, CSE’s research and advocacy experiences show that India’s poverty is ecological in nature. We have to regenerate our ecology to eradicate our poverty. Many villages have done this. CSE has been studying their experiences.

The refresher workshop seeks to learn from these village experiences and put in place a framework for sustainable villages. This highly interactive course designed to clarify the linkages between environment and poverty and also demonstrate its feasibility through a 2-day field trip to the village of Bunga in Haryana. This village has been successfully able to draw lessons from Sukhomajri, a neighbouring village that pioneered in watershed management and created sustainable livelihoods. In addition to experienced CSE staff, the course faculty includes eminent development experts.

THE COURSE
Understanding India’s biomass economy
Eco-systems, land use and livelihoods: Linkages
Rainfed areas in crisis: Food security
Spectre of jobless growth: Chronic, concentrated poverty
Key indicators: Environment and poverty linkages
Poverty eradication programmes: A critique
Ecological opportunities, economic value
Decentralised governance: Ecology, Panchayati Raj
Ecological Act: The promise of NREGA, experiences
How to evaluate development effectiveness of NREGA
Case studies: Community-led village eco-restoration
Workshops: How to harvest rainwater? Prepare a detailed roadmap on how to create sustainable livelihoods using local ecology
Field trip: “Bunga, Haryana” A 2-day visit to Bunga village in Haryana, exploring ways to sustainable livelihood.
METHODOLOGY
The highly interactive workshop has four components: classroom sessions by CSE resource persons, invited lectures by eminent development experts, hands-on activities, and a 2-day field trip to Bunga, Haryana.
Each day of the workshop has a specific theme, related guest lectures and homework for participants

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This course is aimed at development practitioners, NGOs, grassroots activists, rural development agencies/institutions, students/academics, among others.

To Apply online
 http://www.cseindia.org/aagc/tgv.asp

A certificate of participation will be awarded to all participants

Last date for receiving applications is February 4, 2008

VENUE

Anil Agarwal Green College
38, Tughlakabad Institutional Area (Behind CSE building)
New Delhi - 110062

COURSE FEES

The course fees (payable in advance) of Rs. 8000 (Rs. 5000 only for Indian NGOs, academics and international students, Rs 1500 for Indian students,) includes instructional course fees, training manual, lunch and refreshments. All costs of the 2-day field trip are also included. The fee does not include travel to and from Delhi, local travel, accommodation or dinner..
Please send the fee by demand draft or cheque, in favour of ‘Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi’.
We will be unable to refund the fee unless the notice of withdrawal is received by us 15 days prior to the start of the course.

CSE can help arrange accommodation for participants (at cost)

CONTACT PERSON

Neha Sakhuja
Research Associate, NRML Unit
Centre for Science and Environment
41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi-110062
Phone: 91-11-29955124/6110/6394/6399 (Ext: 225)
Fax: 91-11-29955879
E-mail:  neha at cseindia.org

or

Aditya Batra at  aditya at cseindia.org