The agenda available is as on 26th August 2024, and is being updated as we approach the convening. The final agenda will be available at the event.
Registration
Opening Ceremony
Plenary 1.1 Changemakers for Commons: Celebrating and Learning from their Journeys
This session showcases community leaders who blend local wisdom with modern practices to protect and conserve shared environments. Learn how they use local knowledge, foster collective action, and balance conservation with community needs. Discover insights for living in balance with nature and building resilient communities.
Speakers
Anup Ranjan Pandey, Chhattisgarh
Chami Murmu, Jharkhand
Devaji Tofa, Maharashtra
Jishudan Dishari, Odisha
Sarjubai Meena, Rajasthan
Usha Rajagopalan, Karnataka
Y Nuklu Phom, Nagaland
Moderator: Sudarshan Iyengar, Chairperson, Foundation for Ecological Security; Scholar of Gandhian Studies and Former Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith
Coffee Break & Networking
Plenary 1.2 Leaving No One Behind: Catalysing Commons for SDG Acceleration
Contextualising the management and restoration of Commons within the SDGs framework highlights the interconnected nature of sustainable development. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasise inclusivity and the principle of ‘Leave No One Behind’. The SDGs framework is integral to guiding evidencebased decision-making on development at both national and subnational levels. The session will emphasise the need for coordinated strategies to tackle climate change, social justice, and poverty alleviation through effective governance of the Commons. It will also explore the possibilities of including indicators that highlight key data on commons and impact on the SDGs in the current National Indicator Framework.
Speakers
Dinesh Marothia, President, Indian Society of Agricultural Economics
Muniraju S.B., Deputy Advisor, NITI Aayog
Rajesh S, IFS, Inspector General of Forest, MoEFCC
Ranjan Kumar Ghosh, Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad
Zeenat Niazi, Chief Advisor, Circular Economy and Climate Resilience Programs, Development Alternatives
Moderator: Isabelle Tschan, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP
Lunch
Panel 1.1 A Community Forestry: The Missing Link in SDG Pathways?
India’s community forest management, supported by the Forest Rights Act 2006, acknowledges customary rights and village governance. However, governance methods and integration with SDGs need further exploration. This session aims to address how to link community forestry with SDGs, focusing on core concerns, responsibilities among different actors, and necessary processes. It will also explore the need for formalising these processes through directives from relevant ministries and potential amendments to existing laws.
Speakers
Abhinandan Saikia, Professor, TISS Guwahati
Arvind K. Jha, IFS, Former PCCF & DG (Social Forestry), Maharashtra
A B Ota, IAS (Retd), Director and Special Secretary, SCSTRTI & Odisha State Tribal Museum, Odisha
Tushar Dash, Independent Researcher, Odisha
Moderator: Geetanjoy Sahu, Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
Panel 1.1 B Commoning Governance of Surface & Groundwater: How Can This Address the SDGs?
The session aims to foster deliberation on different aspects of water governance, including the critical role of community stewardship, knowledge systems of local communities, the embeddedness of water in the ecosystem, and the desired shifts in policies and programmes to enable commoning. The discussions will highlight various initiatives towards commoning in practice, research, and policy and explore pathways for strengthening governance of water as commons towards addressing the various SDGs.
Speakers
Bishwadeep Ghose, Managing Trustee, Water for People
K. J. Joy, Senior Fellow, Society for Participating Ecosystem Management (SOPPECOM)
Pratul Saxena, Project Director, Atal Bhujal Yojana
Shraman Jha, Chief Executive Officer, Hindustan Unilever Foundation
Moderator: Anuj Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, Arghyam
Panel 1.1 C Area-Based Planning through Public Systems: A Way to Address SDGs at the Landscape-Scale
This session explores the potential of area-based planning in rural India as a powerful tool to address Sustainable Development Goals at the landscape scale. By tailoring strategies to the unique needs of distinct regions, area-based planning can drive localised progress, promote equitable resource distribution, and address climate change vulnerabilities. The session will highlight the significance of this approach, identify roadblocks, and discuss opportunities for integrating SDGs into public systems. Panelists will explore institutional frameworks and financing options to promote agroecology-based green local economies and foster collaborative action
Speakers
Ashwin Kulkarni, Director and Founder Trustee, Pragati Abhiyan
Nitin Khade, IAS, Joint Secretary, Department of Land Resources
Prashant Armorikar, Director, Watershed Development, National Rainfed Area Authority
Rabindra Kumar Singh, IFS (Retd.), Former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Head of Forest Force, Chhattisgarh
Venkatesh Tagat, Former Chief General Manager, NABARD
Moderator: Sudarshan Iyengar, Chairperson, Foundation for Ecological Security; Scholar of Gandhian Studies and Former Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith
Panel 1.1 D Connecting Climate Action and Commons: Policy Pathways, Opportunities, and Challenges
This session will focus on climate change from a policy perspective, with an emphasis on climate actions, Nationally Determined Contributions, and the management of commons. By integrating interdisciplinary perspectives on the commons, the discussion aims to enrich the climate discourse, especially as action agendas and financing strategies gain prominence both globally and locally. The session will bring together key stakeholders to explore these intersections within the Indian context. The goal is to highlight how these issues can be prioritised in policy-making, practice, academic research, and corporate governance agendas.
Speakers
Abhishek Jain, Director, Powering Livelihoods, Council on Energy, Environment and Water
Haripriya Gundimeda, Professor, IIT Bombay
Kumar Sambhav, Founder and Director, Land Conflict Watch
Ruchika Singh, Executive Program Director, Food, Land and Water, World Resources Institute India
Shailesh Nagar, Partner, Intellecap
Chair: Nitin Desai, Former Member of the Planning Commission; Former Under Secretary General, Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations
Panel 1.1 E Leveraging Data and Technology for Community-led Governance of Commons
This is the first session in a series of three on leveraging technology for community-led governance of the Commons. It aims to set out the ambition of what data/tech designed with communities for inclusive socialecological governance can look like. The panel will explore how information systems can accurately reflect local contexts and spur widespread civic action. It will further explore why principles of openness and shared ownership are essential for information systems.
Speakers
Ashwin Viswanath, Nature Conservation Foundation
Sarah Mishra, Senior Director, Reap Benefit Foundation
Shivangi Somvanshi, Center Head, Center for Applied Geomatics, CEPT Research & Development Foundation
S.K. Jha, Professor, IIT Bombay
Moderator: Aaditeshwar Seth, Professor, IIT Delhi
Coffee Break & Networking
Plenary 1.3 Women’s Leadership for Commons
This session focuses on women as equal citizens in envisioning and stewarding the future of Commons. We aim to delve into systemic barriers and historic gender inequity perpetuating denial of women the access to land rights, participation in resource and political governance, but most importantly, recognition of them as essential stewards of Commons ecosystems, beyond the users of these resources. The outcome of this session is to inform the Commons discourse on the need to embrace women’s leadership for Commons through identifying systemic policy opportunities and building partnerships for continuous engagement and action to advance women’s decision making around Commons.
Speakers
Chetna Gala Sinha, Founder, Mann Deshi Foundation & Mann Deshi Mahila Bank
Pradeep Mohan Chavan, Community Conservation Expert, Kalpavriksh
Shivani Gupta, Co-CEO, Womanity Foundation
Soma Kishore Parthasarathy, Independent Researcher and Policy Analyst
Moderator: Kanchi Kohli, Research and Educator
Launch of Publication “Our Commons”
Registration
Plenary 2.1 Connecting Samaaj, Sarkaar, Bazaar
This session will explore the need for a paradigm shift from top-down governance to community-led solutions to address global systemic failures. As global governance, financial systems, and geopolitical structures break down, the session will explore the importance of local, community-based governance to tackle issues like inequality, environmental degradation, and social disharmony. The discussion will cover aspects associated with an “unlearning” of siloed, unsystematic approaches and highlight the crucial role of strengthening local governance and community collaboration to realise the potential of Commons.
Speakers
Jahnvi Andharia, Director and Research Fellow, Institute of Social Studies Trust
Mekhala Krishnamurthy, Professor, Ashoka University
Thomas Isaac, Former Finance Minister, Kerala
Chair: Arun Maira, Former Member, Planning Commission of India; Former Chairman, Boston Consulting Group, India
Coffee Break & Networking
Roundtable 2.1 A Collaborating for FRA: Lessons from States
Speakers
A B Ota, IAS (Retd), Director and Special Secretary, SCSTRTI & Odisha State Tribal Museum, Odisha
Ashmita Kabra, Professor, Dr. Ambedkar University, Delhi
Chetna Latkar, BRLF
Manjeet Bal, Senior Programme Manager, Foundation for Ecological Security
Michael Islary, Senior Program Associate, World Resources Institute India
Rajendra Bharud, IAS, Commissioner, Tribal Research and Training Institute, Government of Maharashtra
Milind Thatte, Founder Director, TEER Foundation
Johnson Topno, Executive Director, PHIA Foundation
Uttam Kumar Sahoo, Deputy Director, TRTI, Odisha
Moderator: Sreetama Guptabhaya, UNDP
Panel 2.1 B Landscape Governance Partnerships: Role of MultiActor Platforms
This session introduces the Multi-Actor Platform (MAP) model as one approach to collaborative landscape governance, bridging critical gaps between community, government, and market actors. Panelists, who are also conveners of such initiatives, will explore how MAPs facilitate collaboration among diverse stakeholders and address the unique challenges of sustaining these initiatives. Join us to help build a community of practice working on collaborative approaches to landscape governance, exchanging lessons, experiences and innovations.
Speakers
Akshay Roongta, Co-founder and Partner, Ooloi Labs
Dhammasheel Ganvir, IFS, Chhattisgarh Forest Department and Director, Jungle Safari, Raipur
Madhuri Mondal, Senior Programme Officer, Dakshin Foundation
Pramel Gupta, National Anchor, National Coalition for Natural Farming
Swapna Sarangi, General Manager, Foundation for Ecological Security
Moderator: Blake Ratner, Collaboration for Resilience
Roundtable 2.1 C Collaboration for NTFP Value Chains: Challenges & Opportunities
This workshop will explore the potential of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to enhance the livelihoods of tribal women and contribute to inclusive economies. The session will examine the challenges faced by the NTFP sector, such as resource depletion, poor market linkages, and policy complexities. Participants will discuss innovative approaches and institutional models for public-private partnerships, aiming to strengthen the sector and improve income resilience in regenerative landscapes. The outcome will focus on actionable insights for leveraging NTFPs to build inclusive and sustainable economies
Speakers
Workshop anchored by Vrutti and Common Ground for a curated group
Moderator: Shiv Kumar, Co-founder, Catalyst Management Systems
Workshop 2.1 D Leveraging Data and Technology for Communityled Governance of Commons (Part I)
The workshops (Parts I and II) explore how technology and data infrastructure can empower communities with access to relevant information for local action on Commons. While many initiatives exist, they remain isolated or small-scale. We aim to identify open-source solutions and infrastructures that allow diverse actors across sectors to contribute and cocreate context-appropriate tools. The workshops will focus on empowering communities with knowledge, designing community-centric data tools, and developing a collaborative open ecosystem for locally-led, context-based planning and action on a larger scale.
Speakers
Open workshop curated by IIT Delhi, Platform Commons, Landstack and Common Ground
Lunch
Panel 2.2 A Bringing Back the Focus on Area-based Planning: Reimagining the Building Blocks
This session focuses on reimagining area-based planning to address climate change and the specific needs of different agroecological contexts. Building on the previous day’s discussions, the session will explore how to reintegrate area-based planning into current policies, programs, and funding streams, including CSR and impact finance. Focussing on inter-departmental coordination and agroecological alignment, the discussion will aim to establish a collaborative framework for implementing area-based approaches, paving the way for sustainable development and resilient landscapes.
Speakers
Abi Tamim Vanak, Director, Centre for Policy Design, ATREE
Aruna Pandey, Head – Research, MEL and Capacity Building, Bharat Rural Livelihoods Foundation
NC Narayanan, Professor, Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas, IIT Bombay
Raghunathan Naryanan, Founder and Chief Mentor, Vrutti
Rajesh Mit, Integrator, PRADAN
Moderator: Sudarshan Iyengar, Scholar of Gandhian Studies and Former Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith
Panel 2.2 B Strengthening the Custodianship of Gram Panchayats over Community Resources
This panel examines the critical role of Panchayats in managing natural resources, exploring strategies to strengthen their effectiveness as local governments. Discussion will focus on leveraging existing mechanisms, enhancing financial autonomy, fostering inter-institutional collaborations, and improving community engagement. The aim is to empower Panchayats as accountable custodians of resources, in line with constitutional vision and sustainable development goals.
Speakers
Abhay Kumar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Rajasthan
Uma Mahadevan, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Panchayati Raj Department, Karnataka
Vikas Anand, IAS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India
Santosh Kumar Satapathy, IAS (Retd.), Chief Advisor to the Governor of Odisha
Moderator: SM Vijayanand, IAS (Retd.), Former Chief Secretary to the Government of Kerala
Panel 2.2 C Financing Innovations for Landscape Climate Action: Lessons, Leverage Points, and Challenges
Are top-down climate finance models failing local communities? Can traditional knowledge systems revolutionise existing market-based instruments? This session will explore innovative funding mechanisms, analyse successful grassroots initiatives, and craft strategies to support local communities in shaping climate pathways.
Speakers
Kavita Mehta, Executive Director, Sahjeevan
Pooja Trivedi, Lead, Collaboratives, Catalyst Group
Siddhartha Dhabi, Co-Founder, Centre for Grower-centric Eco-value Mechanisms
Sreejan Dutta, Manager (Venture Philantrophy), LGT Wealth India
Tambor Lyngdoh, Founding Chairman, Synjuk
Varghese Paul, USAID
Moderator: Jinu George, ClimateRISE
Workshop 2.2 D Freshwater Futures: Pathways to Collective Conservation Action
This workshop aims to strengthen freshwater ecosystem (FWE) conservation in India by fostering crosssectoral collaboration and integrating diverse perspectives. Beginning with an introduction to the Alliance for Conserving Freshwater Ecosystems and its vision, FWEs will be contextualised within the larger narrative of ecosystem conservation, restoration, and management, along with connected thematic areas.
Speakers
Open workshop curated by the Alliance for Conservation of Freshwater Ecosystems
Panel 2.3 A Community Stewardship and Indigenous Knowledge: The Way Ahead
This panel explores community stewardship models and their recognition gaps, strategies to increase state and market acknowledgment, barriers to climate finance, and pathways for integrating indigenous knowledge in conservation. It examines current challenges in community-led environmental efforts, proposing solutions to enhance support, funding, and inclusion of traditional practices in policy-making and implementation.
Speakers
Amba Jamir, Independent Researcher
Dimgong Rongmei, Executive Director, Realm of Nature Based Actions
Gazala Paul, Executive Director, Samerth Trust
Pravanjan Mohapatra, Principal, Intellecap
Tushar Dash, Independent Researcher
Moderator: Pranab Ranjan Choudhury, CEO and Cofounder, Landstack
Panel 2.3 B Agri Land Commons: Gramdan
The session will explore the challenges and opportunities of the Gramdan Act in promoting village autonomy and collective land ownership. It will examine how the Act can be revitalized in the current legal and social landscape.
Speakers
Devaji Tofa, Community Leader, Mendha Lekha
Mithu Lal Gurjar, Gramdan Adhyaksh, Gangrar, Rajasthan
Mohan Hirabhai Hiralal, Consultant
Parag Cholkar, Trustee, Vidarbha Bhoodan Gramdan Sahayog Samiti
Satish Gogulwar, Founder Trustee and Convener, Amhi Amchya Arogyasathi
Moderator: Sudarshan Iyengar, Scholar of Gandhian Studies and Former Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith
Panel 2.3 C Landscapes and Farming Systems Interactions
Does addressing the complex challenges faced by smallholder farmers require a systems approach, rather than focusing solely on individual farm parcels? How do we strengthen institutional arrangements and enhance the capacities of bodies like Gram Panchayats to tackle these issues from a systems perspective? How do we foster strong collaborative actions to influence policy and seize emerging opportunities? Join us to express, explore, and engage in finding scalable solutions.
Speakers
Aniruddha Brahmachari, Rainforest Alliance
Archana Chatterjee, Mangroves for the Future National Coordinator, IUCN India
Archana Singh, Integrator, PRADAN
Prashant Mehra, Co-founder, Platform Commons Foundation
Sabyasachi Das, Director, WASSAN
Moderator: Pramel Gupta, National Anchor & CEO, National Coalition for Natural Farming
Panel 2.3 D Extensive Livestock Systems in India: Opportunities and Challenges
India’s livestock production, dominated by extensive systems including pastoral and agro-pastoral methods, plays a crucial role in the country’s agricultural output. These systems, characterised by efficient use of diverse grazing resources and crop residues, demonstrate lowcarbon, flexible, and cost-effective production. Despite misconceptions about efficiency, these methods offer significant benefits that warrant further evidence-based recognition.
Speakers
Balaram Sahu, Pathe Pathshala
Ilse Köhler-Rollefson, Co-founder, Camel Charisma
Purushottam Sharma, Head, Division of Plant Animal Relationship ICAR-lGFRl, Jhansi
Natasha Maru, Global Lead for Rangelands and Pastoralists, International Land Coalition
Purnendu Kavoori, Founder, Centre for Social Ecology
Moderator: Bhavana Rao, Senior Consultant. FES and Coordinator Rainfed Livestock Network
Registration
Panel 3.1 A Reimagining Wastelands as Commons: Evolving Discourse, Transitions, Implications
This session aims to explore the narratives are perceptions around wastelands and trigger deliberations around their re-imagination as commons. It expects to identify existing gaps and challenges that result in these continued narratives and analyse how these narratives require transformation in the changing contexts, and whether and how they align around local communities. As a way forward, the session would attempt to see if wastelands can provide win-win solutions for economy, conservation, and community needs.
Speakers
Abi Vanak, Director, Centre for Policy Design, ATREE
Kunal Satyarthi, IFS, Joint Secretary, Department of Land Resources
Nivedita Haran, Chairperson, Ente Bhoomi Trust and CMID
Rajiv Pandey, Head, Division of Forestry Statistics, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
SB Dangayach, Founder Trustee, Innovative Thought Forum
Moderator: Anu Verma, Asia Regional Coordinator, International Land Coalition
Panel 3.1 B Evolving Land Use and Governance Frameworks of Pasture Commons
The session will highlight the status and significance of pasture commons, reiterating the need to ensure community-led restoration and governance of these resources, and bringing to fore the land use and governance framework evolving in different parts of India. The session aims to explore the innovative governance mechanisms that would help in meeting the needs of local communities, ensure the conservation of pastures, and balance competing land use interests
Speakers
Pradeep Sharma, Pradeep Sharma, CMO, Chhattisgarh
P. Vivekandan, Co-chair, Regional IYRP Support Group (RISG) South Asia
Shailendra Tiwari, Seva Mandir
Shilpa Nag, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, District Chamrajnagar
Moderator: Bhavana Rao, Senior Research Fellow, Foundation for Ecological Security
Workshop 3.1 C Leveraging Data and Technology for Communityled Governance of Commons (Part II)
The workshops (Parts I and II) explore how technology and data infrastructure can empower communities with access to information for local action on Commons. While many initiatives exist, they remain isolated or small-scale. We aim to identify open-source solutions and infrastructures that allow diverse actors across sectors to contribute and cocreate context-appropriate tools. The workshops will focus on empowering communities with knowledge, designing community-centric data tools, and developing a collaborative open ecosystem for locallyled, context-based planning and action.
Speakers
Open workshop curated by IIT Delhi, Platform Commons, Landstack and Common Ground
Workshop 3.1 D Strengthening Social Accountability for the Commons
Shared ownership and governance of commons offer communities a chance to address environmental degradation, inequality, and identity issues. This workshop will examine the challenges in securing rights over commons, focusing on transparency, accountability, and mechanisms to ensure community participation. By building on the Bhilwara Framework for Accountability, this workshop seeks to empower marginalized groups, enhance public scrutiny, and strengthen the governance of commons through community-led efforts and social accountability tools.
Speakers
Open workshop curated by Social Accountability Forum for Action and Research and Foundation for Ecological Security
Workshop 3.1 E Strategic Communications: How Can We Make Commons Everyone’s Business? (Part I)
This 150-minute workshop will focus on creating a strategic communication roadmap to foreground the Commons as a public priority. Participants, including civil society leaders, journalists, and communication specialists, will explore how to shift public perspectives and engage diverse audiences in the discourse on the protection and preservation of Commons. Through in-depth discussions, working groups will identify challenges, opportunities, and innovative approaches to better communicate the significance of Commons. The workshop’s key takeaway will be the creation of actionable big ideas and strategic plans aimed at enhancing public understanding and policy engagement around the critical role of Commons.
Speakers
Open workshop curated by Common Ground and Foundation for Ecological Security
Coffee Break & Networking
Panel 3.2 A Community Conserved Areas: A Commoning Movement
This session will explore mechanisms to enhance the understanding and narrative around the critical role Community Conserved Areas (CCAs) play in biodiversity conservation, emphasizing the contributions of local communities in safeguarding ecosystems. It will also address the need for formal recognition of CCAs within governance frameworks, focusing on how to integrate it into policy, ensuring sustainable conservation and equitable resource management.
Speakers
Amba Jamir, Policy and Development Strategist
Arnab Bose, Nature’s Foster
Heirang Lunglang, Chairperson, Nagaland Community Conserved Areas Forum
Mayalmit Lepcha, Sikkim Indigenous Lepcha Women’s Association
Moderator: Pia Sethi, Senior Fellow, Centre for Ecology Development and Research
Panel 3.2 B Coastal Commons: Pathways for Coordinated Action
This panel will discuss the impact of emerging blue economy agendas on coastal communities. Panellists will examine the complex world of India’s coastal commons, their diverse ecosystems, multi-layered governance, equity issues and propose pathways for sustainable, inclusive management of these vital resources.
Speakers
Aarthi Sridhar, Founder Trustee and Programme Head, Dakshin Foundation
Amalendu Jyotishi, Professor, Azim Premji University
Jenia Mukherjee, Professor, IIT Kharagpur
Sebastiao Rodrigues, National Council member, National Platform for Small Scale Fish Workers
Supriya Vohra, Independent Journalist and Writer
Tara Nair, Director (Research), Work Fair and Free Foundation
Venugopal, Member, International Collective in Support of Fishworkers
V. Vivekanandan, Director, FishMARC at Vrutti
Moderator: Sisir Kanta Pradhan, Common Ground
Roundtable 3.2 C Emerging Areas for Research and Learning on Commons
This session will focus on consolidating insights, learnings, gaps, and opportunities for research on the Commons, drawing from ongoing initiatives and discussions from the convening. It will concentrate on pathways to translate research into strategic, collaborative action for the Commons
Speakers
Roundtable organised by the Collaborating for Resilience and Foundation for Ecological Security
Panel 3.2 D Aligning Planetary Health with Human Health: The One Health Initiative
This session aims to explore the intersection of Commons-centric approaches and the One Health framework in building sustainable ecosystems. It will examine how efforts can collaborate to address climate change-related challenges like zoonotic diseases, food, water, and nutritional security. Discussions will focus on how to operationalize One Health at the community level, the role of village commons, and actions needed to facilitate synergies between human, animal, and environmental health for resilience.
Speakers
Pavitra Vasudevan, Program Officer, Dakshin Foundation
Shreelata Rao Seshadri, Professor and Director, PHFI
Sumitra Gagrai, District Manager, Ekjut Foundation
Tanya Seshadri, Faculty, Institute of Public Health
Moderator: Gayatri Menon, Independent
Workshop 3.2 E Strategic Communications: How Can We Make Commons Everyone’s Business? (Part II)
This 150-minute workshop will focus on creating a strategic communication roadmap to foreground the Commons as a public priority. Participants, including civil society leaders, journalists, and communication specialists, will explore how to shift public perspectives and engage diverse audiences in the discourse on the protection and preservation of Commons. Participants will be divided into working groups, each focusing on one of these themes. Through in-depth discussions, these groups will identify challenges, opportunities, and innovative approaches to better communicate the significance of Commons. The workshop’s key takeaway will be the creation of actionable big ideas and strategic plans aimed at enhancing public understanding and policy engagement around the critical role of Commons.
Speakers
Open workshop curated by Common Ground and Foundation for Ecological Security
Lunch
Session 3.3 A Panel: Reimagining FRA: The Way Forward
This session will examine the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and its implementation 18 years since its enactment, focusing on policy, legal, and institutional reforms needed to achieve its goals. Topics include mainstreaming FRA into development, building climate resilience, synergizing FRA with local programs like MGNREGA, empowering Gram Sabhas in NTFP governance, and democratizing decisionmaking in forest resource management. The discussion will explore strategies to streamline FRA implementation and align it with contemporary climate change, forest governance, and development issues.
Speakers
Dev Nathan, Professor, Institute for Human Development
Kanchi Kohli, Researcher and Educator
M. D. Madhusudan, Nature Conservation Foundation
Rajendra Bharud, IAS, Commissioner, Tribal Research and Training Institute, Government of Maharashtra
Sanjay Upadhyay, Sr Advocate, Supreme Court of India
Samar Bosu Mullick, Secretary, Institute of Community Forest Governance
Sonmoni Borah, IAS, Principal Secretary, ST & SC Development, Chhattisgarh
Moderator: Meenakshi Kathel, Chief Advisor, UNDP
Workshop 3.3 B The Confluence of Law, Justice, and Commoning
This session will introduce and deepen the understanding of commoning and its connection to legal and justice systems. It will create a space for participants to explore new ideas, identify key points of intervention, and strengthen ties between those working on environmental justice and commonsbased governance. Drawing from insights shared in earlier sessions, the focus will be on how commons governance can support broader environmental justice efforts and foster collaboration.
Speakers
Open workshop curated by Agami and Foundation for Ecological Security
Roundtable 3.3 C Rainfed Livestock Network
This session will focus on highlighting the critical role of rainfed livestock systems in supporting rural livelihoods and sustainable agriculture. It will explore challenges and opportunities in this sector, drawing on current research and practices, and identify strategies for improving resilience and productivity. Participants will have the chance to share experiences, discuss innovations, and collaborate on approaches to strengthen the rainfed livestock ecosystem, with a focus on sustainable and equitable solutions.
Speakers
Anil Kumar, Principal Scientist, ICAR-NIAP
Balaram Sahu, Pathe Pathashala
Bhavana Rao, Senior Research Fellow, Foundation for Ecological Security
Ilse Köhler-Rollefson, Co-founder, Camel Charisma
Khem Chand, Principle Scientist, ICAR-NIAP, New Delhi
Natasha Maru, Global Lead for Rangelands and Pastoralists, International Land Coalition
Purnendu Kavoori, Director, Centre for Social Ecology
P. Vivekandan, Co-chair, Regional IYRP Support Group (RISG) South Asia
Rashmi Singh (Co-chair), Assistant Professor, IITHyderabad
Ramesh Bhatti, Program director, Sahjeevan
Panel 3.3 D Exploring Transitions Across Urban and Peri-urban Areas
Rural-urban transitions in India are creating complex peri-urban areas characterised by rapid development, shifting socio-economic dynamics, and environmental challenges. These liminal zones present unique opportunities and issues, from biodiversity loss to new economic paradigms. This panel explores the potential for creating sustainable, inclusive settlements that harmonise with nature while engaging communities in shaping their future amidst climate change.
Speakers
Divya Ravindranath, Indian Institute for Human Settlements
Paras Tyagi, Centre for Youth Culture Law and Environment
Rishika Reddy, Indo-German Centre for Sustainability
Sachin Tiwari, Frank Water
Moderator: Anubhav Pradhan, Professor, IIT Bhilai
Session 3.3 E Common Ground Initiative: Partners Meet
Speakers
Meeting anchored by Common Ground for a curated group