Manas fringe villages join forces with Aaranyak to tackle wildlife conflict, water crisis, and resource management

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 19, 2025

In a focused effort to empower communities living on the fringes of Manas National Park, leading biodiversity conservation organization Aaranyak convened a consultation with village representatives to advance natural resource management, crop and livestock protection, and education initiatives.

The meeting, held at Aaranyak’s Manas Conservation and Outreach Centre, brought together 16 representatives from six project villages—Bhuyanpara, Bamunkhal, Majrabari, Koraibari, Thwribari, Randhanipara—and 10 community volunteers. The agenda included planning for village-level awareness programmes, developing Natural Resource Management (NRM) strategies, and exploring predator-proof livestock corrals.

In the opening session, Aaranyak’s senior official Jayanta Kumar Sarma outlined the consultation’s objectives. Community members highlighted a pressing water crisis caused by the drying up of traditional Dongs—a result of source disruption within Manas National Park. Wildlife conflict, particularly crop destruction during winter months, was another major concern.

Villagers from Bhuyanpara shared their success in mitigating crop loss through an Aaranyak-supported experiment that used solar, netted, and sound-producing fences. “Our coriander, lentil, potato, and pea yields were significantly higher,” said residents Basanta Das and Mangal Medhi. Encouraged by this, Bamunkhal villagers expressed interest in adopting similar methods next winter.

Thwribari villagers, meanwhile, pointed out recurring livestock loss to predators like leopards and tigers, due to lack of agricultural land and reliance on home-based livestock. In response, Aaranyak proposed a pilot project to test predator-proof livestock corrals. Villagers agreed to submit participant names by May-end and begin the installation process by August 2025 after artisan training.

Participants also reviewed the status of human-wildlife interactions via a presentation by Dr. Partha Sarathi Ghose. In the second session, the focus shifted to scheduling awareness and education programmes. Villagers suggested conducting these sessions before June 15, 2025, prior to the start of paddy cultivation. The programmes will be delivered in partnership with Gami Afad village committees.

The consultation also discussed the upcoming Village Plan initiative, which will be preceded by participatory resource mapping to ensure community-led planning for future natural resource use. Dr. Ghose explained the mapping process, underlining its importance in long-term conservation and resource sustainability.

As a gesture of appreciation, each participant received a cinnamomum tamala sapling. The programme was coordinated by Jayanta Kumar Sarma with support from Swapan Kumar Das, Bijay Basumatary, Barnali Baro, Shaikhong Basumatary, Dr. Partha Sarathi Ghose, and the entire Manas Conservation and Outreach Centre team.

Funded by IUCN-KfW, the initiative reflects Aaranyak’s ongoing commitment to biodiversity conservation and community empowerment through nature-based, sustainable solutions.