Documenting the traditional indigenous knowledge of the korku adivasi community in melghat, maharashtra for integrating it into community forest resource (cfr) management

Abstract

The objective of their study was to document the traditional knowledge of the Korku tribal community, to which they both belong. The study aims to understand whether a sense of coexistence with wildlife can be fostered based on the customs and practices of the Korku community, and whether this can simultaneously lead to the economic and social development of the Korku people. The means of connecting the Korku community with coexistence and socio-economic development is through Community Forest Resource (CFR) management. CFR management is a key provision of the Forest Rights Act of 2006, which has been successfully implemented in some parts of Maharashtra. The Korku community has been residing in Maharashtra, particularly in the villages of the Melghat forest region, for many years. Their findings indicate that if the community forest rights of the Korku villages across the landscape are fully recognised, then, based on Korku traditional knowledge, then these villages of the Melghat region can successfully manage CFRs with a spirit of coexistence. This study suggests that the Korku community, along with various other forest-dependent tribal communities in Central India, can effectively manage forests collectively based on their traditional knowledge and have the capacity to coexist with wildlife. To promote this coexistence, it is essential to acknowledge the historical injustices they have faced and grant them recognition of their forest rights.