Village community pastures (charagah or charnot), revenue wastelands and forests have always been an important common resource in the dry state of Rajasthan. Before Independence, community pastures used to be looked after by thikandedars or ''''caretakers'''' appointed by the princely states. With the transfer of power from the princely states to the state government, the management of these common properties was entrusted to the gram panchayats. But lack of resources, technology and accountability on the part of panchayat members resulted in the mismanagement of common lands. There were no community initiatives to develop common properties.
Meanwhile, changing rainfall patterns in the state have led to a shift from agriculture to animal husbandry. Livestock constitutes a major source of livelihood for the poor, but is constantly under threat due to shortage of fodder, fuel, potable water and groundwater depletion.
In 1979, the Bharatiya Agro Industries Development Research Foundation (BAIF) initiated ways to sustainably develop these pastures and the communities that depend on them. The organisation set up a cattle development centre in Asind, a village in Rajasthan''''s Bhilwara district, with support from the district rural development authority.
BAIF set about developing community pastures in Kavlas, a village 8 km away from Asind, where wild blue bulls (nilgai) regularly damaged crops causing the farmers heavy losses. The Swiss Agency for Development & Cooperation met the cost of covering 40 of the 180 hectares of land owned by a temple trust.
Initially, the response from the locals was poor as many felt they would lose valuable grazing ground. However, after a little persuasion and the assurance of benefits, including the availability of a large portion of the land for free grazing, the villagers, in consultation with the trustees of the temple, agreed to join in with the pasture development plans, under guidance from BAIF.
The villagers volunteered their labour. A committee for community pasture management was formed. The entire community offered their support in the form of a daylong shramdaan. The villagers also agreed to devote one day every week towards voluntary work to help develop the pastureland. Special trees were planted to create woody perennials to improve the microclimate and increase soil fertility. Dhaman grass seeds were sown to ensure adequate groundcover.
With an annual rainfall of 680 mm, the growth of grass was satisfactory and about 65% of the saplings survived. By October 1992, at the end of the second rainy season, there was plenty grass ready for cutting; forage yield was 2.5 tonnes of dry grass per hectare.
To avoid the high cost of labour, the committee encouraged local families to cut the grass and deposit 50% of it with the committee. This grass was then sold to needy members.
During the period 1994-1998, the average income generated from the community pastures was between Rs 2,500-Rs 4,000 per hectare. Of this, 80%-85% came from the grass, the rest from the sale of seeds and fines levied on stray cattle, etc. After spending a certain amount on watch-and-ward, the committee made a net saving of Rs 80,000 by the year 2000.
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