The document summarizes a pilot project assessing the management of common pool resources by a community interest group in Gokafaslabad village, India. A 42-acre hill area was leased to the group for 2 years. Activities to develop the area included planting trees, building stone structures, and establishing rules to prevent overuse. While some progress was made, challenges included low wages for group members' work, damage from wild animals, and some villagers ignoring rules. The group requested a borewell and links to more programs to help sustain their management of the area long-term.

1. ASSESSMENT OF THE COMMON POOLRESOURCES
MANAGEMENT, APDAI PROJECT
DR. N. SAI BHASKAR REDDY
Pilot Project
GOKAFASLABAD VILLAGE, DOULATABAD MANDAL, MAHABUBNAGAR DISTRICT
INTRODUCTION
The excessive dependency of the communities on CPR for fuel wood, fodder
and grazing has depleted vegetation in the existing CPRs. In Gokafaslabad,
village, Doultabad Mandal, Mahabubnagar District, a pilot project on CPR
was initiated APDAI, with group approach. The hypothesis is that the
community management of CPR would halt the degradation of CPRs and the
net social and economic benefits would motivate them for its management
and development. In this regard, the preference was to help poor SHG
women to form into a common interest group and manage the CPR. This
CPR chosen for the programme is a hillock with red soils and quartz pebbles
covering an area of 42 acres, belonging to village Gram Panchayat, which
was leased to the group members on 1st August 2007 for a period of 2
years.
Gokafaslabad village is located in the Doulatabad Mandal, Mahabubnagar
District, it is located in the north-western part of Mahabubnagar District.
There are 5 women CIG represented in this CPR at present.
BACKGROUND
CPRs have come to occupy an important place in affecting poverty and
livelihoods of rural communities. Despite rapid decline and deterioration in

2. recent years, CPRs continue to play a significant role in providing livelihood
options to the rural poor in the semi-arid regions of India.
According to the 1998 NSS survey, the household average value collection
from CPRs in Andhra Pradesh is Rs. 554 per annum. At the all-India level this
is Rs. 693. Fuelwood forms a major part (58%) of the CPR collections, while
fodder accounts for 25% and others 17%.
The decline of CPRs has been attributed to a number of factors such as
government policies, population pressure, market forces, failure of
management institutions, technological changes and environmental factors.
One of the important causes for depletion of CPRs is the breakdown of
traditional management institutions and practices, resulting in the erosion of
people’s collective participation in management of CPRs. Today many
development theorists consider the collective management model as the
most effective model of CPR management, as it broadly fulfill the CPR
management, objectives of productivity, equity and sustainability.

3. Map 1 Gokafaslabad, Doultabad Mandal
OBJECTIVES
To understand the CPR management and development by the Common Interest
Group for socio-economic and environmental benefits.
METHODOLOGY
A structured format was prepared for collection of information. Secondary
relevant information pertaining to the study area was collected. GIS and maps
were used to understand the spatial aspects of the study area. Focused group
NEETUR
MATOOR
CHANDRAKAL
KUDRIMALA
KOWDEED
NANDARAM
KUPPAGIRI
DOULATABAD
YAMKI
IMDAPUR
BICHAL
SLEEMPUR
ALLAPUR
SURAIPALLE
ERLAPALLE
GUNDEPALLE
GOKAPASALAWADTHIMMAREDDIPALLE
CHALLAPUR
ANTHWAR
BALAMPETA
SULTANPUR
POLKAMPALLE
THIRUMALAPUR
DEVARFASLAWAD
NAGASAR

4. discussions were conducted to understand the CIG group, its functioning and
management of CPR.
OBSERVATIONS
Process
The hillock with sparse vegetation under the Gram Panchayat was leased to the
SHG women members, they were formed into a common interest group (CIG).
The Gram Panchayat and VO have passed resolutions in this regard; the
duration of the agreement was 2 years starting from 1st
August 2007. The CIG
members can grow grass and sell it to the SHG members, and could also collect
the MFP from the plants existing. There were 9 CIG members at the time of
formation but currently only 5 members are existing in the CIG.
Table: Details relating to the group members
Name of the Person Caste
Education
Dependency
on CPR
Primary occupation*
S. Lalithamma BC - As wages
received
from VO, for
protection
and
development
of CPR
Agriculture labor
S. Ashamma BC - Agriculture and
Agriculture Labor
T. Basamma
SC - Agriculture and
Agriculture Labor
N. Ashamma SC 5th class Agriculture and
Agriculture Labor
T. Tippamma SC - Agriculture and
Agriculture Labor
Caste: 1- SC 2- ST 3-Backward caste 4-Forward caste 5-Minorities (Muslim,
Christian, etc.)
* Accounting for major proportion of the time in a year.
Changes in the group membership

5. Out of total 9 members who have formed into a CIG at the start of the project,
4 members (S. Malkamma, S. Savitramma, G. Venkatamma and S. Anjalamma)
have left for the following four reasons: 1) Monthly payment of wages received
was not enough as compared to the total earnings per month from agriculture
labor engagement, 2) Per day wages paid by VO is @ Rs. 30 per person and each
woman, would get @ 15 days only per month, whereas they are able to earn @
Rs. 50 to Rs. 60 per day for getting engaged in agriculture labor activity 3)
Need to concentrate in family activities and 4) not seeing any utility of the
existing CPR.
CIG functioning
CIG should meet twice in a month, i.e., 24 times in a year, but they were able
to meet only 16 times in the last one year period. The percentage of
attendance at the CIG meetings by the members is 100%. No membership fee
was contributed by the members and also CIG is also not able to mobilize any
savings from members.
Participation in events related to CPR
In the following aspects the members are well aware and are participating:
• Identification of CPR
• Selection of POP as users for CPR
• Formation of CIG
• Agreement between GP and VO
• Social regulation (grazing and penalties) in grama sabha
• Preparation of INRM plans and
• Project support

6. Regarding the revival of the agreement by GP, as the agreement is for two
years period, it would be renewed next year. Continuous contour trench was
dug from the EGS linkages, the members are aware and participated in this
activity.
Immediate benefits
Table: Activities taken up during the period
Activity Quantum of
work
Who were
engaged
Person days
of work
Source of
funding
Plantation 15640 CIG and labor
from village
810 APDAI
Saucing for
plants
7000 CIG 225 APDAI
Watering plants nil Nil Nil
Grass seed
dribbling
450 kgs of stylo CIG 8 APDAI
CCT 872 meters Labor 872 EGS
Compost pits 4 CIG and Labor
from the
village
32 APDAI
Stone bunding 150 meters CIG 150 APDAI
Fire protection 1100 meters x 2
meters
CIG 75 APDAI
Watch and
ward
All days CIG 730 APDAI
Nursery nil Nil Nil Nil
Bore well nil Nil Nil Nil
As seen from the above table various activities were carried in these 42 acres
of CPR by the CIG members and the villagers for development and
management. The activities done are Plantation of saplings, Saucing for plants,
regular watering of plants, Grass seed dribbling, Compost pits were made,
Continuous Contour trench created under EGS, Stone bunding was done, Fire
protection measures were taken up, and watch and ward for protection is being

7. done regularly. They don’t have a dedicated nursery, but are able to get
required plants from the nursery CIG existing in the village. They are
requesting for a bore well in the CPR area for watering some of the fruit plants
(proposed) and cultivation of vegetables.
Total person days of work created to the CIG members is 1050 and for all the
laborers from the village is 3000. Each CIG member in the last one year could
get 210 working days for the CPR. The collection of fuel wood and fodder has
not started yet. The social norms were established with the villagers, which are
no grazing of animals, no collection of fuel wood and no cutting of wood and
also a dedicated watch and ward system is established by the CIG members.
Total 10000 saplings planted in the CPR have survived; the accrued benefits
from these plants would happen in the next few years.
Constraints and problems faced by Users
1. Some villagers are letting their animals graze in the CPR, violating the
social norms agreed.
2. The daily honorarium given by VO to the CIG members is low i.e., @
Rs.30 per day, as compared to the wages given @ Rs. 50 to Rs. 60 per
day for agriculture labor.
3. Wild pigs cause damage to the plantations; they are unable to protect
the trees from them.
Suggestions for improving the activity
The CIG members are requesting for a borewell in the CPR for watering the
proposed fruit plants, cultivation of vegetables and establishing a nursery. And
also as per the CIG, to sustain the efforts, there is a need for linkages with
various government programs and more investment is required to sustain the
efforts.
Reference
CPRs study report, by GLOCAL, APRLP