Author: Gautham Sarang

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India

Keystone Foundation

Keystone Foundation was born out of a simple ecological principle of the interdependence of natural systems and has been working with indigenous communities since 1993 with a mission to enhance quality of life and environment with indigenous communities using eco-development approaches. The concept of “keystone” emerges from the nest-building behaviour of some birds in nature. These permanent nest structures serve as habitat for several life forms. Such “keystone” species become crucial in providing opportunities for other associated beings to grow and evolve.

Keystone is focused on the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, where it is currently working in 135 tribal habitations with an estimated number of 15000 individuals. With the focus initially being on poverty alleviation of the honey hunter community, the first years of Keystone was concerned with the dynamics of honey harvesting and marketing. Since then, Keystone’s mission has led it to diversify its programme base to encompass all aspects affecting the wellness of indigenous communities.

Today, Keystone’s programme verticals of Conservation, Research, Livelihoods, Appropriate Technology, and Indigenous Peoples Program along with the Crosscutting Programmes of Pollination, Water Resources, Human-Wildlife Interaction, Health & Community Wellness and Environmental Governance are each geared to directly contribute the overall wellbeing of the individual and community and, by extension, the environment.

Looking to share the accumulated knowledge of 23 years of working in the field, Keystone regularly conducts external trainings and undertakes consultancies on request. The subjects range from sustainable harvesting and value addition of non-timber forest produce (NTFP), biodiversity assessment and eco-restoration, eco-tourism support, socio-economic surveys and vocational skills such as carpentry, electrical, and wildlife filmmaking

Since 2006, Keystone has been given control of a pool of funds by international organisations and entrusted with the task of making grants to grassroots organisations, monitoring progress and evaluating impact. Till date, 35 such projects have been implemented 10 states across India focussing on conservation of natural resources, tribal empowerment, and advocacy for policy change, leadership and governance.

Collaboration with Cornell University, New York gave rise to the Nilgiri Field Learning Centre (NFLC) in 2015. This is an interdisciplinary partnership to explore questions of sustainable environments and livelihoods and pursues engaged research and teaching-learning. In keeping with the philosophy of being ‘keystone’, the Foundation has been responsible for conceiving, developing and nurturing three organisations viz, Last Forest Enterprises Pvt. Ltd, Aadhimalai Pazhangudiyinar Producer Company Ltd. and Nilgiri Natural History Society.

NESFAS,Meghalaya 

NESFAS

Kalpavriksh,Pune

Nagaland Bee and Honey Mission, Nagaland

Individuals 

Poornima Viswanathan 

Manju Vasudevan 

Susanth Kumar Dalai 

Mexico

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Leonardo Duran Olguin

Kenya

Organisations/Partners

Individuals

Esther Wanjiku Mwangi, Kenya

Indonesia

Organisations/Partners

Individuals

Philippines

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Individuals

Morroco

Organisations/Partners

Individuals

Mohamed AitIdir

Brazil

Organisations/Partners

Individuals

Eudes Lopes Batista,

 

NTFP-EP

Riak Boomi-Heri Valentines

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The Pollinators Network is a joint initiative of Keystone Foundation, Nilgiris & NESFAS, Meghalaya (Northeast Slow Food & Agrobiodiversity Society) to create a repository of existing knowledge on pollinator species, pollination services, traditional farming practices, food production, conservation of pollinator habitats, conserving biodiversity, and the benefits that farmers and pollinators bring to each other. The Network will focus on different agroclimatic zones of India, South and Southeast Asia, Africa and Mexico. The other focus of the Network is to create a pool of Indigenous knowledge and practical scientific knowledge that can be readily used by students, farmers, various indigenous communities, service agencies, social enterprise groups, environmentalists, and policy makers for better management of natural resources.

Currently, the Pollinators Network is concentrating on collecting information related to pollinator species (distribution, behaviour, habit, habitat), traditional farming practices and folklore (songs, stories, riddles).