The Eastern Himalayas, known for their biodiversity and culturally rich heritage,, are now facing significant threats due to rampant deforestation and ecological degradation. This is posing a severe risk to the livelihoods of the indigenous communities and endangering rare species exacerbating the impacts of climate change. In 2016, the Balipara Foundation embarked on an ambitious journey to restore forests across Assam’s “Elephant Country,” a belt stretching from Udalguri district to Sonitpur, along the Arunachal Pradesh – Assam – Bhutan border.
The Rural Futures program launched by Balipara has encouraged the active involvement of the indigenous populace in agroforestry, organic fishing, and more. Through habitat-mediated incomes, communities have been able to achieve greater socioeconomic mobility, thus generating a self-sustaining loop of sustainable incomes and businesses for forest-fringe communities.
Naturenomics™: A Civilization That Reconciles People and Biodiversity
The Balipara Foundation takes a community-based approach to conservation through the proprietary concepts of Naturenomics™ (Nature + Economics) and Rural Futures. Naturenomics™ envisions a civilization that reconciles people and biodiversity through restorative natural capital economies. The idea is to create a world where people can pursue their well-being aspirations while also shouldering the responsibility for the preservation and protection of the environment.
Rural Futures: Localized Action Framework for Natural Capital Regeneration
Rural Futures is a scalable, localized action framework for natural capital regeneration that visualizes communities as the key custodians of habitat restoration and management. Initial payment for restoration and rewilding programs creates sustainable incomes and businesses for forest-fringe communities, incentivizing them towards natural capital regeneration. Sustainable businesses through agroforestry, bamboo, mushrooms and mindful tourism enhance the value of natural capital, empowering communities to become self-reliant and providing them access to essential services and assets such as healthcare, education, renewable energy, and access to water.
The Impact of Rural Futures: Managing Over 7 Million Natural Assets and Impacting 16,000 People
As of 2022, the Balipara Foundation manages over 7,000 hectares of restored forest land, with over 7 million trees positively impacting 16,000+ people through direct implementation and capacity building for managing and monitoring restored forest lands. The organization has established robust partnerships with local governments, forest departments, national, and international businesses keen on furthering the cause of sustainability and emissions reduction nationally and globally.
Ecology is Economy
The economy’s foundation is rooted in nature, and unsustainable practices that destroy ecological systems have driven the climate crisis. Through Rural Futures, the Balipara Foundation strengthens local natural capital economies that are backed by sustainable businesses, providing an alternative to exploitative and environmentally harmful growth. This approach enables the promotion of sustainable development that prioritizes the balance between lives, livelihoods, and land, thereby building resilience among communities and biodiversity that are on the frontlines of climate change.
The Man Behind the Foundation
Ranjit Barthakur, a social entrepreneur committed to pursuing social change through innovative cutting-edge concepts, ecological neutrality, and impactful action, pioneered the concepts of Naturenomics™ and Rural Futures at Balipara Foundation. Through his mentorship as Trustee and President of the Balipara Foundation, the social enterprise, the Eastern Himalayan Botanic Ark in residence at Wild Mahseer, has become a hub for mindful tourism in Balipara County, Assam, and has been instrumental in catalyzing the natural history and cultural heritage of the Brahmaputra valley in Assam. Additionally, he has developed the multi-disciplinary platform, the Eastern Himalayan Naturenomics™ Forum, as a way.