I am glad to share with you all that COSFOM, which is a joint project of Forest Department, Manipur and KfW under the aegis of Indo-German Cooperation has taken up an ambitious project to protect, conserve and rejuvenate the important watersheds of Thoubal in Ukhrul district, Imphal and Singda in Kangpokpi districts.
I am also happy to say that Globizs Web Solutions Private Limited has developed and agreed to maintain the website for an uninterrupted flow of information to all the stakeholders of the project particularly the beneficiary communities.
The project is mandated to improve the key watersheds of Manipur and is the first Community owned and Community driven externally aided project with ambitious objectives to transform the landscape of the project area and livelihoods of the people. The project has identified 50 villages across the 3 watersheds under its operation. Community based institutions namely Water Resource Conservation Group (WRCG) have been formed in most of the villages. Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP) and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) exercises have been initiated to ensure community participation and bottom-up approach. As part of confidence building measures, Entry Point Activities (EPA) as per community need and desire, have been implemented. I may mention here that most villages desired to have safe drinking water system by installing water reservoir fed from existing water sources in the watershed by gravity.
The project has completed the identification of NGOs to assist the project in community mobilization at the grass-root level. These NGOs will facilitate the maintenance of books and accounts of the WRCGs and Capacity Building initiatives of the project. I am also happy to acknowledge the support provided by GFA Consulting Group (Implementation Consultants) for providing various reports, manuals and guidelines like, FPIC Guidelines, Community Nursery Manual, Livelihood Improvement Plan Guidelines, Peace & Conflict Assessment, PLUP Guidelines, PRA Guidelines etc.
The project also brings out its Security Newsletter periodically which covers the key events and happenings in the villages and district as a whole.
One of the key features of the project is that every financial transaction is done through the bank and directly to the beneficiaries’ account. This ensures absolute transparency and accountability.
I am confident that the project will be successful and meet its mandate with the proactive support extended by the State Government, KfW, Government of India and the GFA consultants.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Shri. Awangbow Newmai, Hon’ble Minister, Forest, Environment & Climate Change for his support and patronage and for the launching of the much needed COSFOM website.
Mr. L.Baite, IFS
Project Director,
COSFOM Manipur