pro-poor-tourism_sunderbans-india

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Marcus Bauer, MBA (FH) trav el and tourism 31.03.2006 / 1

Master programme „Sustainable Tourism Management“

From Tiger Conflict to Tourism

Social Transformation, Poverty Alleviationand Conservation Initiative in the

Sunderbans (India)

Presented at the ConferenceDevelopments in Pro-Poor Tourism: Identifying Best Practice

Greenwich, UK, March 31, 02006

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Content

I. Location

II. EcologyIII. Economy

IV. Challenges and solutionsV. Initiation of the Camp

VI. Benefits from the CampVII. Spreading the benefits / creating acceptance for

tourism

VIII. Future plans

IX. Performance of tourist numbersX. Comments and credits

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I. Location

East India

extreme Southof West Bengal

borderingBangladesh

The Sunderbans are located in Eastern India on the shore of the Bay of Bengal,in the extreme south of the state of West Bengal. 40% of the Sunderban area belong to India, the other 60% to Bangladesh. My presentation is concentrating on the Indian part.

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II. Ecology (1)

• more than 100 islands• unique and very fragile

ecosystem • world´s biggest river delta

• mouth of the major riversGanga, Brahmaputra, Meghna and their tributaries

• world’s largest mangrove forests

• 60 % of total mangrove forest area of India

• 90 % of Indian mangrove varieties

• important buffer function forraising sea level

The Sunderbans, consisting of some 102 islands, are a unique and very fragile ecosystem. They are the world´s biggest river delta formed by some of the major rivers of South Asia. Moreover they are the largest mangrove forest of the world, covering 60% of the total mangrove area of India. Roughly 90% of all Indian mangrove varieties are located here. They play a very important role as buffer zone, as they protect the wildlife, villages and the mudflats from the rising sea level and the torrential rains and cyclones.

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II. Ecology (2)

• amphibian tiger with distinct behavioural pattern

• largest density of tiger

• crododile / turtle

• shark / dolphin

• deer

• wild boar

• monkeys

• birds (180 species)

The Sunderbans are home to a broad variety of species, of which the Royal Bengal tiger (panthera tigris) is considered as the most important flagship species. Only in the Sunderbans it shows distinct amphibian behavioural patterns. The tigers stray around the whole area, sometimes crossing distances of several kilometres swimming. Other than the tiger there are many other amphibian and reptile species, fish, mammals and over 180 different species of birds here are registered.

All these have fetched many credentials and special recognitions to theSunderbans. They are not only a Wildlife Sanctuary and Nationalpark but also a Tiger Reserve, Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site.

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III. Economy - Infrastructure

The Sunderbans are a very remote and under-developed area. The people use the natural resources like paddy straw, mud and wood to build their houses. Electricity, sanitation and communication are hardly existing, but slowly the situation is improving. For example the footpaths, which are very muddy during the rainy season, have now been paved. But still important infrastructure is lacking in many places, medical treatment for example still mostly is provided only by herbal doctors.

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III. Economy - Traditional livelihood

The traditional livelihood of the local people is mainly fishing or prawn catching. The Sunderbans are the main source of fishery products for Eastern India. Agriculture yields only one crop per year due to saline conditions. Thus people are depending directly on the forest or forest based resources, what means severe threats for the fragile ecosystem.

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IV. Challenges and solutions (local level)

• man-animal conflicts

• tiger attacks in villages

• fear

• deep respect of the forest

• religion

• superstition

• tiger masks

• self-defending(killing tiger)

To make it short: people were very open to find alternative livelihoods

generate additional income / alternative livelihoods

From this forest and water based livelihood several problems arise. TheSunderbans are perhaps the last true wild frontier of the Indian Subcontinent and conflict between man and animal is quite common, for example tiger or crocodile attacks on honey collectors and prawn catchers. Tigers occasionally even come to villages, sometimes attacking humans. It is quite understandable that for local people this is a very difficult situation to cope with. Traditionally, the villagers try to cope up with such challenges by many rituals, religious and superstitious practices. Worshipping Bonobibi, the godess of forests, is obligatory before leaving on a fishing or honey collection expedition. And when going into the forests, sometimes people wore masks on the back of their heads, believing that tigers never attack from the back. Until recent past, villagers used to believe that killing a straying tiger was the safest way to save human life and also to earn some easy extra money.

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IV. Challenges and solutions (supra level)

• rural development in very remote area with difficult conditions

• sustainable use of important food stock

• severe threats for ecosystem

• danger of extinction of species

• safeguarding of protected area status

• economic security

• development of education and crafts

• habitat improvement

• popularisation of energy alternatives

• forest management

Source: adapte d fro m Sunde rbans Biosphere Reserve website

India is developing rapidly but the challenge lies in the domain of the development of very remote rural areas, especially if conditions are as difficult as in the Sunderbans. The other issue which deserves immediate attention is the sustainable use of the fishing grounds, a major food stock for the whole of East India and an important breeding ground of the various fish species. To reduce threats to the ecosystem due to human pressure, in the worst case even the extinction of species, and to safeguard the regulations of the Nationalpark, people have to find alternatives and economic security. Some proposals are directly linked with the ecosystem and its conservation, for example forest management, honey and wax culture, aquaculture or the popularisation of alternative energy. Additionally education, crafts and agriculture have to be developed.

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V. Initiation of the Camp• idea of using tourism as an

alternative source of income (BWNCS + WWF-WBSO + WPSI)

• support demanded from Help Tourism to implement touristicinfrastructure and to provide adequate training for local staff

• in 2002 Help Tourism and ACT-Association for Conservationand Tourism came intour operator

tourism consulting- commercial -

registered NGOsocial development- non profit -

On the initiative both of the Field Director of the Tiger Reserve and WWF India West Bengal State Office several local youth, who before mostly had been poachers, were motivated to support the Forest Department in different conservation initiatives. Most of the youth were unemployed and to ensure, that they don´t fall back in their former profession, the idea of a tourism initiative was born. Help Tourism, an Indian tour operator and consultant, which before had already successfully implemented several community tourism initiatives, was invited to develop a community tourism demonstration project involving the transformed conservators of Bali. Thus in 2002 Help Tourism and the related NGO ACT-Association for Conservation and Tourism came in.

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V. Initial touristic situation and conclusions

+ attractive naturalenvironment

+ high potential domestic touristic demand

- mostly day trippers

- poorly connected

- NP only to be visited from the water

� exclusive resort as incentive for overnights

� own boat for transfer and excursions

The prerequesites for a tourism project were quite good in the Sunderbans. Additionally to the rich natural attractions, the proximity to Kolkata, the main source market for tourism in India, was an advantage. Already many day trippers come to the area, but to generate adequate income, it is necessary to attract overnight guests. Help Tourism followed the strategy to offer exclusiveaccomodation in ethnic style and good local food and service. Local staff was trained accordingly and a concept for an eight bungalow resort was developed. Initially the land for the demonstration project was given by Bali Nature and Wildlife Conservation Society, who is also a partner of the project. The money for the establishment of the ecotourism infrastructure was provided by Help Tourism. The company invested more than 50,000 USD, a part of this amount was support, soft loans or donations from patrons, friends and well-wishers. So far six of the eight cottages have been finished, the camp started operating in 2002. Additionally to the camp a boat had to be purchased to provide transfer and excursions to the Nationalpark for the guests.

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VI. Benefits from the camp (1)

• > 3000 man days for construction (so far)� roughly benefiting

2000 peoplefrom 7 villages

• 70 % local materials used

• direct employment (service, gardening, maintainance)

• local purchase of goods (food etc.)

A tourism project is embedded in a social environment. In the Sunderbansoutsiders and especially foreigners are very seldom and earlier encounters with them have not always been positive. Thus it was obligatory to raise maximum acceptance of the local people for the camp. The benefits of the camp had not only to be given to the employees but to a maximum number of people. Already for the construction local staff was engaged to the largest possible extend. So far more than 3,000 man days have been created for construction. Due to the family structure roughly some 2,000 people from 7 villages have been benefiting. 70 % of all materials used for the camp have been purchased locally. Regarding that many furnishings like for example sanitation systems are not available in this remote area, this number is equal to maximum extend. Direct beneficiaries of the camp are the local staff, receiving regular payroll for their activity in service, housekeeping, gardening or maintainance. Food is largely purchased locally. However beverages mostly have to be bought from outside.

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• socio-cultural meeting point

• platform for self-help group meetings

• platform for sale of local products

• communication (phone connection, camp boat)� networking� emergency� supply management

The camp is a socio-cultural meeting point, unfortunately only in the absence of guests. Discussions and community development procedures take place here as well as spare time activities like card playing. The local goods produced by the self-help groups are partly sold in the camp. The landphone and the boat ensure safety in cases of emergency. Additionally they allow networking in conservation initiatives and on time preparation for the arrival and transfer of new guests.

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• additional income (guiding, boat rowing)

• tradition of Bonobibi Yatrarevitalized and thus preserved

• deep well

By engaging guides for village walks, wildlife and mangrove tours additional income is given to local people after they have been trained accordingly. Young fishermen are hired for rowing tourists on country boats into the mangrove creeks. To create entertainment facilities for tourists the age old culture of BonoBibi Yatra has been brought back. A big number of local theater actors are earning additional income with every booked performance. A tube well has been erected to provide clean and sweet water to guests; this is also benefiting the surrounding villagers as they need not to walk to the public well anymore.

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VII. Spreading the benefits (1)‘Not that we always can follow this religiously.Butthis is of course a standard procedure we have always tried to follow and have followed in most of the cases.’

To clarify the potential benefits of a touristic engagement and to create a strong backing inside the local communities the benefits of the camp have to be spread as wide as possible. The diagramme shows how the revenue of the camp after the deduction of the costs is spent for community development activities. Here the differing business economical understanding has to be regarded. For example marketing and reserves for maintainance are included in this amount, in Europe this would be considered costs. I don´t want to go in details about the percentages but instead focus on concrete examples. The quotation is given by one of the managing directors of Help Tourism.

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VII. Spreading the benefits (2)Medical camps

• general medical care (fortnightly)

• local doctor

• free medicine(worth >10T USD)

• special camps(e.g. eye camp)

• income for medicalcamp support staff

�10.000 beneficiariesin 15 villages supplied

Every fortnight a medical camp is held for the local people. A doctor, originating from the Sunderbans, but now working in a Kolkata hospital is voluntarily providing examinations against a very reasonable price of 10 Rupees per patient. Medicine is distributed free, till now summing up to a volume of more than 10,000 US-Dollar. Additionally to the general medical camps, special camps are held to ensure professional care for specific forms of diseases. These camps bring benefits in two ways. The patients benefit from the medical supply, and supporting staff by additional income for their work. So far more than 10,000 people from 15 local villages have been treated.

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VII. Spreading the benefits (3)

Education project‘adopt a poor student’

• 4 meritorious students supported in continuing education (school fees and lodging)

• currently supporting 6 students (3m, 3f)

• 60 students supported by book bank and book donation programme

An education project named ‘adopt a poor student’ is financing the higher education of meritorious pupils, that otherwise could not participate in the higher education system. As adequate schools do not exist on the island, the students have to lodge in the place of their education. Four students already have passed their exams, six more are now struggling for laurels. A book bank and donation programme is supporting some 60 students with necessary literature, which for many locals is unaffordable. A non-formal school is under construction where the drop outs and poor village children will get free education. The school will have a music and art section also.

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VII. Spreading the benefits (4)• garments project

�approx. 400 beneficiaries

• nature protection and research

• diversification of touristic supply �first private guesthouse under construction

• alternative energy for community electricity

As not all the inhabitants of the Sunderbans can afford proper or sometimes any clothes, a garment project has been established. So far some 400 people have benefited from this. The initial idea of the Sunderbans camp was nature protection and nowadays the former poachers are passionate conservationists. Wounded animals are nursed and released to the forests, prawn seed catching has decreased significantly. Additionally the locals are contributing to various research and monitoring activities. One important step of tourism development is on the way. The cook of the camp is just constructing a new guesthouse for offering homestay facilities to tourists. With the installation of solar panels public lighting is provided in the surroundings of the camp.

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VIII. Planned self-help groups

• for alternative livelihood development

– organic farming

– medical plant ormushroomcultivation

– local crafts

– repairing shops forsmall plants and machineries

• to develop health service enterprise models

– dispensaries

– X-ray kiosks

– oxy-bars

– decease’s detection centers

Sustainable development is a permanent process. Help Tourism and ACT are working on the realisation of new projects and self-help groups. For an alternative livelihood development the implementation of organic farming, medical plant or mushroom cultivation, local crafts and repairing shops for small plants and machineries are planned. Additionally various health service enterprise models are suggested for self-help groups.

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VIII. Planned self-help groups

• for improved sanitation

– implementation of communitysanitation facilities(in cooperation withdevelopmentagencies)

– maintaining againstcollection of nominal fees

• initiate community health insurance scheme and extend insured health services by engaging trained volunteers or

• developing enterprise models through self-help groups.

To improve the sanitation facilities of the community currently different development agencies are requested for funding. The maintainance of these facilities could be organised by self-help groups against the collection of nominal fees.

Another challenge is the creation of a health insurance system. Here different approaches are discussed with the community.

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VIII. Further initiatives planned

• organize training and workshops to help locals cope up with snakebite cases

• develop a mobile hospital with

– dedicated resident doctors and nurses

– a modern mini operation theatre

– oxy-zone

– snake anti-venom cold stores etc.

A great contribution to an improved livelihood would be the existence of a mobile swimming hospital. By enlarging the area of operation resident doctors and nurses could be justified and attracted. The technical equipment would allow for example the cold storage of anti-venom for snake bites.

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IX. Performance of tourist number

65 7396

187

474

198175

235

389

050

100150200250300350400450500

Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec

200320042005

Extrapolating the trends of the number of visitors since the opening of the camp makes me confident, that all the plans and intentions can be realized and that the complex ecosystem of the Sunderbans can be preserved for future generations, who will lead a dignified life.

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X. Comments and credits

• All the statements in the presentation are resulting from own observations and interviews during a personal stay in the camp in Oct. 2005. They only allow a small insight in the camp´s contribution to poverty alleviation and do not necessarily represent all important factors. The quantitative data given was mostly provided by Help Tourism and ACT. More information can be received from www.helptourism.com or [email protected]

The project was awarded "The best innovative tourism product of India" by TTF(Travel and Tourism Fair)-Asia's biggest travel Mart, at New Delhi in 2004.

• Pictures: ACT, Help Tourism, Bauer

All the data was collected during a short stay in the Sunderbans in October 2005 and following e-mail.

In 2004 the demonstration project won the TTF-award for “The best innovative tourism product of India” on India´s biggest tourism trade fair.

My thanks go to the people of the Sunderbans, to Help Tourism and ACT for their friendly support and great hospitality.

For further information please contact:

Help [email protected] 143 Hillcart Road [email protected] 1 Tel. + 91 - 353 - 2535893West Bengal,Tel. + 91 - 353 - 2433683-India- Fax. + 91 - 353 – 2531121

www.helptourism.com

ACT-Association for Conservation and Tourism67-A – Kali Temple Road [email protected]

Sadananda Kuthi (1st fl.) Tel.+91–33-24550917

Kalighat Tel.+91-33-24854584

Kolkata 700 026 Fax.+91-33-24853275

-India- cell+91–98310-31980

www.actnowornever.org

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Challenges (1)

• Jeaulosy and superior behaviour

• Self-regulating processes in staff employment (not anyone is appropriate for working in service)

• Local people become used to services provided (e.g. medical camp) and each loss is hitting back on the camp

• Provision of regular purchases of local goods

• Local staff does not always fulfil the high standard criteria tourists demand for

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Challenges (2)

• Gender mainstreaming vs. Traditional society order• International working standards vs. High work appearance in season times

• Indepting due to unrealistic expectations of touristicdemand

• Lack of official support (the Camp is not mentioned in the states official brochures)

• Too high demand for camp and the surrounding ecosystem and society (tourism in India is boosting)

• Too high touristic pressure on Sunderbans (e.g. Sahara Sunderban Project)

• Political disturbance

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