Our mission
Orans are Community Conserved Areas protected for their sacred values including woodlots, pastures, orchards, sacred groves, and habitats usually centered around sources of water such as natural springs, rivulets, or artificially constructed ponds, often with a religious deity associated with them. They are repositories of biodiversity, often protect key water sources in an arid area. These sacred commons were converted to state owned lands, leading to disappearance of local institutions to protect them. Now they are extremely threatened because of land encroachments, mining, renewable energy and infrastructure projects. In the 1990s, a community based mobilisation led by KRAPAVIS started to map and make efforts to restore and protect the sacred Orans. Over 1400 Orans have been mapped over the last three decades, and 140 Orans over 4000 ha. have been restored and protected through these efforts. Restoration has included community based regulations for protection and use, regeneration, planting of trees and shrubs, water restoration and retention structures, stone walling etc. Continuous dialogue with the government over the years has helped Orans getting recognition in the Rajasthan State Forest Policies 2010 and 2021.
KRAPAVIS “Krishi Avam Paristhitiki Vikas Sansthan”, an ecological and agricultural grass-root based organization is actively engaged in the exploration and development of strategies for promoting sustainable livelihoods for the rural communities living in
Funding campaign*
Yes | https://www.krapavis-oran.org/contact.phpClassification
- Forests
- Grasslands, shrublands and savannahs
- Increases Health & Wellbeing
- Mitigates Climate Change
- Protects Freshwaters
- Safeguards Biodiversity
- Supports Livelihoods
15
Employees900
VolunteersImpact
The rejuvenation of over 1400 Orans of 4000 ha has had direct social, economic and ecological benefits. The restoration of traditional water harvesting structures within the Orans, including Talabs (ponds), Nadi (small ponds), Tankas, and Kund (water storing tanks) have created vital freshwater resources for livestock, wildlife, and local communities. Invasive species such as Vilayati Babul (prosipis juliflora) have been removed from the catchment areas of waterbodies within the Orans, and communities have taken up enrichment planting with native trees such as Khejri, along with perennial grasses like Sewan (Lasiurus sindicus) and Dhaman (Cenchrus ciliaris). Effective protection of Orans has also led to natural regeneration of trees and grasses, improving biodiversity as well as productivity of the Orans for cattle grazing. On the social side, the community engagement has led to greater cohesion and cooperation, and capacity building of over 10,000 pastoralists and villagers as as organized custodians, legally literate and capable of restoring and defending their Orans. Thus the initiative has led to increased ecological and social resilience in fragile landscapes.
Building on this experience, long term state and national level advocacy by KRAPAVIS and local communities have led to additional protection being provided by the Government to Oran, which has categorized them as “deemed forests”, after a Supreme Court (SC) order dated January 10, 2024, resulting from the writ petition filed by Mr. Aman Singh, the Founder of KRAPAVIS. This has provided additional protection for 5000 Orans over 400,000 ha. Also the SC has asked the state government to recognize the Orans under India’s Forest Rights Act, which provides legal recognition as community forest resources with governance power vested in communities.
