Ramachandran K G and Saneesh P –Community Wellbeing
The Annual Meet on Using Diversity 2025 was successfully conducted at Karjat, Raigad district, Maharashtra, from 16th to 18th February 2025. Participants from 5 southern states of India, namely Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, attended this three-day meeting.
First day
The program commenced with a traditional performance by a community representative from the Thakur community, which set a cultural and vibrant tone for the gathering.
Delivering the keynote address, Ms. Snehalatha Nath, Founder-Director of Keystone Foundation, highlighted the history, significance, and areas of engagement and the transitions of the Using Diversity project. A special highlight of this year’s meet was the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Using Diversity, marking three decades of impactful work since its inception in 1995 in South Asia. Keystone Foundation took over the administration from 2017 onwards, and at present, the key thematic areas of interventions are food sovereignty, nutritional security, and land rights, including forest rights of Vulnerable Tribal Communities. These areas of intervention are spread across 9 different states in India.
In addition, Mr. Rajeev presented an overview of the working areas and communities in Maharashtra where Using Diversity has been actively involved.
After lunch, participants explored an exhibition of stalls for knowledge and seed exchange. The exhibition showcased a large variety of traditional seeds, leafy plants, and Indigenous tools and equipment from all working areas. These exhibits, brought from different states, reflected the diverse agricultural heritage and the rich traditional knowledge systems of local communities. In the afternoon, there were presentations from all the participating states. Community fellows gave a presentation on various interventions held in the past year and how they impacted the local communities they work with.
Second Day
On the second day, the participants were divided into three groups for field visits. The visits were planned for participants to understand the ground realities of the different tribal communities in the region while gaining exposure to the kind of interventions done through the project support. The first and second groups visited different settlements belonging to the Thakur and Katkari communities. The third group visited the villages of the Katkari community, where they saw multiple interventions such as Kitchen Gardens, Private Forests, Root crop cultivation areas, as well as paddy and Groundnut fields. The participants interacted with various community groups engaged in development interventions that help them to sustain their livelihoods. They later reflected that these visits provided an opportunity for meaningful exchange and learning. The field visits remind us how important civil society interventions are where the basic rights of community people are denied or ignored.
Private Forest
Third day
On the third day, in the morning session, Soumik Bannerjee took us to an incredibly important class. The session was about understanding soil in an agricultural field or a particular area. He explained in detail how to look into the soil’s fertility, the presence of microorganisms, soil characteristics, quality, smell, and structure. He also elaborated on the important points to be considered while collecting soil for testing, including the proper method of taking soil samples from a specific location. These are essential aspects that anyone working with a farmers’ collective must be aware of. The class was conducted in both practical and theoretical modes, which made the learning very effective and comprehensive.
The traditional fishing methods of the Katkari community
In the afternoon, there was a session on PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental) analysis led by Ms. Manju. The discussion focused on how these factors influence our field-level interventions. Following this, a group discussion and a group activity were also organized to help the participants apply the concept practically in the fields.
Phots credit: Saneesh
