Navakiranam- A Novel Program in Kerala, A Win-Win Strategy for Biodiversity and People Through Voluntary Relocation

Abstract

Human-wildlife conflict, deterioration, and degradation of forests due to the presence of people and their livestock are a burning problem in our country. In tandem is the disaffection of the people living within forest hamlets due to poor access to education medical facilities, modern amenities, etc., especially due to a lack of financial capacity and requisite skillsets to relocate outside the forest.

 The Navakiranam program is a Kerala government-sponsored program that provides financial support as well as social handholding for people within forests of Kerala to voluntarily relocate outside forests to gain access to a better life for themselves and their children. While supporting people, the program also provides ecological restoration to the vacated forests making room for biodiversity and wildlife to flourish.

 The Navakiranam program is a win-win project for people and forests, being successfully implemented in Kerala, which also needs to be scaled and replicated in the rest of the country.