Environmental Sustainability Issues in India

Environmental Sustainability Issues in India

India makes up 2.4 percent of the world's land, while supporting 16 percent of the world's population. The compounding result is a severely unsustainable use of natural resources for several generations. Currently, India is experiencing rapid and widespread environmental degradation at alarming rates. Tremendous pressure is placed upon the country's land and natural resources to support the massive overpopulation.

Mismanagement and overuse of India's once abundant forests has resulted in desertification, contamination, and soil depletion throughout the sub-continent. This has serious repercussions for the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of Indians that live off the land. In Rajasthan alone, it is approximated that nearly five million tribal people (as of 2004) rely on the collection of forest produce as their only source of income or nourishment. Without continual access to forest products such as fruit, honey, or firewood these communities experience debilitating hunger and are reduced to extreme poverty.

Drought is having severe consequences for the people Rajasthan who have endured chronic shortages of water. In 2003, one-fifth of the villages in Rajasthan reported that they had no access to a reliable water source, and approximately half relied on a single source for the entire area. This affects the availability of safe drinking water, the success of the livestock population, and the security of basic food sources. Without water, health, and agricultural productivity, Rajasthani people are forced to struggle for their survival.

Numerous NGOs in Rajasthan focus on environmental issues as they are extremely pressing concerns for this region. FSD works with NGOs that have been enormously effective in protecting natural resources and minimizing the effects of drought. For example in 2006, an FSD intern Elizabeth Thys worked with the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) to build a rainwater harvesting system. This water tank improved the quality and accessibility of drinking water for approximately 150 people in a rural area of Rajasthan.

Other FSD partner organizations frequently conduct research projects on topics such as soil stabilization, organic farming, erosion prevention, and protection and management of forested lands. These organizations search for feasible solutions to environmental problems and then provide the local community with necessary funding and infrastructure. Aid from environmental organizations has become an invaluable way for the poor to improve the condition of their local environment, directly affecting the quality of their livelihoods.

Read more about Environmental Sustainability programs and opportunities initiated by our Community Partners in India.