A two-day workshop on participatory mapping for grassroots leaders, aimed at implementing the seventh operational phase of the GEF small grants programme, was recently organised in collaboration between TERI (The Energy and Resource Institute) and the region’s premier biodiversity conservation organisation, Aaranyak.
Held on June 27-28 at the Community Resource Centre, Chandrasing Rongpi Memorial High School, Chandrasing Rongpi in the Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong landscape of Assam, the workshop brought together a diverse group of 10 representatives from various organisations. These participants focused on thematic areas ranging from livelihood and health to nutrition and sustainable agriculture.
The training aimed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and standardise skills across different sectors. It also sought to encourage the adoption of spatial technologies, facilitate data integration, and enhance problem-solving capabilities. The workshop aimed to improve decision-making processes, build capacity, and create a network of skilled professionals who can share knowledge and best practices by demonstrating the value of GIS and GPS in various organisational contexts.
Participating organisations included SeSTA (Seven Sisters Development Assistance) from Kamrup Metropolitan district, Lotus Progressive Centre from Nalbari, and the Foundation for Sustainable Development Trust based in Guwahati. Representatives also attended from Bosco Integrated Development Society in Meghalaya, Green Valley Society in Guwahati, and SNHPAD from Jorhat. Additionally, participants from Kalong Kapili, SPREAD NE (both from Guwahati), and Bethany Society from Shillong brought a wealth of diverse perspectives and experiences to the training.
The event was facilitated by a team of experts including Nandita Hazarika, Consultant at TERI; Arup Kumar Das, Senior Manager at Aaranyak; Dr. Dipankar Saharia, Senior Director of Administrative Services at TERI; Dr. Firoz Ahmed, Senior Scientist at Aaranyak; Jayanta Kumar Sarma, Senior Programme Associate for the Natural Resource Management Programme at Aaranyak; and Sourav Gupta, Senior Researcher at Aaranyak.
Special guests such as Sounika Karmakar, Regional Coordinator for the NE region of the UNDP-GEF small grants programme at TERI, and Manish Kumar Pandey, National Coordinator at TERI, were honoured during the opening session.
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The participatory mapping workshop’s curriculum was meticulously designed to cover both theoretical concepts and practical applications. The first day focused on introducing space, place, and map-reading concepts, followed by sessions on participatory mapping approaches by Jayanta Kumar Sarma and Sarlongjon Teron, Senior Project Officer at Aaranyak for rural development planning. A case study on natural resource mapping at Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong Landscape was also presented. Participants received hands-on training in using GPS devices and smartphones for data collection.
The second day was dedicated to field data collection and the practical application of the skills learned. Participants engaged in land use mapping exercises and learned to transform field data into maps using Google Earth software. The day concluded with group presentations of the maps created during the workshop.
The event was made possible by the efforts of the organising team from Aaranyak, with community volunteers Stephen Lekthe and Elwin Teron providing valuable support.
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