COMMUNITY WELLBEING CASE STUDY IN THE PENCH AND KANHA NATIONAL PARK REGION OF
MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA

Introduction:

To comprehensively assess the holistic wellbeing of these communities, the VaJaHa Foundation utilized the standardized proprietary holistic wellbeing assessment developed by Pietential. This assessment framework provides a structured approach to evaluate various dimensions of wellbeing, encompassing self-actualization, self-esteem, belongingness, safety, and physiological aspects.

Additionally, the study aims to analyze if demographic factors such as educational level, occupation, income level, and caste category impact their wellbeing, specifically their sense of safety. The data gathered will inform strategic interventions tailored to address their specific needs. Furthermore, this initiative holds the potential for future assessments, contingent upon the findings and evolving circumstances through longitudinal studies, ensuring a sustained commitment to uplifting these communities.

About the organization:

The VaJaHa Foundation is a nonprofit group dedicated to uplifting rural communities and protecting the forests in which they live. It currently focuses on educating people in rural Nagpur district about the Forest Rights Act (FRA). The main goals are furthering social welfare and empowering marginalized groups like Dalits and tribal peoples. The Foundation cultivates and strengthens Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) as its strategy for achieving these objectives.

The Assessment Used:

Understanding Rural Communities Near the Pench and Kanha National Park Regions in Madhya Pradesh, India.

As these rural settlements have grown and developed around the fringes of forested regions, concerted efforts have been undertaken to promote forest conservation and sustainable management practices. Restricting access to forest resources can pose significant economic challenges for residents who have traditionally relied on these natural bounties. Proper conservation measures are, therefore, crucial to strike a balance, ensuring the preservation of ecosystems while safeguarding local communities' economic interests, thereby avoiding exacerbating existing hardships.

Moreover, the intricate social fabric woven within these rural communities plays a pivotal role in shaping their overall wellbeing and sense of security

Pre-existing inequalities and disparities can further exacerbate the daily struggles faced by these populations, compounding the challenges they encounter in their pursuit of a sustainable livelihood.

A significant factor that warrants particular attention is the psychological impact of residing in close proximity to wildlife reserve areas. The ever-present sense of potential danger posed by the neighboring wild animals can elevate stress and anxiety levels among the local population. Residents must remain in a constant state of vigilance to protect their crops and livestock from potential harm, thereby straining their psychological resources. This unrelenting wariness regarding personal and communal safety can take a substantial mental toll on individuals.

Human-wildlife conflicts: Interactions between humans and wildlife, such as crop raids, livestock predation, or even direct encounters with apex predators like tigers, leopard, wild dog and wolf, can lead to significant stress, anxiety, and a sense of insecurity, potentially undermining the community's sense of safety.

Displacement and relocation: In some cases, communities may face displacement or relocation due to conservation efforts or environmental factors, disrupting their traditional ways of life and severing their connection to ancestral lands, leading to emotional distress and a loss of identity.

Limited access to resources: Proximity to wildlife reserves may restrict access to natural resources, such as water, grazing lands, or forest products, upon which many communities rely for their livelihoods and sustenance, creating economic hardships and potential food insecurity

Environmental degradation: Human activities and encroachment can contribute to environmental degradation, potentially affecting the delicate balance of ecosystems and exacerbating the challenges faced by both wildlife and local communities, adding to their mental stress.

Lack of healthcare and support services: Remote locations near wildlife areas often lack adequate healthcare facilities and mental health support services, making it difficult for individuals to cope with the unique challenges they face, potentially leading to unaddressed mental health issues. Consequently, those inhabiting such locales may confront augmented states of trepidation, disquietude, and susceptibility, which bear substantial ramifications for their holistic perceptions of refuge and psychological fortitude.

However, it is important to note that some members of these communities find solace and psychological restoration in the peaceful coexistence with the surrounding natural environment.

The Study Design -

Aim of the Study:

Universe of the Study:
The focus area spanned across seven distinct blocks within the three districts— Chhindwara, Seoni, and Balaghat—strategically located around the Pench and Kanha National Parks.

Sample Size:
6,414 individuals were selected through a random sampling method from 119 Villages falling under 1km of radius, buffer zone of Pench and Kanha National Parks.

Method of Administration:
A group of 40 social work volunteers verbally asked 20 questions about Pietential’s holistic wellbeing assessment in Hindi. No clarification or further explanation was given on these questions and the social worker recorded their responses.

Period of the study:
Data collection for this study was a collaborative effort using the Pietential NGO platform and personal interviews conducted over four months, from December 2023 to March 2024. This comprehensive data-gathering process ensured a thorough understanding of the baseline conditions within these communities.

Findings of the study -

The present finding is based on the five aspects of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs where the VaJaHa Foundation sought to understand the well-being of the communities based on the education level, occupation, income, caste, and dependents’ numbers, which are explained below accordingly.

Education level:
The present graph details different levels of education and corresponding wellbeing scores related to the various aspects of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: self-actualization, self-esteem, belonging, safety, and physiological needs. Each row represents a different level of education, and each column indicates the wellbeing level associated with these needs for that particular education level. The data is furnished in graph 1.

Analysis: The data suggests that individuals with vocational education tend to exhibit relatively high levels of self-esteem. However, they generally experience a lower sense of belonging compared to individuals in other educational categories. It is further notable that despite the potential risks associated with living in wildlife areas, the safety scores remain relatively consistent across educational levels, ranging between 74% and 80%. Upon further discussion conducted by VaJaHa with community leaders, it came to light that regardless of educational background, individuals in these communities have developed coping mechanisms or adapted their lifestyles to maintain a comparable sense of safety amidst the challenges posed by their environment.

Occupation:
The data presented in Graph 2 illustrates the relationship between various agricultural occupations and the corresponding levels of wellbeing, as defined by Maslow's hierarchy of needs, for individuals residing in proximity to wildlife areas. Each row represents a distinct occupation, while the columns indicate the associated wellbeing levels across the different needs: self-actualization, selfesteem, belongingness, safety, and physiological requirements.

Analysis: A noteworthy observation from the data is that individuals employed as Agricultural Managers tend to exhibit relatively high levels of self-actualization and self-esteem, suggesting a strong sense of accomplishment and self-worth. However, they appear to experience a lower sense of belongingness compared to other needs, indicating potential challenges in feeling a connection to a community.

Remarkably, despite variations in role statuses, the safety aspect remains relatively stable, with safety scores consistently hovering around 63% to 64%. Further interviews shed light on shared concerns among all agricultural workers, regardless of their specific roles. These concerns include potential crop losses due to wildlife, the risk of displacement or relocation due to conservation efforts or environmental changes, which disrupt traditional lifestyles, and an overall heightened risk of life, particularly due to the close proximity to apex predators.

Income Level:
The infographic below shows how different levels of monthly income correspond to wellbeing levels related to various aspects of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The comparative analysis compares the holistic wellbeing of individuals earning less than the Indian Rupee (INR) 2000 versus individuals earning more than INR 20,000.

Analysis: Those commanding a higher monthly income of above INR 20,000 exhibit elevated percentages across all needs categories compared to their counterparts earning a modest below INR 2,000.
Remarkably, amidst the disparities in income levels, a consistent trend emerges – the safety scores remain relatively unwavering, with individuals earning less than INR 2,000 reporting a 78% sense of safety, while those earning more than INR 20,000 exhibit a marginally elevated 81% sense of security. It shows that there is a nominal correlation between wealth and wellbeing in this particular community. As demonstrated by the infographic above, a 10-fold increase in tangible wealth only results in a 2.4% increase in wellbeing.

Experts who have extensively studied such communities attribute this finding to the limitations of wealth in addressing their unique challenges. The threats they encounter, such as environmental risks, social dynamics, and cultural complexities, transcend monetary solutions. This underscores the need for holistic approaches beyond financial resources to enhance these communities' wellbeing truly.

Caste:
This graph 3 depicts how different castes {GEN (General Category), Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs)} correspond levels of wellbeing related to the various aspects of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Analysis: The percentages illuminate nuanced variations among the demographic groups, with the GEN (General Category) exhibiting a marginally elevated sense of self-actualization and belongingness compared to their Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) counterparts. These subtle disparities may be symptomatic of societal factors, such as access to resources and life experiences, that shape individuals' psychological and physiological needs fulfillment based on their demographic backgrounds.

Contrary to common perceptions, the data challenge the notion that the GEN category enjoys better safety. The data shows similar safety scores across GEN, SC, and OBC groups at 79% and only a 1% difference for SC at 78%. This highlights that even demographic factors like societal status may not significantly impact the sense of safety as people face common threats

Conclusion:

The VaJaHa Foundation's comprehensive case study aimed to benchmark the baseline holistic wellbeing of rural communities near the Pench and Kanha National Park regions in Madhya Pradesh, India, by using Pietential’s holistic wellbeing assessment. The study sought to examine how demographic factors such as education, occupation, income, and caste, which are commonly associated with influencing wellbeing, affected the overall wellbeing of these communities, particularly their sense of safety.

The study revealed nuanced variations among demographic groups regarding self-actualization, self-esteem, belongingness, safety, and physiological needs. The educational background showed varying effects on wellbeing, with vocational education correlating to higher self-esteem but lower belongingness. Similarly, different occupational roles showcased distinct patterns of self-actualization and self-esteem, underscoring the complex interplay between professional identity and personal fulfillment.

Interestingly, despite these variations, the sense of safety remained relatively stable across different educational and occupational groups. This challenges common perceptions regarding the influence of educational attainment and job roles on safety perceptions, indicating a consistent need for security irrespective of educational background or occupation in these areas.

Income levels exhibited a nominal correlation with holistic wellbeing, indicating that while higher incomes were associated with slightly elevated wellbeing scores across all needs categories, the impact was marginal. Notably, the sense of safety remained unwavering across different income brackets, challenging assumptions about the relationship between wealth and safety and highlighting that holistic approaches beyond financial resources are what the community needs.

A significant finding was the nuanced variations among caste categories, with the General Category (GEN) showing marginally higher levels of selfactualization and belongingness compared to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). However, the study revealed similar safety scores across all caste groups, highlighting common threats faced by these communities regardless of societal status.

The expert insights gleaned from extensive interviews and discussions shed light on the multifaceted challenges confronting these communities, including human-wildlife conflicts, displacement, limited resource access, environmental degradation, and inadequate healthcare services. These challenges transcend monetary solutions, emphasizing the need for holistic approaches to enhance overall wellbeing and resilience.

In conclusion, the study underscores the importance of understanding the complex interplay of socioeconomic, environmental, and cultural factors in shaping the holistic wellbeing of rural communities. The findings provide a foundation for targeted interventions and policy initiatives aimed at addressing the unique needs and challenges faced by these marginalized populations, thereby fostering sustainable development and resilience in the region.