a.University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka, India

The University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad established in 1986 is one of the premier universities in India involved in agricultural, horticultural and forest sciences education, research and extension activities in Karnataka. It is spread in an area of 1180 hectares at its headquarters and has associated colleges and on farm research centres in other districts of Karnataka. It targets youth (18 age and above) and farming community to impart agriculture, horticulture and forest sciences education, research and extension activities. While it carries out its educational activities through formal set-up for the youth, for the farming community it demonstrates the cropping practices using sustainable practices in conserving soil, water and biomass resources.

Currently University recruits and teaches the students from India and outside countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, Ethiopia and Vietnam. It caters to farming community in northern parts of Karnataka with its sustainable development education and technologies, through demonstration and practices in the farms.

Capabilities and current activities having sustainable development practices are as below:

•Establishment of Bioresources Complex.
•Promoting Community Based Tank Management Systems through demonstration.
•Organic Village Programmes – Demonstration of Bio-pesticides, Biofertlisers, other sustainable agricultural practices etc.,
•Demonstration of Agro-forestry practices (Tree: Livestock: Fodder/Pasture based farming).
•Demonstration of biofuel producing crops.
•Live demonstration of water and soil quality management for sustainable farming practices.
•Watershed Management Practices.
•Collection, multiplication and distribution of local land races of various crop seeds involving local farming community.
•Integration of research and development activities for poverty reduction.
•Select study of environmental parameters affecting agriculture and allied practices.
•Carrying out biotechnological research to conserve crop varieties, land races and accessions.
•Demonstrating and educating sustainable development issues and practices through existing networks such as farmers associations, tank users association, Krishi Vignana Kendra’s (KVKs), Field Research Stations, Associated Colleges, NGOs and CBOs.
•Demonstration of better technologies for the conservation of energy and resources especially agricultural inputs.

b. Shri Chamaranjedra Zoological Gardens, Mysore, Karnataka, India:

Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens was established by the then Maharaja of Mysore, Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar in 1892 initially in an area of 10 acres and now it has a spread over an 100 acres. Currently over 2 million visitors visit the Zoo annually. Since 1979 the zoo is managed by Karnataka Forest Department under its Zoo Authority of Karnataka wing. This is one of the finest zoos of India with following broad objectives:

•To educate the people regarding the wildlife, their habitat, food habits and status.
•It is a conservation park wherein endangered species are maintained and bred in captivity.
•To enhance the knowledge by conducting long-term research on the management of wildlife in captivity.
•By virtue of exchange programmes it exhibits both exotic and indigenous species where people can see them and enjoy.
•It aims in increasing the population of the threatened and rare species.
•Zoo takes care of sick, deserted, orphaned and handicapped animals.

Capability of Zoo in Complying with Education for Sustainable Development related issues:

The zoo in its objectives clearly indicates that it demonstrates the visitors of various levels (illiterate to students of various age groups, levels of education, general community with different age groups and educational backgrounds) with knowledge, information and with live display of various rare animals the value of conservation. By involving itself in educating various groups of students and general communities in educational activities by promoting youth clubs and as zoo volunteers.

Apart from educational activities zoo also carries out ex-situ conservation activities through its regular research and development activities to conserve the rare animals of Indian forests. This will have tremendous educational value for the select target groups. Zoo being the learning centre it promotes concern for the animals by providing shelter for the sick, deserted, orphaned and handicapped animals in its premises.

Management of wild animals in captive condition is another aspect where in zoo provides ample opportunity and scope to learn about protecting the rare and endangered animal species.

c. Binkadakatti Zoo, Gadag, Karnataka, India.

The project area Binkadakatti zoo is located in Gadag district of north interior part of Karnataka. It was established in 1972 in an area of 18.21 hectares Currently zoo houses the animal enclosures of black buck, leopard, spotted deer, sambar, neelgai, striped hyaena, duck, crocodile, sloth bear, python, turtle, toddy cat, orange breasted parakeet, porcupine, alexandrine parakeet, rose ringed parakeet, adjutant stork, turkey, bar headed goose. Apart from the animals zoo also had helped serve as conservation area for endemic plant species such as Tamarindus indica, Hardwickia binata, Azadirachta indica, Acacia catechu and Santalum album.

The zoo has following broad objectives:

•To educate the people regarding the wildlife, their habitat, food habits and status.
•It is a conservation park wherein endangered species are maintained and bred in captivity.
•To enhance the knowledge by conducting long-term research on the management of wildlife in captivity.
•By virtue of exchange programmes it exhibits both exotic and indigenous species where people can see them and enjoy.
•It aims in increasing the population of the threatened and rare species.
•Zoo takes care of sick, deserted, orphaned and handicapped animals.


The zoo attracts annually average 84,000 (approximate number) visitors ranging from school children, teachers and general community comprising both urban and rural population. As per the zoo authority at-least 2 to 5 schools bring their children every week to the zoo to learn about variety of concepts related with ecology and environment. The zoo helps as ex-situ conservation area for the variety of animals and bigger mammals such as leopard and hyaena. Zoo also has become one of the attractive and recreational spots to larger population due to its strategic location in the semi-arid climatic situations of North Karnataka.

With all the above features zoo has become one of the important spots for wildlife educational centers for the people of north Karnataka. Over the years zoo has inherited rich plant and animal wealth however, a need of strong sustainable development educational facility was felt to make it more visitor friendly and also a useful learning centre for the school and college students in the northern districts and especially in the districts of Dharwad-Hubli, Gadag and Haveri in Karnataka state.

d. GREEN (Genetic Resource Ecology Energy Nutrition) Foundation, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
The underlying philosophy of GREEN Foundation (GF) has been to accept traditional knowledge with its technical, social, and spiritual dimensions to encourage endogenous development within the community.
GREEN Foundation established in 1996, works in close participation with the local community and individual farmers to Conserve Biodiversity and Improve Food Security. From a starting point which concentrated on the identification and conservation of traditional seed varieties of millets and paddy which were fast disappearing from the local farms, GF activities have progressed to reviving traditional storage and exchange of seeds through Community Seed Banks, to the revival of traditional agricultural methods reintroduced in conjunction with modern organic techniques. It has encouraged the creation of Kitchen Gardens, the one-acre integrated farming practice and Community Farming for landless and marginal farmers. It has also promoted Integrated Agroforestry and Livestock Management to meet the communities' needs for fodder and fuel and to Reduce Dependence on External Inputs.
Conserving & Enhancing Natural Resources has clearly been an essential element of these programmes as has Training & Infrastructure Creation as active participation by the community is essential for sustainability.
GREEN Foundation is now involved in encouraging Biodiversity Based Income Generation schemes and setting up Community Marketing arrangements for organic and craft products, grains and seed.
Advocacy and Lobbying are also important activities. In developing linkages with various regional, national and international organisations to create awareness of the issues GF faces, GF has been able to make a significant contribution to the development of organic farming policy of the Government of Karnataka. Work on a Community Seed Bank Network has established strong regional links with other organisations engaged in natural resource management and to effect further change GF organises national level seminars, workshops, and conferences.
Conserving Biodiversity for Food Security
Bio-diversity conservation is central to the maintenance and quality of life. GF has identified and conserved many traditional crop varieties under threat, through seed mapping in participation with local communities.
Food security of the community is ensured only if seed security is provided. To accomplish this objective, GF initiated participatory research and experiments on crop improvement for optimizing yields. The communities were involved in the selection and multiplication of indigenous crop varieties.
Community Seed Banks
Community Seed Banks are a holistic development starting with collection, multiplication and conservation of seed in farmer's fields, to storage in a seed bank. Seed preservation has traditionally been the women's role and their knowledge on seeds and sowing was extensive, from selection of seeds, soil suitability, to choice of crops suitable to local conditions.

GF has reinvigorated and formalized the traditional practices of giving seeds and returning double the original quantity, thereby reversing the trend of reducing diversity in villages. A decade of nurturing of GF has resulted in the widening of the gene pool and the improvement of the potential of landraces.

Fifty community seed banks with an average of 15 - 20 mainly women members now conserve approximately 43 varieties of Finger Millets, 84 Paddy, 24 Sorghum, 44 Minor Millets, 53 Pulses, 14 Oilseeds, 4 Wheat and 116 Vegetable seeds.
Kitchen Gardens
The creation of Kitchen gardens and plant nurseries has been facilitated by GF based on water availability from the village check dam and water tanks and on vermicompost production.This work has been of great significance in increasing the variety of plants that can be grown successfully, prolonging the growing season, improving yields and thus the availability, quality and variety of food available to the farmer. The gardens and nurseries have also provided surplus produce available for sale. In a recent trial, nursery raised and transplanted finger millet and paddy increased crop yields by 25% compared to traditional broadcast or line sowing.
Community Farming
Ten years ago GF established a Community farm as a model of integrated organic agriculture using traditional and improved methods of cultivation and husbandry. Since then this model has been successfully adapted in various villages based on the one acre integrated farming concept. This has been particularly successful in providing opportunities for landless farmers to improve their quality of life.
Integrated Agroforestry & Livestock Management
Farmers are encouraged to grow indigenous forest species in their fields to provide shade and mulching material as well as a valuable source of bio-pesticides, fodder and fuel. Tree seedlings are propagated in purpose built nursery beds and surpluses are now sold to local farmers.

The integration of livestock into agriculture and livestock breeding both reduces the dependence on external inputs and augments the income generating opportunities of the community.
Reduce Dependence on External Inputs
In order to ensure sustainable farming, dependency on external inputs must be significantly reduced and opportunities for income generation created. GF has initiated vermicomposting, production and use of trichoderma, and plant based bio-pesticides. These activities, plus livestock development and agroforestry, initiated by GF to reduce the need to purchase external fertilizers and pesticides have now also provided communities with opportunities for generating income as production is increased for sale to other farms and villages.
Conserving & Enhancing Natural Resources
Soil and water are key components of the ecosystem, Rainwater harvesting is encouraged by GF in the form of the construction of check dams, farm ponds, formation of farm bunds, and the digging of trench-cum-bunds. The use of mulches, FYM and vermicompost to improve both soil fertility and structure are also integral to GF's approach.
Training & Infrastructure Creation
The work of Community Seed Banks and other work has focused the activities of existing sanghas (Self Help Groups) and encouraged the formation of more groups. Members of these groups now elect representatives to Seed Bank Committees and Federations to co-ordinate and guide the activities of the sanghas.

Farm level bio-diversity cannot be conserved in the long run without community participation. GF has set up and run many training courses, workshops and demonstrations in both technical & managerial fields to increase the local skill base.
Community Marketing
Providing wholesome and healthier food products to the community is on the agenda of GF. Marketing of food products, which are chemical and pesticide free, is done locally through the sanghas at village level. Community marketing arrangements are also now established for the sale of grain, seeds, surplus kitchen garden produce and other organic food products in urban markets. Transport costs remain a problem.
Advocacy and Lobbying
GF has developed linkages with various regional, national and international organisations to accomplish its objectives. To bring in policy change, GF organises national level seminars, workshops, and conferences. GF has made a significant contribution to the organic farming policy of the Government of Karnataka.
Community Seed Bank Network
In conjunction with like-minded NGO's, GF has now established 34 seed banks in nine eco-regions of Karnataka state to extend the supply of organically grown traditional seed varieties to the farming community through seed exchanges, which increases the diversity across the State.

e. Tropical Research and Development Centre (TRDC), Bangalore, Karnataka, India

TRDC is a non-governmental organization established in 1994. It is registered under Public Charitable Trust Act, headquartered in Bangalore. The issues of acute poverty, resource degradation, ill health, illiteracy and lack of awareness on various aspects of development among the rural communities have prompted TRDC to organize poorer section of the society with special emphasis on women empowerment and self-help approach for their own development. TRDC as an organization is working from the beginning in the arid and semi-arid zones which are complex ecosystems with natural potential sufficient to provide a good quality of life, if the development approach adopted is socially just, ecologically sustainable and culturally appropriate. TRDC tries to address many of the most basic problems faced by the rural people seeking to improve their quality of life by addressing the issue of poor education standards, alternative income opportunities, employment, human rights and rural infrastructure.

Mission of TRDC:

•Care and service for the educational, economic, environmental, cultural needs, welfare and well being of all persons residing in India irrespective of caste, creed, race, sex, language or religion and more specifically downtrodden, economically backward rural folk living below the poverty line in particular with prejudice.
•To undertake the preservation of natural resources mainly land, water and vegetation to sustain life on this planet by maintaining ecosystem and to prevent exploitation of these resources by some sections of the society and ensuring equitable distribution to meet the basic needs of all, especially the poor.

TRDC’s approaches in programmes and projects:

•Building Social Capital-through primary education for school dropout children with special emphasis on girl child, promoting grassroots level institutions such as women/youth self-help groups, strengthening the functioning of Panchayati Raj institutions and various village development committees such as village education committee, Village forest committee etc.
•Sustainable livelihood people institution: developing savings and credit schemes for women and link them with formal financial institutions for accessing the credit, skill development and vocational education for youths, and prepare women and youths for coping up the stress from unforeseen financial losses through enterprise development trainings.
•Environmental Regeneration in the rural areas with focus on bio-diversity conservation, organic farming and vermiculture, agro-forestry, water management, village forestry and bio-diversity conservation.


6. Cooperation and communication

Most of the partners already agreed to partner in this process would co-operate and collaborate with each other by various ways and means. These would involve the following:

•Sharing scientific, technical and administrative knowledge to achieve the goals of education for sustainable development.
•Sharing the methodologies and approaches to achieve the goals of education for sustainable development.
•Sharing the roles and responsibilities in a defined way with mutual concents.
•The activities working towards ESD would be discussed and debated before arriving with conclusions.
•Projects and programmes may be initiated either individually and jointly by the partner agencies to achieve the goals selected to achieve the ESD.
•The RCE Southern Region would also create forum to discuss and debate about potential partners to achieve the set objectives.