President, Zicord Manipur (Recipient of Dr. Ambedkar National Award for Social Work, 2014

ZICORD, Manipur is a secular, not for profit social action group. It is working on the spirit of social responsibilities to promote more responsibilities among all to pay for the services we owe to the finite resources. ZICORD is operational in Manipur. The state is in the Eastern most periphery of India bordering Mayanmar. Its importance to geographical position stands at the gate way of South East Asia. It is undulating hills having oval valley at the centre and is the habitats of 40 tribal and sub-tribes. Manipur is one of the 35 biodiversity rich spots of the world. The mountain of Sirui lily, Dzuko carpet grass Loktak fresh water ramsar are the rare sites of all.

Agriculture being the state’s economy, the rich biodiversity is the livelihood sources of the communities. The state lost 1 Sq kms of biodiversity covers every week. The blow of climate variability to the loss of livelihood resources of water, forest, agriculture, livelihood, health, energy and ecosystem to the trend of desertification are the challenges post for participatory actions.

India is a liberal democracy with a policy oriented to increase production and create growth. It provides a directive principles to ensure that the knowledge, skill and resources of communities are incorporated in development process. The surge for inclusive growth stresses for financial inclusion of the absolute poor and the powerless who are vulnerable to the structural systems of social and economic devise of the state. Local initiatives, cooperation and paerticipation is the key to achieve global symbiosis.

Our goal to sustainable development are to:

A. PROMOTE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE:
1. Increase mobility of tribal youths and outlooks for global village symbiosis.
2. Promote gender equality, tribal women’s right to assets to proportion of half.
3. Promote effectively manage village development institution base on traditional institutions.

B. IMPROVE NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
2. Promote agricultural activities to climate adaptation system and combat desertification.
3. Promote entrepreneurship from optimal use of Non timber forest produces.
2. Promote low carbon knowledge and skills to children and youths.
3. Promote community initiatives for in-situ and ex-situ conservation of biodiversity.
4. Improve water management, safe water to communities living in hilly and difficult villages.

C. LIVELIHOOD SECURITY:
1. Promote livelihood activities to link with climate adaptation and mitigation goals.
2. Develop, adopt and transfer appropriate technologies of farm innovation and enterprises.
3. Enhance skill, ability and asset to unemployed and marginally employed youths.
4. Ensure farmers literacy, financial inclusion and agriculture information to small farmers.
5. Ensure land and farm asset to landless cultivators, reduce labour migrations.
I humbly appeal to all individuals, corporate foundation and development institutions for your cooperation to strengthen local initiative and actions for sustainable development.

( Thangkam Lupheng ),
President, ZICORD, Manipur.

Recipient of Dr. Ambedkar National Award for Social Work – 2014