ABOUT  IBRAD

Established in the year 1985 IBRAD (Indian Institute of Bio Social Research and Development) is a professional institute engaged in action research, training, development and impact evaluation studies in different states of India. IBRAD has the proven track record for training and capacity building of the government functionaries as well as the farmers in different states of India since 1991.

The institute is a Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Tribal Development under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India.

The institute was established by a group of professionals and academics, mostly the Anthropologists working with Anthropological Survey of India, Delhi University, Utkal University, Indian Statistical Institute led by Professor S. B. Roy who is serving as the Founder Chairman.

Action research

Since its inception IBRAD is pursuing action research by involving the local communities on issues related to Participatory Conservation and Management of Natural Resources in general and Forest, Biodiversity, Water and Agriculture in particular. It is pursuing action research in the areas of Integrated Agro Forest Mosaic Landscape Management, Sustainable Tribal Development, Participatory Biodiversity Conservation, Sustainable Livelihood Development, Women Empowerment, Participatory Irrigation Management, Sustainable and Organic Agriculture.

The action research findings of IBRAD are being used by the policy makers and the government functionaries to design new policies like Joint Forest Management and Participatory Irrigation Management in West Bengal. The study on effectiveness of the JFMCs conducted at the National level was referred in the Xth Five Year Plan Document for developing strategy for universalisation of JFM in the country.

The concepts of Bi Lateral Matching Institutions (BMI), Methods of Eco Chain (PANCHTATWA) and Self Initiated Community Organisers (SICO), methods and approaches of Participatory Biodiversity Management, Steps for Developing and Strengthening Community Institutions – SAPTSWAR have been field tested across different Agro Climatic regions of the country and is accepted by both the academics and the government functionaries at the National and International level.

Capacity Building and implementation support to Forest Sector programs

IBRAD was assigned by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India involved way back in 1990 - 91 to design and implement the training programs on Joint Forest Management and Participatory Planning skills to facilitate the process of Concept to Commissioning of Joint Forest Management program in the states of Bihar, Maharastra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan during the stage of initiation of JFM program in the country.

Apart from these states, IBRAD has been involved by the states like Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal to conduct training for the senior level officers to the field staff of the forest department to facilitate the process of implementation of JFM program and also other National level programs like FDA and Green India Mission program.

Besides, IBRAD as the flagship institute, is organizing Compulsory Training for the Indian Forest Service (IFS) Officers under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change since 1991 without any break and have so far organized the highest number of trainings for the IFS officers in the country.

The core strength of IBRAD lies in understanding the training needs, development of training strategy and training modules and its implementation for multi stakeholders. The uniqueness of the capacity building and training of IBRAD lies in bringing tangible changes through application of the skills learnt in the training by its participants.

IBRAD was engaged by the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department as the Training Advisor under the World Bank funded Andhra Pradesh Community Forest Management Program and also as the Training Resource Agency by the Tripura Forest Department under JICA funded Tripura Forest Environment Improvement and Poverty Alleviation Project. It has also been engaged by the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department to facilitate the process of Change within the Department for implementation of DFID funded Participatory Forest Management Program in the state

IBRAD has facilitated the process of implementation of FDA program in different forest divisions in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Tripura and Maharastra.

IBRAD has acted as an apex institute as the Coordinator of JFM Training Network in the country.

Capacity building and implementation support in Water sector

IBRAD has been engaged by the Department of Water Resources Development Department, Government of West Bengal as Support Organisation for implementation of the Word Bank funded West Bengal Accelerated Development of Minor Irrigation Project in four districts of West Bengal through building community institutions and their capacity building for Sustainable Livelihood Development through convergence of different sectors. It was also been involved to provide facilitation for implementation of North Bengal Terai Development Project through community institution building on the one hand and capacity building of the departmental engineers and staff for Participatory Irrigation Management on the other.

Participatory Development by involving the community, particularly the forest fringe tribal (indigenous) people

Integrated Landscape Management for Sustainable Agriculture

One of the core strength of IBRAD lies in involving community, building and strengthening community institutions for effective management of the local resources. It is implementing projects related to Integrated Landscape Management for Sustainable Agriculture under RKVY whereby the forest fringe villagers, particularly the women, in Bankura and Jhargram districts of West Bengal are trained to develop new conservation based livelihood opportunities based on sustainable and organic farming, production of organic inputs and biodiversity conservation.

Sustainable Tribal Development and Women Empowerment

IBRAD as Centre of Excellence under Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing project on Capacity Building of the Kamar and Birhor PVTGs through Integrated Landscape Management and Women Empowerment for Sustainable Development in the states of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

IBRAD is also facilitating the process of women empowerment by creating an enabling social environment and integrating the traditional community institutions, providing opportunities for training and capacity building to the women, giving them opportunities to implement the skills for sustainable livelihood development and show case their achievements in front of the larger audience thus instilling a sense of autonomy, dignity and self respect among these women and also changing their status at the family and community level.

Impact Evaluation studies

The institute has been conducting impact assessment and evaluation studies of different national level projects and programs like Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna, National Horticulture Mission, Integrated Watershed Management Project, Joint Forest Management, Forest Development Agencies, CAMPA, Joint Forest Management Committees and Self Help Groups and their livelihoods, impact of solar power on health, agriculture, education and livelihood of the people. IBRAD has also been involved in biodiversity studies and preparation of biodiversity and wildlife conservation plans for the mine affected areas in the states of Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.

International Collaborations

IBRAD has been conducting international trainings for different stakeholders including the government functionaries, academics and civil society organizations since 1994.

It has also implemented different externally funded study projects supported by European Union, Australian National University, Arcadis Euroconsult, DFID and GIZ.

Students from the reputed foreign universities and institutes like Kings College London, Edinburg University, University of Milan Biccoca have pursued their internship, PhD program based on the concept and approaches developed by IBRAD and Winter School.

Publication

The concepts of IBRAD are published in the national and international journals and also been referred by the government in their policy documents.