SAJAG:
Socio-ecological Action for Just and Green Transformation
Type of project
Implementation
Thematic area
Corporate Sustainability and Inclusive NRM
Project area
Madhya Pradesh
Project status
Ongoing
About the Project
SAJAG is a biodiversity enhancement and carbon augmentation initiative implemented in the Malanpur industrial area of Madhya Pradesh, led by Landstack with funding support from Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL) and on-ground facilitation by Parhit NGO. The initiative seeks to restore ecological balance in industrial peri-urban and rural landscapes through biodiversity enhancement, community stewardship, participatory monitoring and institutional convergence.
The project emerged from the recognition that industrial expansion and changing land-use patterns have increasingly affected local biodiversity, ecosystem services, and community relationships with surrounding landscapes. SAJAG aims to address these challenges through community-based restoration/conservation approaches that strengthen ecological resilience while engaging local communities, women farmers and youth as active custodians of biodiversity.
Objectives and goals
Restore degraded commons and enhance native biodiversity across industrial peri-urban and agricultural landscapes
Promote regenerative and climate-resilient agricultural practices for soil and ecosystem health
Strengthen homestead biodiversity and ecological resilience through community-based green initiatives.
Strengthen community stewardship through local institutions
Develop participatory biodiversity monitoring and evidence-based ecological planning systems
Foster convergence with government systems for long-term sustainability
Methodology
The project follows a participatory, landscape-based and community-centred approach integrating ecological assessment, capacity building, restoration and continuous monitoring. Baseline assessments are conducted using PRA tools, landscape ecological health assessment, homestead based surveys and Soil Organic Carbon analysis, to understand ecological trends, land-use changes, and socio-ecological dynamics, enabling evidence-based planning and monitoring.
Capacity-building activities strengthen Eco Clubs, SHGs, farmers, youth, and Biodiversity Management Committees through trainings, demonstrations, workshops, and peer-learning exchanges. Based on village-specific needs, restoration interventions are implemented across farms, homesteads, and commons through agroecology, kitchen gardens, native plantation, composting, pollinator enhancement, invasive species management and commons regeneration.
A participatory monitoring system involving community institutions, digital dashboards, and annual ecological assessments supports adaptive management, strengthens institutional ownership, and promotes long-term ecological stewardship. Convergence with government departments will be pursued to facilitate resource mobilization and enhance sustainability.
Focus area
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Biodiversity Conservation and Enhancement
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Ecological Restoration of Commons
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Regenerative and Natural Farming Practices
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Homestead Biodiversity and Nutrition
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Soil Health and Carbon Augmentation
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Participatory Governance and Institutional Convergence
Outputs / Deliverables
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Ecological restoration and regenerative agriculture interventions across project villages
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Community based participatory biodiversity monitoring systems
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Community awareness and stewardship programmes
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Interactive digital dashboards and ecological assessment/monitoring reports
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Institutional convergence for sustainability
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Participatory ecological restoration models for industrial landscapes
Team Lead
Deepak Mishra
Senior Associate
Digina GD
Research Associate
Contributors
Anjali Aggarwal
M&E Expert
Pentile Thong
Biodiversity Expert
Priyabrata Sathapathy
Partnership/ Convergence
Arman Mohanty
Data Analyst
Sabita Bastia
Finance Manager
Updates
Baseline Socio-Ecological Assessment Completed
Date: October 2025
Comprehensive socio-ecological baseline assessments including PRA exercises, biodiversity assessments, household surveys, and waste sampling were completed across pilot villages to support evidence-based planning and village-specific intervention design.
Village-Level Institutions Formed
Date: November 2025 - January 2026
Eco Clubs were established across project pilot villages to encourage youth participation in biodiversity awareness, environmental stewardship, and ecological monitoring. Village Biodiversity Sabhas were also organised to strengthen community participation in identifying restoration priorities and promoting collective decision-making for biodiversity conservation and ecological management.
Participatory Biodiversity Monitoring Initiated
Date: January 2026
Eco Club members conducted tree census, bird counting, and insect observations across pilot villages, generating biodiversity baseline datasets and strengthening community ecological awareness and initiation of participatory monitoring.
Soil Sampling and Carbon Assessment Initiated
Date: March 2026
Soil samples collected from project villages were analysed at the Indian Institute of Soil Science (IISS), Bhopal to assess Soil Organic Carbon and pH to support scientific backup to ecological interventions and carbon augmentation planning.
Biodiversity Enhancement and Carbon Augmentation Initiatives
Date: April 2026
Community-led ecological interventions were undertaken across pilot villages through establishment of a vermicompost demonstration unit, biochar unit, PMDS, household-level backyard horticulture, kitchen garden, native plantation drives, and installation of water pots for bird conservation. These activities promoted sustainable agriculture, biodiversity enhancement, soil health improvement, household nutrition, and community awareness on ecological stewardship.
Expansion to New Villages Initiated
Date: April 2026
Reconnaissance visits and preliminary community meetings were conducted in nine additional villages to support project expansion and context-specific ecological planning.
Project Dashboard and Monitoring System Developed
Date: April 2026
A project dashboard integrating biodiversity and village-level data from pilot villages was developed to strengthen monitoring, data management, and informed decision-making.