Bhubaneswar: The three-day Earth Again Conference 2026, organised by the Sambad Group, began at the MKCG Auditorium of Utkal University in the Odisha capital on Friday, with speakers raising concerns over forest rights, women’s participation in community resource management and the growing impact of forest degradation and climate change on tribal communities.

Senior Program Manager of Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), Apurwa Sailja, said the government does not appear to have adequate data on women who have received land rights. She also pointed out the lack of clear information on the number of women holding leadership or key responsibilities in committees entrusted with the management of community forest resources under the Forest Rights Act.

She said various committees had been formed under the Forest Rights Act and responsibilities for community resources had been transferred to them. However, there was no clear account of how many of these committees were headed or led by women.

Sailaja called upon the government to make such information publicly available, saying that access to reliable data was important for assessing women’s participation and leadership in community resource management.

Speaking at the conference, tribal community leader Sonali Hansda from Mayurbhanj highlighted the close relationship between tribal communities and forests. She said forests are regarded as a mother by tribal people and that their daily lives and livelihoods remain closely connected with forest resources.

According to Hansda, the degradation of forests has reduced the availability of several traditional forest products, including lac, honey and resin, which were important sources of livelihood for tribal families.

She recalled that 10-15 years ago, tribal communities could collect around 11-12 varieties of seasonal leafy vegetables from forests, but many of these are no longer readily available. She linked the decline in traditional forest foods to growing nutritional concerns among rural and tribal communities.

Hansda claimed that around 70 per cent of women and children were affected by malnutrition, while also pointing to the impact of climate change on agriculture.

She said forest degradation and the loss of traditional sources of livelihood were creating economic distress among tribal families. With fewer livelihood opportunities available in their villages, many tribal people were being forced to migrate to other places in search of work.

The discussions at the conference underlined the need for stronger community participation in forest management, better documentation of women’s role in forest-rights institutions and greater attention to the livelihood, nutrition and agricultural challenges faced by tribal communities amid environmental and climatic changes.