Sigur Nature Trust small-grant 2019 for the study of household energy use in the Sigur Region
The villages of the Sigur Region, in the heart of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, are located within a network of reserves. These reserves harbor open forest that produce little wood due to a dry climate. Many people rely on firewood and wood collection tends to further reduce the productivity of the forest. As a consequence, wildlife and ultimately people suffer from the severe forest degradation.
Understanding the rationality of energy choice and the willingness of communities to find solutions is essential for a regional plan for improved livelihood and environment management. To our knowledge, little has been done on this issue in this very important region for the conservation of emblematic wildlife. Specifically, the questions to be addressed revolve around the following:
- Type of energies available and their cost
- Consumptive and productive use value of the different types of energies
- Socio-economy of users and the motives of their energy choices
- Difficulties (cultural, economical, etc) to abandon biomass as energy
- Willingness to participate to management programs
On the 15th September 2019, the Sigur Nature Trust will provide a small grant (Rs 60,000 maximum) to document these issues
The grant is exclusively reserved for students. Candidates should send:
- their biodata
- a proposal (maximum 3 pages)
- a budget (1 page)
- a scan copy of a certificate of registration in an Indian education institution
The successful candidate should be fluent in Tamil and have excellent quantitative skills from any suitable discipline.
By accepting the grant, the successful candidate also agrees to share data and provide a report to the Trust in a convenient format chosen by the candidate (M.A./M.Sc. thesis or Ph.D. thesis or report or preferably, a scientific publication). The Trust can provide additional support such as data analysis should the candidate request it. The Trust will first disburse half the grant value and the second half will be disbursed after a review conducted at the grantee’s convenience.
The deadline for the submission of proposals is the 1st of September 2019. Applications should be sent in PDF at the e-mail address: sigurnaturetrust@gmail.com.
