DSC's goal is to Increase the standard of living of rural communities through participatory natural resource management

DSC firmly believes that the natural resources are best managed when all stakeholders are involved as partners in planning, implementing, managing, and controlling resources that impact their lives. In addition, they also have to share costs of the project. To secure this, it is essential that stakeholders devise suitable institutional mechanisms that can mobilize necessary resources, develop quality consciousness and concern for environmental conservation. DSC also believes that these institutions practice democratic principles and uphold legitimate rights and entitlements of their constituent members. This approach underlines the concern that DSC has to strengthen democratic institutions with focus on reducing poverty and injustice.

OBJECTIVES

		To provide technical and managerial support to various agencies engaged in natural resource development and other related rural development programmes.
		To develop and promote appropriate prototypes, designs and technologies related to development and to test and popularise their application in the field (and to act as a clearing house of information in such matter)
		To plan and formulate development projects independently or in association with other agencies and to implement them and assist others in their implementation.
		To monitor and report on the progress of development projects, conduct research and evaluation, and maintain information system and dissemination
		To provide training and organize seminars and workshops to disseminate knowledge and inculcate skills and attitudes required for promoting participatory development methodologies and other related subjects in rural development.

APPROACH: In nutshell, DSC is striving to define the new role of partners in Natural Resource Management - Government, NGOs and CBOs (Community Based Organizations, People's Organizations). For this DSC has unique package of approaches: Action on the ground.(Implementation of various NRM programmes) Capacity building of the stakeholders (Government, CBOs and sometimes NGO leaders) Research on important issues identified during implementation and capacity building activities. Dissemination of research findings through communication material and workshops Influence changes in policy/ procedures that will facilitate community empowerment Monitoring of Government orders obtained in the process.

As an approach DSC follows a cyclical path wherein issues identified from the field are pursued till policy and procedural changes required for smooth implementation is achieved. This can be presented as:

Identication of Issues (Problems of Kiyadar village)

Pilot Study (The Deprived)

Study on Scale (Tailenders study in six states covering 20 Irrigation projects)

Deliberations (National workshop on Tailenders)

Recognition for policy changes (Workshop recommendations and action points)

Communication (Press Conference)

Presentations to policy makers (Discussion with policy makers at State and National Level)

Securing Government orders(GRs on PIM in State)

Monitoring of implementaion (Research study, "Policy Changes that did not Work")