By the Brahmaputra: Regenerating livelihoods (2002 to 2005)

The Centre, through its Managing Trustee and four researchers in Assam (all from the state of Assam) has been working by the Brahmaputra river, to develop an information and data bank of economic activities along the river and the livelihoods of people in six districts of Assam (Kamrup, Darrang, Jorhat, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh and Dhubri), especially on the issues of river transport of passengers and goods, improving boat safety, developing permanent ghats and markets by the river, river transport of passengers and goods, looking for areas and ways of making river transport more profitable and studying the operation of boats.

The centre is also looking at information about the people owners of shops, hotels, vendors at the ghats, sustainability, alternative livelihoods, education, whether they have migrated from other areas and assessing the potential of their livelihoods in terms of sustaining their families, whether they remain at the ghat throughout the year or shift to other place.

In recent month, C-NES has focused on dairy development and cattle related research at NDDB regional centre in Siliguri. The NDDB has agreed to train farmers at research sites in different area including the upkeep of cattle and increasing of milk production. The first batch began on June 12, 2004.

The Centre is also looking at the poor condition of sanitation at the ghats, which is a major health hazard and exploring ways of improving it. The members of the research team are Sanjay Sharma (Coordinator and researcher, Kamrup and Darrang districts); Mr. Abhijit Chakraborty (Dhubri and Goalpara); Mr. Amrit K. Bora, Jorhat and Majuli; Mr. Prakash Gogoi (Dibrugarh and Dhubri). All researchers are from the Brahmaputra Valley.