Through a series of interaction with the poor rural women of two blocks of Midnapore district in West Bengal we have formed an opinion that these women maintain a traditional knowledge brought down to them through generations which has turned them into a repository of traditional expertise in certain agricultural sectors. There is need to highlight the scope of transferring ecofriendly and the cost-effective technologies from the University to the ecodegraded rural sectors through the involvement of poor rural organised women groups.

The area in Midnapore is drought prone and the forest cover has been depleting steadily during the last three decades. Soil erosion coupled with land degradation has converted many areas to wasteland, characterised by low agricultural productivity. Therefore a proper management of natural resources will provide rural women a scope for self employment as well as help the restoration of the environment.

Initially women’s groups planted arjun and asan trees taking subsidies from government and Panchayats. Rearing of the cocoons of tasar silkworms in the forest is a traditional occupation and land was planned to be used by cocoon production. Government funds from the Zilla Parishad via local Panchayat would meet the cost. Women then volunteered their labour to protect and maintain the plants organising themselves into village based groups. The gains in terms of ecorestoration is impressive because this joint initiative has not only provided a green cover to a barren piece of wasteland but reverse the process of soil erosion and recharge the ground water level. Women’s groups can diversify other income generating income and environmental activities with the local demands and utilising the locally available raw materials.

The rural areas are yet to receive the full benefit of application of biofertilisers along with the chemical fertilizers. A good portion of chemical fertilizers is simply wasted because only a small part can be taken in by plants. On the other hand if suitable micro organisms are used as biofertilisers they will not have a similar wastage. Exclusive reliance on chemical pesticides had resulted in problems such as pesticide resistance, pest resurgence, and residual toxicity leading to environmental pollution. This led to the study of integrated pest management strategies which embodies an ecological approach towards pest management with the central aim being reduction in pesticide use. It is also compatible with biofertilisers. The outcome of research in these activities should be designed in an interdisciplinary manner so as to implement it in the fields of collective action of the farming community or the women’s groups. Mushroom farming is also very important both in respect of employment generation as well a source of chief protein in rural areas. This also involves very low inputs. Similarly apiculture provides honey and wax. The importance of honeybees in yields of cross pollinated crops is gradually realised. Rural women inhabiting in and around forest vegetation ,endowed with varieties of flowers, can undertake apiculture practices for self employment. Again though sericulture is labour intensive, it offers relatively high returns for modest investments. Modern available technologies need to be updated and standardised in tune with the ability of rural women and with the agroecological factors of the area.