Natural resource management (NRM) refers to the way humans interact with and utilize their natural resources such as land, water, soil, minerals, flora and fauna, to meet their biological, social and economic needs.

Meghalaya has an abundance of natural resources. Characterised by hilly terrain and diverse agro climatic zones, the state is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna and is a critical biodiversity hotspot. The state is also rich in mineral deposits such as coal, limestone and granite amongst others.

The economy of Meghalaya India is largely agrarian with most farmers relying on traditional methods of farming as well as extraction of forest resources for sustenance. A smaller percentage of the population rely on extraction of minerals and other ground resources, however in most cases, over extraction and unscientific extraction of these resources have led to large scale unwanted impacts such as loss of forest, soil, water etc. This is further compounded by the hilly terrain and steep slopes that make the region prone to soil erosion and land degradation.

Climate change is another challenge that besets Meghalaya. Fragile ecosystems and high dependence on agriculture and forest resources, makes the region susceptible and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and requires strong mitigation and adaptation measures to overcome this challenge.

Given the multidimensional and cross cutting nature of NRM, tackling various issues requires extensive collaboration and coordination amongst various actors, anchored in robust policies and state directives. This requires special platforms where governments, communities, natural resource users and other actors can sit across the table to plan and coordinate actions that are aligned with the larger needs of the state.