Raja Rabbi Hussain and Amir Khan

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In an era of global warming and environmental degradation, Amir Khan and Raja Rabi Hussain believe forest dwelling and dependent communities are key for forest conservation. Therefore, they would like to focus on these communities' traditional ecological knowledge and look at the relationship the Tiwa community in Morigoan district of Assam’s Pobitara Wildlife Sanctuary have with insects. 

Historically, women in forest dweller communities would collect insects with their children and tell them tales while the men roamed in the forest. Through this process one generation of forest dweller communities would pass information to another. Amir and Raja will make an effort to document the Tiwa peoples' knowledge about forest by understanding their entomophagy practices. 

Amir and Raja are associated with All India Union of Forest Working People, and have pursued their M.A. from the Nelson Mendala Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Raja has previously worked on gender, engaging men for gender justice programmes and exploring sexualities, while Amir was associated with organisations implementing the Panchayati Raj system in India and strengthening gram sabhas.