Enabling Collective Action for Commons

The Commons Platform is a shared digital infrastructure that brings together data, technology, and people to strengthen the governance of natural resources. It enables communities, practitioners, and governments to plan, act, and make decisions collectively using reliable data and shared tools.

Platform Components

Understanding Commons

From collective grazing grounds to community water sources, commons are the lifeline of rural India. They act as essential safety nets, provide livelihoods, and house rich biodiversity. This component helps users understand the ecological and socio-economic significance of shared resources.

Latest updates

Published: Our Commons Report 2024 - Celebrating CommoningMost Recent

New map layer: Significance of Commons geospatial visualizer

Explore Component

Commons Stories

Empowering communities through shared resources and sustainable practices. Through hundreds of verified rural impact stories mapped directly on our spatial visualizer, we document the transformation and resilience of communities.

Latest updates

Guardians of the Sacred Forest - Juanga TribeMost Recent

Women Lead in Conserving Tribal Culture and Forestry

Explore Component

Village Institutions

Village institutions play a pivotal role in governing common-pool resources. This database makes these institutions discoverable so that development programmes can work towards strengthening them.

Latest updates

Over 15,000 village communities now mapped in the databaseMost Recent

Platform update: Institutional Strength assessment tool live

Explore Component

Commons Explorer

Explore various dimensions of commons through decision support tools, AI-powered insights, thematic maps and an array of geospatial datasets. Make your own maps and dashboards using open datasets.

Latest updates

Dataset upgrade: Latest land use and land cover maps via GeoServerMost Recent

Featured Map: Distribution of Commons Lands in the country (1991-2011)

Explore Component

Facilitating Commoning

We provide training materials and specialized IT-enabled tools that address specific needs at the grassroots. These resources are free to use, proven at scale, and support multiple languages.

Latest updates

Training module launched: Prakriti Karyashala materials on sustainable agricultureMost Recent

Tool update: Offline data collection capabilities enhanced for remote fieldwork

Explore Component

Legal Repository

The legal repository houses critical documents including the Forest Rights Act and Supreme Court summaries on grazing lands. It provides the legal frameworks necessary for practitioners to advocate for secure governance.

Latest updates