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Natural resources are depleting at alarming rates because of their irrational use pattern. Although, utilization of resources is an intrinsic component of the process of development yet, over exploitation of natural resources has led to environmental degradation and change in pattern of rural economy. Rural communities, in particular, are greatly affected by the increasing use of natural resources. To many of them, development is about livelihood and survival rather than increasing productivity and accumulation of wealth. Management of natural resources seems to be the only way forward to sustain the livability of rural communities. It also requires collaborative works from various stakeholders as the use and un-use of natural resources depend upon a number of factors including historical, political, economic, social and cultural. Through the substantial holistic approach and concrete framework for policy research could be conceptualized, planned and implemented.

The book contains 109 chapters which are published in three volumes. The first volume is devoted to the theme, ‘natural resources use pattern, management and policy perspectives’ in which 22 chapters are incorporated. The second volume contains 37 chapters and the theme is ‘agriculture and livelihood sustainability’. The third volume has three sections; the first one is ‘climate change’ with nine chapters. It is followed by the second section ‘population and socio-economic development’ which also contains nine chapters. The last section is interdisciplinary in nature in which 32 chapters are incorporated. The whole book comprises chapters from different disciplines such as Earth Sciences, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences and Medical Sciences and thus the authors of proceedings’ chapters are divers in nature and they contributed chapters from different respective fields.