Summary

• The case study explores the social contract between Guthi and Barghar as traditional social institutions that engage in facilitating volunteering in their communities, and their interaction with local governments.
• It explores how the local government and Guthi and Barghar as key volunteering practices/local institutions engage with the Guthi and Barghar members in deliberative decision-making within the context of community development, especially in natural resource management.
• Drawing on the Guthi and Barghar's partnership with state authorities, the case study identifies opportunities for strengthening the people-state relationship, and offers insights into how state authorities can better leverage traditional institutions for development.