4.14% of the 67 and odd million Adivasi population of India live in the Southern Region scattered across the Western Ghat Mountain ranges covering the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Out of the 73 tribal communities recognised by the state as Scheduled Tribes; 15 are common to all the 3 states and they account for a population of 28,10,852 strong and a sizeable 1.916 million are in Karnataka.

CORD, basically was a sensitive response to the then prevailing situation where there was blatant disregard for the pride and very existence of the tribal population who had been virtually at the threshold of eviction from their legitimate abode. Identifying themselves with nature, the peace loving indigenous people living in the forest were facing total annihilation in the hands of non-tribal rich in the fringes of the forest in connivance with the unscrupulous politicians and corrupt officials. Their traditional rights and socio-cultural identity were in great jeopardy. While Coorg District in the Western Ghat range accounts for a heavy concentration of tribal population, 90% of them subsist on their traditional economic system of hunting and gathering minor forest produces besides attempting subsistence farming.

The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Forest Conservation Act, 1980 of the state and the declaration of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Protected Areas in sequence, came to alienate the Adivasi populations from their traditional habitats and life-support systems. The new economic policies of the state in the globalisation era came to worsen the existence and survival issues of this lot as elsewhere in the country.

The enactment of 73rd Amendment of the Constitution constituting Panchayati Raj, envisaging democracy and devolution of powers for self-governance to the grass-root levels after all was indeed historic. But its effect on the Adivasis through enactment of Panchayati Raj (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 allowing greater extend recognition to the tribal traditional economic and socio-cultural systems and autonomy for local governance did not take the right course due to the ignorance not only on the part only the tribals; but also of the legislators.

Prone to vagaries of nature and onslaught of the dictates of the market economy, the tribals were almost at the verge of extinction. With no skills whatsoever and access to means of production, they were virtually groping in the dark. This is where and when CORD found itself relevant in intervening in the life and growth of the tribal population.