Indicators for Assessing Empowerment Situation in Joint Forest Management (JFM) : Relevancy , Methods and Applicability

This paper highlights the need for assessing the empowerment status of JFM and suggests field level monitoring indicators , approaches and methods based on experience of study conducted in Madhya Pradesh for assessing empowerment through JFM. JFM resolution is explicit with regard to empowerment of local communities , but it is often experienced that the local people are not able to avail the opportunity from it due to their own socio-cultural and economic constraints. Hence , it is necessary to look critically into the empowerment situation to understand the dynamics of empowerment within the context of JFM. Indicators and verifiers have been developed on the basis of literature review , consultation with the actors and stakeholders and ground.truthing was done to assess the JFMC members' perception towards the indicators and their applicability. The participatory methods have been followed in developing verifiers and assigning the weightage for each indicator. This will not only help ground.truthing of indicators but also educate people about JFM programme.