T. P. Singh , Suman Datta , V. Varalakshmi

Abstract

Joint Forest Management (JFM) experiences in India have revealed the crucial role that social and economic incentives play in sustaining these efforts. JFM was conceived as a sustainable management system based on active participation of forest fringe dwellers whose opportunity cost was compensated by giving some rights and privileges on forest products. However, the definition and scope of the JFM programme is being expanded from rehabilitation of degraded forest lands to socio-economic development of resource-dependent communities; from managing resources for meeting peoples' demand for forest products to managing pressures through alternatives. The purpose of this paper is two fold: (i) to assess the extent to which the sustainability of JFM programme is dependent on rural development and (ii) to evaluate the extent of effects of already taken rural development efforts in four States under JFM namely Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal. It is seen that from a forest resource management programme, States have adopted an integrated approach of rural development to supplement forest protection measures. The emphasis is now on meeting the social, economic and human development needs of communities. The village-level institutions created for natural resource management are also emerging as the focal point for rural development and each of these functions is mutually enriching and supportive. The paper traces this paradigm shift, ably supported by examples from across the country to present the crucial role for socio-economic development of communities for sustaining join forest management initiatives. It emphasises that a self-reliant community is a prerequisite for sustaining forests and should be the basic philosophy for community Forestry Programme.

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T. P. Singh , V. Varalakshmi , Sudhir K. Ahluwalia

Abstract

Forests constitute both a sink and a source of atmospheric CO₂, In developing countries like India, the potential land area available for the implementation of forest management options for carbon conservation and sequestration is constrained by socio-economic circumstances. Farm Forestry involves the growth and management of trees on private lands and this provides an excellent opportunity for carbon sequestration while supplying wood and non-wood products to meet both domestic and market requirements. Under the Farm Forestry programme in the State of Uttar Pradesh in India, nearly 1906.8 million trees have been planted during the period 1979-94 of 1525.44 million are estimated to be surviving. In terms of land coverage, this works out to over one million hectares. This is significant and adds up to nearly 30% of the entire good natural forest cover in U.P. State. It is estimated that nearly 20 million tonnes of Carbon has been sequestered by these Farm Forestry plantations. Government policies and programmes that are supportive of Farm Forestry, could be the major instruments for increasing carbon sequestration from Farm Forestry, thus contributing to the implementation of the Climate Change Policy.

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V. Varalakshmi , O. N. Kaul

Abstract

The priority areas of concern call for reorientation of forest management policies and development programmes in the context of environmental security and maintenance of biological diversity. What is increasingly evident is the need to expand the forest resources base and productivity, besides effective involvement and participation of local communities in establishing sustainable forest management systems. NGOs have essentially been playing the role of a facilitator in bridging the gap between forest dependent communities and the Forest Departments catering so far primarily to sociological aspects of development projects. Forestry research will essentially require relevant government agencies, Universities, NGOs and grassischolar_main organisations to collaborate on action research, training and information sharing activities. A good networking of organisations coupled with effective extension mechanisms would be a successful combination. Constraints to effective NGO involvement in forestry development programmes stem from misunderstanding of NGO strengths and weaknesses, contractual and funding hurdles such as finding a way to channel funds to NGOs in advance, mutual distrust, and the lack offin many cases non-recognition of managerial and technical skills among many NGOs. Special programmes are needed to strengthen NGOs to enable them to play a greater supporting role in the Forestry sector. For NGOs to play an effective and meaningful role, coordination and collaboration for forestry research and extension could be at various levels from the grassischolar_mains to the policy making level.

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