Institutional arrangements
National Forest Policy 1988 had laid emphasis on the
involvement of people for forest protection and development. The guidelines called
for the rejuvenation of barren forest areas through people co-operation. This
was initiated in Gujarat as early as 1991. A state-level working group was
established under the chairmanship of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests in
Gujarat to set the guidelines and procedures and look after the overall implementation
of JFM. The members of this working committee include forest officers, NGOs and
academic institutions.
At village levels, at least 60% families need to form a society and
register it to be able to avail the benefits of JFM. This society should
consist of minimum two female members, a representative of the concerned Gram
Panchayat, a representative of the voluntary organization or any financial
organization attached to the work, and finally other members who are interested
in forest conservation. The society then prepares an action plan or micro-plan for
JFM activities in the jointly managed forest area. The role of volunteering
NGOs is to motivate villagers to participate in the programme and capacity
building.
JFM committees thus formed protect forest area against encroachment,
cultivation, fire, illicit cutting and grazing. They also carry out
afforestation activities in barren forest area and village area. NGOs or
voluntary organizations train the village organization to carry out JFM
activities.
JFM ensures extension of benefits in terms of various forest produce to JFMCs
which are entitled to free collection of all NTFPs, dry and fallen firewood,
50% of the poles and other thinning materials obtained out of thinning, and
100% bamboos. In addition, the JFMCs get 50% of the net revenue realized from the
final felling of trees from degraded forest areas and 16% from dense forest
areas.
Evolution of JFM in
Gujarat - the Government's role
Over the years since the inception and initiation of JFM in Gujarat, the
Government has added various amendments in the resolution based on the
recommendations by the department officials or villagers.
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1991
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JFM initiated in
Gujarat
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1994
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1. The share of JFMCs
in benefits from final harvesting of trees raised from 25% to 50%
2. Timber, if
produced from cutback operations, would be given to local people at 50% of
scheduled rates as required
3. Small timber,
poles, etc. produced out of thinning / cleaning operations carried out as and
when necessary would be given free of cost to those JFMC members who actually
work on these operations
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2000
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50% poles
produced out of the governmental thinning operations as per approved working
schemes would be given to JFMC after recovering the cost of harvesting
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2005
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1. JFM extended
to good forest areas having tree density above 0.40
2. State Forest
Development Agency established under PCCF
3. The share of
village organization in good forest areas decided to be 16% of benefits from final
harvesting of trees
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2006
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Committees to be
formed at district level under Collector with representation from different
concerned departments
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2008
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1. A land of 5
to 50 hectare to be provided to JFMCs for JFM work depending on their
requirement. Also, the activities on this land would to be carried out under
MGNREGA scheme
2. The share of JFMCs
in grass produced from reserved grasslands ("Vidis") to be 20% of the harvested grass
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The total forest area brought under Joint Forest Management till March
2012 is 4.25 lac hectares (24% of the total forest area) involving 3,259 JFMCs.
JFM works have also been pushed into dense forest areas so that initiatives to
conserve the forests can be taken well before the forests degrade due to
overuse and exploitation. The tribal groups in these areas have been made aware
of the significance of forests for long-term utility and its ecological
advantages.
The forest cover in the state has been increasing
steadily over the last two decades of Joint Forest Management in Gujarat.
Currently, the forest cover stands at 14,619 km2, which forms 77.23
% of the total forest area in the state. There has been a remarkable increase
in the forest cover since 2002 and, since then, the state has been able to
sustain its forest cover at around 14,500 km2. This may be
attributed to many management interventions the most important of which has
been the Joint Forest Management.
Blending ecological gains with economic benefits
JFM addresses the root cause of forest depletion. Villagers depend on
forests due to their poor economic condition. By providing them due share in
forest produce like timber, grass, firewood and other NTFP and thus fulfilling
their economic needs, JFM ensures their support in its objective of protecting
forests. Thus, through providing economic benefits to JFMCs from one hand, JFM
takes their efforts and commitment for forest conservation from the other hand,
thereby ensuring ecological gains along with economic benefits to JFMCs.
Economic development
- a prerequisite for ecological conservation
The basic problem of forest
conservation is the poverty of local communities. The economic development of
local communities reduces their dependence on natural resources within the
carrying capacity and levels of sustainable use. Therefore, the economic
development of villagers is a prerequisite for long-term ecological
conservation of forests.
Of tribal people and
diversity of products
Rich in culture and art, JFMCs in Gujarat also
produce a range of handmade products from various forest produce collected.
These include bamboo furniture, jute bags, jewellery, incense sticks, a range
of Ragi products, bamboo pickle, bel fruit products and other forms of local
items. In addition, from NTFP, various items of everyday use like turmeric, chironji,
sitafal, bael fruit, bael leaves, mahua, white muesli, aniseed, and other
medicinal plants are also available to tribal people. Mostly the tribal
villagers use these products in raw form themselves and sell the extra collect
in the market. Moreover, they also cultivate pulses, rice and vegetables in
their farms.
Currently the JFMCs sell their products in local and nearest markets such
as district headquarters. Most of the food items get sold locally. Additionally,
the GFD and NGOs have facilitated value addition and marketing of some of the
products on a larger scale. The major marketable products have even been branded
and, in some cases, marketing collaborations have been entered into with
established retail chains for the maximum benefits to the JFMCs. Also, a few
women groups exhibit and market their products such as edible items, handicrafts,
and artificial jewelleries at various fairs and exhibitions in the state.
With the proper blending of economic development and ecological
conservation, the state hopes to conserve its forests till eternity with
economically developed local communities joining hands with the Government.
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