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JFM in Tripura

JFM in Tripura. B.K. Tiwari. Coordinator. A Macro Level Analysis. Centre for Environmental Studies North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong - 793014. November, 2002. Geog. Area: 10,486 sq. km. Divided into 4 Districts. Climate is Tropical (warm and humid)

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JFM in Tripura

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  1. JFM in Tripura B.K. Tiwari Coordinator A Macro Level Analysis Centre for Environmental Studies North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong - 793014 November, 2002

  2. Geog. Area: 10,486 sq. km. Divided into 4 Districts. Climate is Tropical (warm and humid) Vegetation is mainly Moist Tropical type. Population: 1,91,168 out of which 33.3% belong to SC/ST. Tripura

  3. JFM in Tripura • Social Forestry was started in 1970 but to no great success. • JFM was implemented on June 20th, 1991 in a phased manner in 9 Forest Divisions. • By 1996-97 all 4 districts were brought under JFM. • JFM resolution was revised on 16th January, 2002. • Presently 194 JFMCs are in existence in 855 villages. • NGOs and voluntary agencies are also involved in JFM as facilitators.

  4. Objectives of JFM • Active participation and involvement of local communities in development and protection of forests on the basis of sharing of usufructs. • Maintenance of ecological balance and conservation of the environment. • Increase the productivity of forest products

  5. Methods • Training (Bangalore and Agartala Workshops). • Selection of Districts done on the basis of: • Occurrence of a majority of the JFMCs • Where JFM had a head start • JFMCs selected in consultation with the FD on the basis of: • The concentration of JFMCs in the division. •  Including as many JFMCs as possible representing older as well as newly established ones. • Including the diverse vegetation types and communities viz., scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, backward and minority.  • Covering JFMCs evenly dispersed in the divisions. • Including JFMCs from Protected Areas such as wild life sanctuaries. • Considering social stability in the area and physical accessibility of the JFMCs. 

  6. Methods • Data collection • Two agencies were identified (Dishari and VHAT) • Training programmes were conducted for grassroots level workers in data collection • Sources of data was through discussions with the Secretary and President of the VFCs and by consulting the records • Manpower was provided by NGOs via the district coordinators and field assistants • Data was collected during March to August 2002 using questionnaires provided by IISc, Bangalore • Compilation and Analysis • The data was brought to the Centre where it was compiled and analyzed

  7. South Tripura District Total no. of JFMCs: 113 No. of JFMCs studied: 60 No. of Forest divisions: 4 No. of Forest Ranges: 14 Geographical area: 3581 sq. km.

  8. West Tripura District Total no. of JFMCs: 49 No. of JFMCs studied: 20 No. of Forest divisions: 2 No. of Forest Ranges: 13 Geographical area: 3033 sq. km.

  9. Results

  10. Literacy rate India Men: 75.96% Women: 54.28% Overall: 65.38% Study Area Men: 39.6% Women: 28.6% Children: 58.8% Overall: 42.1% Tripura Men: 81.47% Women: 65.41% Overall: 73.66%

  11. Functioning of JFMCs: Functions: GB meetings:According to or less than Guidelines. In only a few JFMCs they were held more than Guidelines. Reasons Assigned: Generally no meetings were called or there were no issues to be discussed. MC Meetings:MC meetings were either not held or held lesser than Guidelines in almost all the JFMCs. Reasons Assigned: Generally no meetings were called or there were no issues to be discussed. Decision Making Process in MC meetings: Almostalways through Consensus with a few JFMCs having limited discussion and empowerment of persons. Selection of MC Members:Invariably through Consensus except in Teliamura where 10% of the JFMCs select MC members through election.

  12. Functioning of JFMCs: Stakeholders participation: GB Meetings:Usually regular in more than 60%, occasional in 30% and poor in 10% of the JFMCs studied. MC meetings:Regular in 50%, occasional in 40% and poor in 10% of the JFMCs studied. Decision Making Process:Mostly “Active” in 75 – 100% of the JFMCs. However the women were “Passive” in 17%(Trishna W.L.) to 86%(Sadar) of the JFMCs. Microplan Preparation:The stakeholders participation ranged from partial to full. Protection: Protection methods:Most Natural forests and plantations were protected through social fencing. Cases of Offences:Unauthorized felling and illegal fuel wood collection. This has been reported by 15% to 100% JFMCs across the divisions. Extent of action taken: The action most commonly taken against the offenders was warning and in some of the JFMCs the offenders were also fined and imprisoned. Fire Management:Creation of fire line was the prevalent method of Fire management. Grazing in JFM Area:Grazing has been banned in most of the JFMCs except a few where select livestock are allowed to graze.

  13. Functioning of JFMCs: Impact of JFM: Change in number of trees: Increased primarily due to the plantations. Change in Number of Species:Increased in a majority of the JFMCs. Species that increased were Tectona grandis, Gmelina arborea, Acacia species, Azadirachta indica, Gmelina arborea, Terminalia arjuna, and Cassia nodusa. The major species decreased were Dipterocarpus turbinatus, Schima wallichii, Albizia procera and Ficus spp. Changes in Status of Canopy Cover: Canopy cover has increased mostly in the Plantations and Natural forests with ANR. In other cases it has either remained unchanged or has decreased. NTFP Harvesting: The harvesting was more in case of Natural forests than in Plantations. Availability of NTFPs:Availability increased in Natural forests under protection while it decreased in Plantations. Change in NTFP usage pattern: Usage has increased in Plantations and decreased in Natural forests. The NTFP is utilized either for household use only or for both household use and sale.

  14. Functioning of JFMCs: Impact of JFM: NTFP extraction and Processing: Generally there was no change recorded in most of the JFMCs studied except in a few isolated cases where a decrease or increase was recorded. Grass production: GenerallyIncreased in most of the JFMCs. Fuelwood and Tree pole extraction: There was a general trend of decreasing fuelwood and tree pole extraction in a vast majority of the JFMCs studied. Mode of fuelwood collection: In Natural forests it was through the cutting of branches while in Plantations it was through the collection of dead wood. Supervision of fuelwood collection:Generally there was no supervision and in those JFMCs being supervised, the MC members themselves functioned as supervisors. Access to fuelwood collection: GB members predominantly have access to the fuelwood. Mode of fuelwood transportation:Invariably through Head-loads only with cartloads and other means a rarity.

  15. Functioning of JFMCs: Impact of JFM: Fuelwood usage pattern: Mainly for household use only and in other cases for both household use and sale.. Fuelwood availability, quantity collected and hours spent: Availability and quantity have generally decreased and thus the time spent has increased. Extent of VDF accumulation: Only Trishna W.L. division had no VDF allocated so far. In other cases the fund is always above Rs. 10,000. Source of VDF: Various sources. VDF utilization:Utilized forvarious purposes Employment and Out-Migration: Local labour used for raising plantations therefore reducing Out-Migration. Capacity building programmes:These have been held in a majority of the JFMCs studied and the participation of the stakeholders has been excellent.

  16. Community Perspectives Benefits: Positive Impacts: • Empowerment of women • Spread effect • Improvement of relations with FD • Employment and Income generation • Employment generation • Increase in NTFP availability • Increase in fuelwood availability Success: • Moderate in most JFMCs • Cannot say in a few • Primarily due to JFM being in initial stages Limited Impacts: • Leadership and • Community development

  17. Responses of secretaries Should be held quarterly according to most secretaries Increased participation of FD officials, employment opportunities, and awareness of communities can increase participation of members. Increased awareness, and active involvement of women organizations can improve participation of women in GB meetings • GB Meetings • MC Meetings Increased supervision by higher FD officials, and regular election of MC members can ensure holding MC meetings as per stipulation Election of two to three women as members, and increasing awareness among them can lead to better participation of women. • Protection of natural forest Illegal felling can be controlled by increasing employment opportunities. Natural forests should be included under JFM and assigned to individual families for protection and regeneration.

  18. Responses of Presidents • GB meetings All presidents are aware, that GB meetings should be convened at least once a year Response of presidents regarding periodicity of GB meetings varied from half yearly, quarterly to monthly. Active role of women organizations, and including cultural programmes could increase women’s participation. Proper notification to members, and conducting awareness campaigns and seminars could increase participation of village community. All presidents feel that JFMC secretary should convene GB meetings.

  19. Achievements • Most of the forests in the JFMCs areas, especially the degraded ones have been brought under the JFM programmes. • Signing of MoU and microplan preparations have been completed by quite a number of JFMCs. • SC/STs, OBCs and women have come forward and started participating in various activities. • The socially disadvantaged groups are actively involved in decision-making process. • Most of the JFMCs are engaged in the protection of natural forest as well as raising of plantations. • The major species being planted are the economically important ones eg. Tectona grandis, Shorea robustaGmelinaarborea,Azadirachta indica etc. • The number of trees, number of species and canopy cover has increased in quite a few of the JFMCs. • A ban on grazing has been imposed in many of the JFMCs. • The amount of NTFP collection is small and mostly limited to natural forests.

  20. Achievements • The frequency of fuelwood collection from plantations as well as natural forests has decreased considerably. • A considerable number of JFMCs have accumulated VDF, source of which is Govt. loan and grant from forest department in most cases. • JFM has had a significant impact on employment. The employment opportunities have increased and Out-migration has decreased. • Income generation has increased in most of the JFMCs. • JFM has enabled the community to have better relations with the forest department. • The forest department is working to bring more areas under JFM. • In some JFMCs the community feels that JFM has been a tremendous success. • In several JFMCs people are hopeful that JFM will help them improve their living conditions and also rejuvenate their forests.

  21. Goals for the future • More households in JFMCs area need to be enrolled as members. • There is a scope for further improvement in participation of women. • More JFMCs needed to follow stipulation with regard to composition of Management Committee. • The Guidelines concerning the holding of GB and MC Meetings should be adhered to in more JFMCs. • In many JFMCs the natural forests and the plantations to some extent, need to be better protected with the help of communities. • Unauthorized felling, illegal fuelwood collection and encroachment are prevalent in a considerable number of JFMCs. Mechanism for taking action against offenders are in place but needs to be further enhanced.

  22. Goals for the future • Fire incidences have been reported from a number of JFMCs. Controlling the Jhuming operations and taking up fire management measures may help reduce such incidences. • Grazing also needs to be banned in some JFMCs, and more fodder plots need to be established. • The process of microplan preparation also needs to be hastened in a number of JFMCs. • Biogas, improved stoves and other devices like LPG, solar photovoltaic etc. need to be installed in more JFMCs. • Capacity building programmes have also been found limited to a few JFMCs. More JFMCs need to be brought under the same. • In most of the JFMCs the community perceives that JFM has been moderately successful. • Efforts should be made to involve NGOs and VAs at the level of JFMCs. • Capacity building of grass root level forest officials can help improve the JFM programme

  23. Acknowledgements We thank • Department of Forests, Government of Tripura • Dishari, Belonia, South Tripura • Voluntary Health Association of Tripura, Agartala • The Presidents and Secretaries of the JFMCs • The people of Tripura

  24. THANK YOU

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