SOCIAL FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT

Climate Action

United Nations General Assembly defined 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to act upon by the World. IFFDC has significant contribution towards SDG-13 "Climate Action" through its social forestry development programmes, integrated watershed management, climate proofing activities etc.

1. Social Forestry Development

IFFDC's flagship programme of Farm Forestry focuses on mitigating climate change effects through developing participatory forestry on waste and marginalised lands belonging to individual farmers, village panchayats and Government. The concerned communities are organised into Primary Farm Forestry Cooperative Societies (PFFCS), designed as the key community institutions to manage and maintain the developed community forests, on a sustainable basis.

IFFDC supports the PFFCS with the necessary technical, financial, capacity building, networking, marketing and resource mobilisation inputs. As a result of its intervention, green cover has not only been improved in more than 500 villages, but degraded lands have also been restored. Economic returns from existing forests, presently restricted to selective felling, grasses and Minor Forest Produce (MFPs) etc., however, it needs to be accelerated for other environmental services/benefits to the community.

The integrated approach of the IFFDC also led to attention being given to related activities such as control of illegal felling, prevention of encroachment, better forest yield for improving economic returns to the stakeholders, options such as trading of carbon credits generated through these forests and defining the usufruct rights of these lands, etc. The PFFCS are being encouraged to undertake plantation of improved fast growing plant species and business of Agri-inputs for Economical Self-sufficiency and sustainability.

IFFDC identified large tracts of wasteland for afforestation, which had been lying almost barren for decades in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. These acquired wastelands are Panchayat lands in Rajasthan, individual lands in Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand and Revenue land in Madhya Pradesh. 152 Primary Farm Forestry Cooperative Societies (PFFCS) have been Developed for management of the community forestry. The research and development work on Forestry improvement is undertaken by these PFFCS. Four research trials of 153 Genotypes of Neem (Azadirachta indica) has been undertaken in the PFFCS of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh with the help of IFFCO and under the technical guidance of Forest Research Institute, Dehradun. Moreover, a Gene bank of 44 progenies of Neem has been established in Chaukdi PFFCS of Rajasthan. The 'Miyawaki' method (A Japanese Technique) for developing fast and dense forest of indigenous species has also been adopted in Kanaksinghpur PFFCS of Uttar Pradesh.

PROJECT DETAILS

State	District	Total Covered Area (ha)	Total Existing Trees (Lakh)
Uttar Pradesh	Sultanpur, Raebareli, Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Pratapgarh, Lucknow, Amethi, Unnao	12,951	51.39
Uttarakhand	Nainital, Champawat	207	0.87
Rajasthan	Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand	9,713	20.85
Madhya Pradesh	Sagar, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh	6,550	35.44
	Total	29,421	108.55

New Initiatives in Social Forestry

(a) Agro-forestry System Development:

Indian Forests are helping to livelihood of about 2750 lakh people and important for mitigating Climate Change. The Government of India has communicated to UNFCCC to achieve voluntarily additional 2.5–3 billion tonnes of CO2 e by 2030 from forestry sector. If all of India's open forests are taken up for restoration, only about 0.9 million tonnes of CO2e worth additional carbon sink can be created. The balance will need to come from Trees outside Forests (ToF). Agro-forestry is one of the best options for developing ToF. Therefore, it becomes imperative to focus on the potential of ToF. Therefore, in context of India's NDC commitment, IFFDC has undertaken new Initiative to develop agro-forestry on farmer's fields. It not only helps in mitigating the Climate Change but also help in generation of additional income to the farmers. Thus, besides contributing to NDC commitment, the Agro-forestry also contributes toward the mission “Doubling Farmer's Income” of Govt of India.

The species planted under agro-forestry are of commercial use, fast growing and early maturing. Such plant species selected for agro-forestry plantations are Melia composita (Burma Neem) and Sahajan etc. During the year 2022-23, total 1.29 lakh saplings have been planted on the fields of 328 farmers in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

(b) Agri-horti System Development

The Govt of India is implementing the “National Horticulture Mission” (NHM) since 2004 with objective to ensure nutritional security and generate income to the farmers. To contribute to the NHM of India and Millennium Development Goal i.e. “Eradication of Poverty & Hunger”, IFFDC grafted the component Agri-horti system in its existing Farm Forestry and Climate Change portfolio. The objective is to generate additional income to the farmers and create nutrition source to their families in rural areas.

IFFDC started providing financial and technical support to the farmers to undertake plantation of fruit species which give immediate return such as Banana and Papaya on their arable land alongwith crops. During the year 2022-23 in Uttar Pradesh, 20,000 Banana tissue culture sapling of variety G-9 were planted on 5 hectare area. Similarly, Papaya (cultivar-Red Lady) was planted on 48 farmer's fields in Rajasthan. The Agri-horticulture has encouraging results as many more farmers are attracting to undertake the system.   

Progress

 

50. 231  ha area (147 ha in Uttar Pradesh, 16 ha in Uttarakhand, 31 ha in Madhya Pradesh and 37 ha in Rajasthan) has been covered under plantation.
50. 2.67 lakh plants (1.89 lakh in Uttar Pradesh, 0.16 lakh in Uttarakhand, 0.27 lakh in Madhya Pradesh, 0.35 lakh in Rajasthan and) have been planted by different PFFCS. Major species are Melia (Burma Neem), Clonal Eucalyptus, Teak, Sahjan and Tejpatta etc.
50. 4.95 lakh saplings of Neem have been supplied to IFFCO for plantation at different places in the country.
50. 105 Annual General Body Meetings, 681 Executive Committee Meetings of different PFFCS were organised. 3,771 meetings of SHGs and 38 meeting of Secretary were organised.           Audit work of 104 PFFCS has been completed.
50. 12 different important days i.e. Environment Day, International Women Day, International Forest Day, Farmers Day and Republic Day etc were celebrated.
50. Organised four days exposure visit for Chairmen of PFFCS at Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. 50 Chairmen and Secretaries of PFFCS were participated in the exposure visit.
50. Organised 2 exposure visits for PFFCS Chairman and Secretaries at Tropical Forest Research Institute (TFRI) Jabalpur (M.P.) and at Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute Jhansi (U.P.). 75 participants participated.
50. DDM NABARD, District Agriculture Officer, Asst. Commissioner, Cooperative Societies, Board of Directors of IFFDC visited the different PFFCS, observed the work and appreciated.
50. The Women of Vaiklapik Uraja and Mahila SHG under Malikmau and Kandarwa (Raibareilly) PFFCS produced and sold 265 Kg Honey to IFFCO Cordet, Phulpur (U.P.). It generated an income of Rs. 26,500/-  to the SHGs.

Outcome

50. PFFCS are serving as nodal agencies for environment up-gradation and catering to fuel wood, fodder and other needs of the community.
50. Problematic lands (Sodic, Saline, Ravines and Water logged, etc) are now converted into cultivable lands and have proved to be productive assets.
50. Farm forestry activities have helped to bring ecological balance. The green cushion facilitated by IFFDC has resulted in an estimated present net carbon sequestration of 14.27 MT per ha/year.
50. Farm forestry Programme has resulted to create additional employment opportunities to local community especially women through various farm forestry activities.
50. Revolving Fund is helping to PFFCS as well as SHG members to established micro-enterprises and generating livelihood options. The operationalised microenterprises are helping to the aim of doubling the Farmer's income.