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There
are over 3000 villages situated on the forest fringes. These
villages constitute over 40% of the villages of the state. These
villages are greatly dependent on the forests for their
livelihood and have an intimate and reciprocatory relationship
with the forests. It is generally understood that the biotic
pressure from villagers seeking fuelwood, fodder and timber,
both for their needs and for generating cash is the main cause
of the degradation of the forests. After the experience of the
past that the Government alone cannot effectively protect and
manage the vast forest resource, the government decided to
involve the local people in forest management not only to check
their further degradation of the forest for their basic needs
but also to introduce the concept of sustainable forest
development together with village development. The state of
Madhya Pradesh took a lead in JFM.
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The
concept of JFM may be defined as " The sharing of products,
responsibilities and decision making authority over forest lands
between the forest department and the forest user
groups".
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In
accordance with the guidelines of the Government of India, the
State Government passed a resolution in December
1991for-community participation in forest management to prevent
illicit felling in sensitive forest areas and to rehabilitate
the degraded forests. Two types of village communities were
prescribed.
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Village
Forest Committees to be formed for rehabilitation of
degraded forests (density upto 40%). |
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Forest
Protection Committees to be formed to protect
well-wooded forests (density more than 40%). |
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The
World Bank assisted Madhya Pradesh Forestry Project has
undertaken Forestry development through JFM in both closed and
open forest areas.
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Present
Status of JFM in Madhya Pradesh
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To
make the provisions of JFM more effective, in 1995a revised
resolution was issued by the State Government, which included
elaborate arrangements to ensure participatory microplanning for
the protection and management of forests and a clear approach
for an Integrated Village resource development Programme.
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As
a result of the efforts of the Government, significant progress
has been made till date.
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Out
of the 8301 JFM Committees in Madhya Pradesh, 4736 are
Village Forest Committees (VFC) and 3925 are Forest
Protection Committees (FPC). |
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The
total area under JFM is 38, 48, 261 hectares. |
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The
aim is to cover 50% of the 30,000 villages situated
within a five-kilometer periphery of forests with JFM
activity by the turn of the century. |
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Provisions
for sharing of wood to the extent of 30% for VFC areas
and free nistar for FPC areas have been made. |
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Assisted
natural regeneration (ANR) has been taken up in
well-wooded areas to promote natural regeneration. Till
March 1998, 146000 ha. Of forest areas under ANR covered
constituting approximately 800 forest protection
committees. |
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29000ha.
of degraded forestland is being protected by 633 village
forest committees. |
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Approximately,
19,000 ha. of degraded land has been undertaken for
rehabilitation work. |
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VRDP
is in operation in the degraded forest areas under the
MP Forestry Project. |
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Important
Components of the JFM Strategy
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Some
important components of the JFM strategy are :
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Introduction
of the village resource development programme: It is based on the
strategy of involving communities in the management and
sustainable utilisation of forests and creating alternative
sources of income and employment to reduce pressure on forests. |
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Microplanning:
In this the people are involved in planning and it helps in
proposing the management of the forests and development of village
resources as people wants. |
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Participation
of non- government organisations: |
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Training:
The training programmes are tailored to inculcate attitudinal
changes in the staff so that they are able to communicate with the
local people, especially those living in the vicinity of the
forest area, to facilitate in the preparingofmicro-plans of the
area. |
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Gender
Focus on Forest Management: Women leaders in villages and women
Panchayat representatives are entrusted with the task of
motivating and organising the women to play an effective role in
JFM activities. |
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