COLLECTIVE ACTION IN MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS CASE STUDIES FROM KARNATAKA, INDIA

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COLLECTIVE ACTION IN MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS -
CASE STUDIES FROM KARNATAKA, INDIA
Dr. M.R. GIRISH Assistant Professor Centre for
Agrarian Studies National Institute of Rural
Development Rajendranagar HYDERABAD 500 030
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BACKDROP
The policing approach of the Forest Department
resulted in continual clash of interests between
the forest staff and the local communities with
regard to use of forest resources.
Foresters realised that strong laws are
meaningless and counter productive without
adequate and voluntary participation by the local
communities.
User communities are likely to protect forests
when they have a say in forest management and
receive a significant proportion of the benefits.
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DEFINITION OF JOINT MANAGEMENT
Joint Management of forest lands is the sharing
of the products, responsibilities, control and
decision-making authority over forest lands
between Forest Department and local user groups.
It involves a contract specifying the
distribution of authority, responsibility and
benefits between villages and State Forest
Departments with respect to land allocated for
Joint Management.
Source Moench
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GENESIS OF JOINT FOREST MANAGEMENT IN INDIA
Two most well known pilot experiments in early
1970s

• 1972 Arabari (West Bengal)
• Mid-1970s Sukhomajri (Haryana)

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JFM ENVISAGES A MOVEMENT
Source SPWD (1992)
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CASE STUDY - 1
Five VFCs in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka

• Audhal
• Kabbe
• Bugaribail
• Honnebail
• Satgeri (All Women VFC)

• Rs. 5,000/- seed money to each VFC
• VFC members provided labour for planting purpose
• Exposure trips and trainings to the VFC members
• Fencing in the form of CPTs or barbed wire.

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MOTIVATION FOR FORMING VFCs
Audhal VFC - Benefits
Kabbe VFC Scarcity of wood for fuelwood and
implements and ecological balance
Bugaribail VFC Benefits, migration problem
(into the village resulting in degradation of
woodlots) and protection (gift to nature)
Honnebail VFC Fuelwood, fodder and other
benefits
Satgeri VFC Poverty, fulfillment of domestic
demands and improvement in environment
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WATCH AND WARD
Audhal VFC FD watchman
Kabbe VFC FD watchman
Bugaribail VFC FD watchman night patrolling
Honnebail VFC FD watchman night patrolling
Satgeri VFC FD watchman
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GRAZING
Audhal VFC Grass harvested and shared among
the members
Honnebail VFC Allotment of grass patches to
members
Satgeri VFC Grass harvested only during rainy
season and shared among the members
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CASE STUDY - 2
Marketing of uppage (Garcinia cambogia) through
VFCs

• Unchalli VFC
• Not interested in marketing of uppage as 50 of
  the receipts go to Forest Department
• VFC receives royalty from the contractor for
  collection rights of uppage in VFC area

• Hallibail VFC
• Auction price was almost equivalent to upset
  price
• Reduction of the auction price by FD tax amount
• VFC receives royalty from the contractor for
  collection rights of uppage in VFC area

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• Badagi VFC
• Auction price was almost equivalent to upset
  price
• Reduction of the auction price by FD tax amount
• Objection by forest contractor regarding the
  smuggling of the produce by the auction bidders
• VFC receives royalty from the contractor for
  collection rights of uppage in VFC area

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CASE STUDY - 3
Marketing of harda (Terminalia chebula) through
VFCs
Thimbolli VFC

• Till 2001, sale of harda through VFC
• In 2002, dispute in VFC area
• Since 2002, lack of demand for harda

Bori VFC

• Till 2001, sale of harda through VFC
• Since 2002, lack of demand
• In 2002 and 2003, sale of harda to contractors
  directly

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CASE STUDY - 4
Promotion of eco-tourism by VFC
Unchalli VFC

• To promote unchalli waterfalls
• Fees collected from visitors of waterfalls
• Forest Department water supply and sanitation
  facilities
• Zilla Panchayath stairs and viewpoints
• Lack of co-operation from other departments

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LESSONS LEARNT

• Relationships between Forest Department and local
  communities have improved greatly due to JFMPs
• Women protect forests better because they are
  more concerned and conscious about forests
• Smaller the village and greater the homogeneity,
  greater the success of JFMPs
• Success of JFMPs also depends upon strong users
  groups

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• Potential returns from JFM are large and
  available to the entire community
• JFMPs reduce greatly the regeneration costs of
  degraded lands

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THANK YOU