Making JFM Work Towards Forest Conservation in Orissa: Some Conceptual, Institutional and Participatory Issues R. M. Mallik Sponsored By Government of India, Planning Commission, New Delhi Nabakrushna Choudhury Centre For Development Studies, Orissa, Bhubaneswar –751013 2006 RESEARCH TEAM PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR Prof. R. M. Mallik RESEARCH SUPERVISOR Sri Chita Ranjan Das FIELD STAFF Sri Prafulla Kumar Sahoo Sri Arakhita Patra Sri Ashok Kumar Nayak COMPUTER ASSISTANCE Mrs. Sujata Manjari Pani Ms. Minati Dey Sri Prafulla Kumar Sahoo FOREWORD The New Forest Policy 1988, that recognized the symbiotic relationship (unlike the preceding forest policies) between the forest and the tribals in late 1980s persuaded the policy makers and planners to bring spectacular policy changes in forest management through the idea of Joint Forest Management (JFM) all over the country. In the light of such new policy initiatives, JFM was thought to be the right intervention for ensuring livelihood improvement of the forest dependant poor due to involvement of local communities through regeneration of forests and their rehabilitation, who are primarily the very poor stakeholders under the JFM regime. They are unrecognized and underprivileged due to their poverty, ignorance and impoverishment – thus, are increasingly vulnerable. These people in fact are principally focused on JFM concept, bringing into play the principle of equity and empowerment. This is how JFM distinctly distinguishes itself from other participatory management practices, and has now become the central focus of future forest development programme in the state of Orissa. However, the emerging JFM programme, a three way partnership between the Community, Forest Department and the NGO, was effected in Orissa in 1993 to protect, conserve and regenerate degraded forestland. In such a situation, a critical examination/ evaluation of its performance and the conceptual, institutional and participatory issues emerged there from needs careful consideration and systematic enquiry. In pursuance of his discussion with Dr. N. C. Saxena, Prof R. M. Mallik submitted a research proposal entitled “Making JFM Work Towards Forest Conservation in Orissa: Some Conceptual, Institutional and Participatory Issues”, to the Planning Commission, New Delhi in 2003, which was finally approved for funding in February 2005. It is a matter of great pleasure to note that Prof. Mallik completed the draft report within the prescribed time limit, despite a lot of problems and inconveniences caused to the research staff at the field level, besides his pressing unavoidable personal preoccupations. I believe and sincerely hope that the research findings and action-oriented policy options prescribed in the research report will be useful to the government in further formulating/revising some of the policy strategies not only for the socio-economic upliftment of forest dependent poor and tribals in particular, but also in initiating fresh strategies for an effective, scientific and people-centred management of the precious forest resource for ensuring inter-generational equity and sustainability. This work, I am sure, will inform policy reforms in this key area and I congratulate Professor Mallik for undertaking such a useful and painstaking study. Professor Sakti Padhi Director I/C ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Planning Commission, New Delhi for commissioning the Research Study and providing financial support. Dr. N. C. Saxena, Ex-Secretary, Planning Commission, New Delhi for mooting the idea of a critical evaluation of JFM for the State of Orissa, for appreciating the research proposal in the beginning, and also, for consenting to read the draft report in the end. Prof. L. K. Mohapatra, Chairman, Board of Governors, NKC Centre For Development Studies, Orissa, Bhubaneswar for permitting to pursue the study, and also, for encouragement and support. Prof. Sakti Padhi, Director-in-charge, NKC Centre For Development Studies for facilitating the research study, besides, for stimulating as well as useful suggestions. Shri C. R. Das, Research Supervisor for assisting the field investigation work, data processing and report writing, besides for holding useful discussions and conducting PRAs. Shri P. K. Sahoo, Shri A. K. Nayak and Shri A. Patra for undertaking strenuous field investigation work and data processing. Miss Minati Dey for undertaking excellent typing work of the Draft Report. Mrs. Sujata Manjari Pani for assisting editorial work with great care. The Administrative and Accounts Staff for rendering timely administrative/ accounting services. Concerned Forest Officials at the District, Range and Beat level in the districts of Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Rayagada Office of the PCCF, Orissa, Bhubaneswar for providing all relevant secondary source of information for preparation of district/ block/village profiles. The respondents of 16 villages (8 blocks and 4 districts) associated with VSS activities in the JFM villages and so also, respondents of 8 villages in the NJFM villages for their excellent co-operation in data collection work, and unhesitatingly, for providing relevant information, and holding useful discussions in the PRAs on JFM Programme. R. M. Mallik TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Abbreviations…………………………………………………………………….…………………..… (i) List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………………..………….……..(ii) Executive Summary …………………………………………………………..………..……..……….……. (iv) Chapter 1. Introduction ……………………………………………………..…………………….………1 Chapter 2. JFM in Orissa: Retrospect and Prospect……………………..…………………….. 6 Chapter 3. Review of Literature and Emerging Research Issues…..………………………10 Chapter 4. Conceptual, Institutional and Legal Framework ……………….…..……..……19 Forest Protection Incentives………………………………………….………….…...…19 Equity………………………………………………………………………….………..…….…20 Strategy……………………………………………………………………….………..…….…20 Van Samrakhyan Samitis (VSSs)…………………………………….………...…......21 Forest Protection Committees (FPCs)…………………………………….…………22 Unregistered Groups Engaged in Forest protection………………….…..…….22 Financial Assistance to JFM Programme…………………………………….…….22 Legal Issues and Statutory Provisions………………………………….......………23 Benefit Sharing …………………………………………………………………….…..……25 Chapter 5. Objectives, Study Area, Research Design and Methodology …….....……..28 Major Objectives……………………………………………………………………..….….29 Hypotheses …………………………………………………………………..……..……….30 Methodology and Sampling …………………………………………………....……..30 Chapter 6. Socio-Economic Profiles of Study Villages……………………………….…..….33 Chapter 7. Major Findings From Field Research…………………………….…………..…….38 Empirical Results…………………………………………………………………………..38 Marketing and Trade under the JFM Regime……………………………………47 Participatory Management and Ground Realities………………..……………52 Women in JFM Programme……………………………………………..…………….62 Chapter 8. Forest Management, Policy Issues and Options…………………..….……....66 NTFP management …………………………………………………….........…………70 Role of VFCs/VSSs/FPCs and the FD…………………….……….…………..…..71 Value addition…………………………………………………….…..….…………..……72 Gender issues …………………………………………………….…………..…….……..72 Concluding Remarks………………………………………………..…………………..73 Annexures ……………………………………………………………………………..……….…..…..…..75 References………………………………………………………………………………………..….……….…..77 i LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ACF - Assistant Conservator of Forest ANR - Aided Natural Regeneration. CF - Conservator of Forest CFM - Community Forest Management CPR - Common Property Resources DFO - Divisional Forest Officer EDC - Eco-Development Club F.D.A - Forest Development Agency FD - Forest Department FPC - Forest Protection Committee GoI - Government of India GoO - Government of Orissa GP - Gram Panchayat HHs - Households IAY - Indira Awas Jojana ISED - Institute of Socio-Economic Development JFM - Joint Forest Management LAMPs - Larged Sized Multipurpose Co-operative Societies. MFP - Minor Forest Produce MoU - Memorandum of Understanding NCA - National Commission on Agriculture NFP - New Forest Policy NGO - Non-Governmental Organizations NJFM - Non-Joint Forest Management NTFP - Non-Timber Forest Products OBC - Other Backward Caste OC - Other Caste OFDC - Orissa Forest Development Corporation PESA - Panchayat Extension in Scheduled Areas PFM - Participatory Forest Management PRIs - Panchayati Raj Institutions SC - Scheduled Caste SHGs - Self - Helf Groups SHSY - Swarna Gramya Swarojagar Yojana SIDA - Swedish International Development Agency ST - Scheduled Tribe TDCC - Tribal Development Co-operative Corporation VFC - Village Forest Committee VFPC - Village Forest Protection Committee VSS - Vana Samrakshana Samiti ii LIST OF TABLES Table - 6.1: Profile of Sample Villages…………………………………………………………………34 Table – 6.2(a): Distribution of JFM HHs According to Ethnic Communities……………….35 Table – 6.2 (b): Distribution of NJFM HHs According to Ethnic Communities…………….36 Table - 6.3: Distribution of Forest Land in the Sample Districts According to Categories………………………………………………………………………………………36 Table -7.1 (a): Distribution of Sample HHs According to Income Groups and Ethnic Communities in JFM Villages……………………………….………….…….39 Table - 7.1 (b): Distribution of Sample HHs According to Income Groups and Ethnic Communities in NJFM Villages………………………………….…………..39 Table - 7.2 (a): Distribution of JFM sample households According to Ethnic groups and Income Groups………………………………………………………………………….……40 Table - 7.2 (b): Distribution of NJFM sample households According to Ethnic groups and Income groups……………………………………………………………….……..…40 Table - 7.3 (a): District Wise Per Household Average Income