A study on changes in livelihood pattern of tribal communities through joint forest management in selected blocks of west bengal

Abstract

The lives and livelihoods of each indigenous community living in forest or nearby newlineforest areas are different and are mostly dependent on utilization of forest resources or newlineforest related activities. These communities are using forest resources for centuries newlinewithout causing any damage to it. The forest provides them with food and livelihood newlinesecurity. The Indian forests are mostly state owned and cover an area of 78.29 million newlinehectares, which is 23.81 percent of the total geographical area of the country (India newlineState of Forest Report, 2011). In India nearly 100 million people reside in forest and newlineanother 275 million live on the periphery of forest and earn their livelihood from forests newline(Vemuri, 2008). Majority of these people belongs to tribal community. With the increase newlineof population and consequent pressure on forest resources, it becomes highly newlinenecessary to reconcile the livelihood needs of these forest dependent people while newlineconserving the depleting forest resources. Against these backdrops, Forest Policy of newline1988 and subsequent government resolution on participatory forest management during newline1990 emphasized the need for Community-based programme in forest management, newlinewhich is popularly known as Joint Forest Management (JFM) programme in India. The newlineobjective of the programme includes important aspects like proper management and newlineconservation of forests, improving the livelihoods of forest dweller communities and newlinereducing rural poverty. newline