Wednesday, February 20, 2008
	Ministry of Environment and Forests
	NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS: FUTURE SCENARIO
	12:59 IST
	BACKGROUNDER NTFP based forest management provides a mechanism for creating incentives for the forest conservation itself: the argument here is that the rural community will be less inclined to destroy the resource base if they are able to derive more benefits from forest conservation. The term Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) appears to have been coined, for the first time, by De beer and Macdermott (1989). Until about a decade and half and word ‘Minor Forest Products’ were perceived providing only an insignificant portion of the household income of forest fringe dwellers. State Forest Departments (SFDs) often considered them of ‘Minor’ economic significance primarily on account of their insignificant revenue contribution as compared to timber. In 1990s when the adverse impacts of timber logging became a subject of intense debate NTFPs became an alternative source of income to forest dwellers. This category of products acquired further prominence on account of growing preferences for use of natural products for health care, nutrition, cosmetics, aroma, pesticides etc. There has been an increasing realization that NTFP management represents a sustainable form of forest management, which is ecologically less damaging than management of the forests for timber logging. Non Timber Forest Products and Poverty Alleviation Forestry is being redefined, with a growing emphasis on poverty alleviation and livelihoods improvements particularly since late 1970. The Millennium Development Goal’s (MDGs) have focused attention on poverty alleviation. Fortunately, forestry of late received due recognition that it has component of poverty reduction through providing immediate goods and services for consumption, cash income and serves as safety net. In forestry NTFPs appeared to have the potential for poverty reduction and sustainable livelihood. Kaushal and Melkani (2005) made a strong case for achieving all 8 MDGs through Non Timber Forest Products. There is a high level of actual use of NTFPs by the rural poor. Forest products contributes between 20-40% of total income of households in forest areas and that poor households tend to be disproportionately dependent on forest resources, especially fuel wood and fodder. In respect of household income the estimates in Indian conditions has been estimated to vary between 10-54%. There are varying estimates (100 m to 500 m persons) of dependence of communities on NTFP for cash income and self-consumption. Needless to say that the community dependence on NTFP is very large particularly amongst forest fringe dwellers who derive bulk of their livelihood support from NTFPs. For the successful implementation of Joint Forest Management, flow of benefits through production of NTFPs offers the best incentives to the participating communities on sustained basis. In order to sustain the interest of the participating communities in forest conservation, sustainable NTFP management therefore assumes key role. However, the current NTFP management practices are ecologically and socially unsustainable. The forest dwellers are b y and large conservation oriented but due to unscrupulous elements such as middle me and traders are pushing them to resort to unsustainable and destructive harvesting. Large pharmaceutical industries are also abetting the process of destruction of this important element of forest biodiversity. Due to inadequate realization for the ecological, economic and social values of NTFPs there is lack of policy and institutional intervention at national level for the conservation and sustainable management of these resources. The facts in the following section confirm this assessment. Reconciling Conservation and Development In a wake of logging ban it was generally understood that NTFP extraction would be less harmful to forest ecosystem than timber harvesting and that it will provide incentives to communities to conserve. However, in the past decade or so there have numerous example of destructive and unsustainable extraction of NTFP resources in wild. In Bastar district of Chhattisgarh sate which is predominantly a tribal area rich in forests and biodidversity, Rauwolfia serpentina, source of an important alkaloid ‘reserpine’ used in moderating blood pressure was removed by truck loads in 1960’s. Today this important medicinal plant has disappeared altogether. Curcuma caesia, in Amarkantak forests (origin of Narmada river) Litsea chinensis in Madhya Pradesh Machilus macarantha trees in tropical wel wvergreen forests of Coorg and Maland districts of Karnataka, Taxus baccata and Rhododendrons in Hamalaya’s are threatened due to unsustainable extraction. Dry deciduous forests of Madhya Pradesh are very rich in species like Emblica officinalis, Buchanania lanzan and Chlorophytum spp. According to a study 14-23% of these species are being annually destroyed on account of irresponsible extraction. Due to unsustainable extract of these commercially very important NTFP species there is an estimated loss of about 50% of germ plasm. Due to lack of appreciation for their ecological ole in forest ecosystem and economic value there is continued neglect for responsible extraction of these resources. The bamboo resources are declining due to lack of investments for revival of gregariously flowered bamboo areas. Bamboo resources are receding in different parts of India. Similarly, a number of other NTFPs are also depleting due to unsustainable extraction. The state of Madhya Pradesh is one of the richest NTFP state in the country. The data on collection of Terminalia Chebula, Sal seed (seen of Shorea robusta, Kullu gum (Sterculia urens gum) and other rasins show that the collection is declining every year. The reason is mostly on account of loss of trees and plants yielding these products. In the state of Tripura Agar and Mucuna seeds have been extensively extracted depleting the resources. There are only a few example as to how the NTFP resources are declining from forests. There are some efforts as to how the NTFP resources are declining from forests. There are some efforts to grow and domesticate some of these plants but they still account for less than 10% of the total requirements. The question therefore is, can development and conservation be reconciled? Evolving Socio-Political System and Future of Forests and NTFPs. At present India is witnessing coalition Governments in states as well as at the central level. There is an emergence of strong regional/local political outfits formed on the basis of local issues. The regional imbalances have disappointed the voters and therefore, they aspire for quick social economic developments through their support to local political parties. The local issues are landlessness, poverty and underdevelopment. The political agenda of the local parties therefore, is to address these issues. In the process these regional political outfits are compelled to take up issues of distribution of land, water, forests and other natural resources. In this process the nationalistic emphasis on conservation and sustainable management of natural resources is subordinated to the ever increasing demand of locals for these resources. There is an example in the state of Madhya Pradesh where the village grazing land was distributed among the landless people leaving the brunt of livestock grazing to common access resource like forests. There are pressures on integrity of Protected Areas for satisfying the needs for grazing, collection of fuel, fodder and other NTFPs and also for regularization of forest encroachments. There pressures are likely to extend further which may have adverse impacts on ecological equilibrium. Economic Development and Forest Resources Economic boom has encouraged the neo rich to go for imported wood and wood products. There is an increasing trend on import of forest products without any commensurate efforts to develop national natural resources. Instead of self-sufficiency in availability of forest products and conservation of natural resources the country is in fact depending heavily on import of forest products. Some of the countries in the region (e.g. Indonesia), which allowed liberal export of timber logs a few years ago has restricted the export to, processed wood. There is another example of economic boom translated into enriching forest resources. In China for example the national government allotted additional $5 bn to improve forest resources to control the dust storm and floods. Such national priorities in the Indian context are required to rejuvenate the depleting forest resources. Indian forestry was well recognized for its progressive outlook as was reflected in the formulation of post independent forest policy of 1952 and then in the revised version of 1988. Much is required to be done to reverse the present trend of depletion of forest resources. Loss of forests will affect the availability of NTFPs and the ‘safety net’.