Mentors Comments:
Explain the term Joint Forest Management with respect to India.
Through examples, highlight the significance of participation by local communities in Joint Forest Management with the government authorities.
Mention the challenges and issues that JFM is facing.
Mention the improvements that the Joint Forest Committee has made/ can make with respect to the lives of forest dweller
Answer
Joint Forest Management (JFM) is partnership involving both the forest departments and local communities in natural forest management. The concept was introduced by Government of India through the National Forest Policy of 1988.
JFM:
Under JFM, village communities are entrusted with the protection and management of nearby forests.
The communities are required to organize forest protection committees, village forest committees, village forest conservation and development societies, etc.
Each of these bodies has an executive committee that manages its day-to-day affairs.
In return of their services to the forests, the communities get the benefit of using minor non-timber forest produce.
As a result, the forest can be conserved in a sustainable manner.
For example:
Controlled grazing of cattle by the Gaddi and Gujjar tribes in the Himalayan states prevents the widespread growth of wild grass, thus contributing towards conservation of biodiversity.
Bishnoi community of Rajasthan plays a very significant role in ecological conservation.
Joint conservation effort with the nomadic tribe of Maldharis, living in vicinity of Gir National Park, has contributed to the improvement of lion population.
The potential role of Joint Forest Management in improving the livelihood of the forest dwellers and fringe forest communities are as follows:
For working in coordination with villagers, Forest Committees are constituted, which play an active role to increase the agriculture and forest production and processing their produce.
Employment opportunities, such as sustainable tourism are created in villages so that villagers are dissuaded from illicit felling and encroachment of forests.
Attempts are made to provide other basic facilities so that pressure on forest is minimized.
The Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 along with the Forest Rights Act plays a significant role towards ensuring entitlement to forest dwellers.
A specific woman sub-committee in the Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) ensures gender balance.
The JFMC provides training on animal husbandry, poultry farming, dairy development and
managing small forestry enterprises along with implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee programme in fringe forest areas.
Non-wood forest products (NWFP) are also important to JFM. NWFP are integral to lifestyle of forest-dependent communities. They fulfill basic requirements, provide gainful employment during lean periods and supplement incomes from agriculture and wage labor. Medicinal plants collected through JFM have an important role in rural health.
Challenges to JFM:
The JFM programme faces existential crisis.
On the one hand, legislations like the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996, have come into existence, giving rights to tribals and forest dwellers over forest resources and their management.
On the other hand, communities demand the huge sums forest departments owe them under the programme.
Questions are being raised whether the programme should be scrapped.
Implementation of JFM programmes is expensive. The cost of afforestation, for example, is about Rs 20,000 per ha.
Lack of legal status and financial and executive powers for FPCs.
Forest Department in certain States vested with arbitrary powers to dissolve FPCs.
Faulty design of micro-plans and management plans.
Absence of participation by women in spite of their formal representation in management committees.
Unreasonable controls over the duration of exploitation of admitted resources leading to low level of exploitation of admitted NTFPs.
Excessive rule and regulations.
Inadequate remuneration for local communities from JFM activities.
Inter and intra-community conflicts that hamper FPC functioning.
Denial of rights on disposal over valuable NTFPs to local communities.
JFM micro-planning needs to ensure people participation in management of forest. It should help to access the needs of the participating community and scope for development of the region or resource. It needs to plan, project and regulate the benefit flow to the participant in consultation with them. It should identify and highlight the local resources and set priorities for resource development based on site conditions and available funds.
Comments
21 responses to “What is Joint Forest Management (JFM)? Highlight its potential in improving the livelihood of the forest dwellers and fringe forest communities.”
MOJO9731C00A34245397
Hi Mohsin
Well tried attempt.
The points are exhaustive.
They are well explained.
Structure is good.
Way forwards are gem.
Q4 not checked
Hi Sourav
Good intro.
Structure is poor.
You discussed the challenges and then way forward but missed the core demand of the question.
After intro, you were supposed to write about: “Highlight its potential in improving the livelihood of the forest dwellers and fringe forest communities.”
Read the questions carefully and 1st of all try to answer the core demand of the question. Then only go ahead with your discussions of its periphery and way forwards.
The points in the challenges and way forward are general in nature. they have to address the issues and challenges of JFM in particular.
Read the model answer.
Q1
Hi Kunal
The intro and 1st part are good.
But the second part, where you discussed the issues with the JFM and its way forward needs better and more content.
Right now it is looming on the verge of being general.
Read the model answer for that part.
Good language in the 1st part. Discussion is comprehensive there.
MOJO9801A00D04078686
Hi Ayush
Your idea of the answer is good but it is not based on the demand of the question.
The basic demand is “Highlight its potential in improving the livelihood of the forest dwellers and fringe forest communities.”
So your main body should revolve around this idea.
You discussed the key benefits and issues with JFM but you have to make sure that your answer discusses the theme of “JFM and improving the livelihood of the forest dwellers and fringe forest communities”
That is why read the questions carefully and try to stick to the domain of the question.
The 1st part of the answer is OK.
But 2nd part lacks depth and needs better points.
No way forward in the answer.
Read the model answer.
Pls review
Hi Wasim
If you are a paid student then always mention your payment ID while uploading answers.
The basic demand is “Highlight its potential in improving the livelihood of the forest dwellers and fringe forest communities.”
So your main body should revolve around this idea.
You discussed the key benefits and issues with JFM but you have to make sure that your answer discusses the theme of “JFM and improving the livelihood of the forest dwellers and fringe forest communities”
That is why read the questions carefully and try to stick to the domain of the question.
The main body points are decent but as they do not serve the purpose of the question, hence their marks are less.
Very good way forwards.
Read the model answer.
q1
MOJO9731E00D34250209
Hi Murari
Your intro is good.
The sub set of 1st sub heading where you discussed the economical benefits of JFM needs to be the core discussion of your answer.
Because that is the demand of the question: “Highlight its potential in improving the livelihood of the forest dwellers and fringe forest communities.”
Read the questions carefully and 1st of all try to answer the main demand of the question. Then only go ahead with your discussions of its periphery and way forwards.
The points in the challenges and way forward are general in nature. they have to address the issues and challenges of JFM in particular.
Read the model answer.
No conclusion in the answer
.
Ans
Hi Prakhar
Your first part of the answer is very good.
You were able to understand the demand of teh question.
But your 2nd part is weak.
The points in the challenges are general in nature. they have to address the issues and challenges of JFM in particular.
Way forward are good.
Good language and explanation.
Question 1, Sir Please Review My Answer.
MOJO9801U00N04106675
Hi Vishwanath
Good intro.
Decent first half.
But try to reduce the length of your statements.
Write sub headings in clear manner.
Highlight important points and sub headings to make a suitable presentation.
Challenges are also discussed with good points but your presentation is poor because of lengthy paragraphs.
No way forward to improve the condition?
Work on your presentation. Structure is decent. Try to mention way forwards always even if the question has not asked about it.
Payment ID: MOJO9802W00A98715356
Please review.
Hi Sahithya
Avoid lengthy paragraphs.
Simply introduce the topic of JFM in your intro and then move ahead with a separate paragraph about basic details about JFM. That will be a a better structure and presentation. these small tricks go a long way in getting max marks.
The basic demand is “Highlight its potential in improving the livelihood of the forest dwellers and fringe forest communities.”
So your main body should revolve around this idea.
You discussed the key benefits and issues with JFM but you have to make sure that your answer discusses the theme of “JFM and improving the livelihood of the forest dwellers and fringe forest communities”
That is why read the questions carefully and try to stick to the domain of the question.
The main body points are decent but as they do not serve the purpose of the question, hence their marks are less.
If you are mentioning a case study then do discuss its salient features otherwise that discussion will be nothing else but a blank bullet. hence give little bit details about “Behroonguda Vana Samrakshana Samithi”
MOJO9728J00A50299555
Hi Amandeep
Good 1st part.
The case study is very good.
But your second part is general in nature.
The points in the challenges and way forwards are general in nature. they have to address the issues and challenges of JFM in particular.
Good language and explanation in the 1st part.