Madhya Pradesh social forestry

Project will establish a Social Forestry Directorate (SFD), an extension arm, in the Madhya Pradesh Forestry Department, the implementing agency; institutionalize communal plantations on village commonlands and government wasteland; and produce and distribute seedlings for reforestation of private lands. The SFD, which will coordinate its activities with a Madhya Pradesh Interpartmental Policy Committee, will implement an extension strategy combining training, extension work, and planting programs. The emphasis of the first 2 years on training, extension, allied research, and pilot planting programs will shift during the final 4 years to full-scale extension and planting operations (20,000 ha/year). SFD activities will be supported by a 22-member research unit, to be initially established at the State Forest Research Institute. The first priority for research will be to design the zone-wide species trials proposed under the project. In addition, four types of training will be provided: U.S. and third-country fellowships and study tours for mid/senior level personnel; 4-12 month internships at Indian universities or other centers for extensionists prior to field work; 3-4 months of formal training for entry-level field personnel; and in-service training at all levels. Helped by the 3,300 SFD project personnel, villagers will plant mixed plantations supplying firewood, fodder, small timber, fruit, and other minor produce on 63,450 ha of degraded land. The project is expected to supply 25% of the current annual firewood needs of 5,000 villages while also increasing fodder production. About 48,000 ha will be planted in mixed species (about 80% of them firewood species) in village forests; the rest will be in silvapasture and road, canal, and rail side plantings. The Forestry Department will augment production of seedlings by 1,200 school and several private nurseriesand will distribute seedlings free to farmers to encourage private reforestations.