Maarg Manthan · Topic 19.9

Joint Forest Management and Social Forestry

Environment & Ecology › Environmental Institutions and Schemes in India · Topic 19.9

Joint Forest Management (JFM) is a system in which forest departments and local communities share responsibility, protection and benefits of forest management. Its origin lies in the Arabari experiment in West Bengal in 1972, led by forest officer A K Banerjee, where villagers protected sal forests in return for a share of timber and fuelwood. The Government of India issued its JFM resolution on 1 June 1990, after the National Forest Policy 1988 stressed people's participation, and revised guidelines in 2000 and 2002. Villagers form Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs), often called Van Suraksha Samitis, which prepare micro-plans, protect forests from fire, grazing and felling and receive a share of produce and income, depending on the state; they are federated into Forest Development Agencies. Nearly all states have JFM, with over 100,000 committees managing a large area of forest. Social forestry means growing trees on community and private lands, village commons, roadsides, canal banks and farms to meet fuelwood, fodder and small timber needs and relieve pressure on natural forests. It was recommended by the National Commission on Agriculture in 1976 and includes farm forestry, community forestry, extension forestry and agroforestry. Van Panchayats of Uttarakhand, set up in 1931, and Van Mahotsav, launched in 1950, are earlier examples of community and public participation. The Forest Rights Act, 2006 changed the context by recognising community forest resource rights.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Environment & Ecology · Environmental Institutions and Schemes in India

At a Glance

Origin Arabari, West Bengal, 1972
National resolution 1 June 1990
Committee JFMC or Van Suraksha Samiti
Social forestry NCA 1976
Older model Van Panchayats 1931
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Environment & Ecology: Environmental Institutions and Schemes in India

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows CAMPA and presents the community-based approach to forests and tree growing, which also leads to the next topics on bamboo and solar missions. Previous topic: Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). Next topic: National Bamboo Mission.

How Does Joint Forest Management Work?

Aspect	Details
Origin	Arabari forest range, West Bengal, 1972, by A K Banerjee; villagers protected sal forests for a share of produce
National policy	Government of India JFM resolution of 1 June 1990, building on the National Forest Policy 1988
Committees	Village-level JFMCs, also called Van Suraksha Samitis or Forest Protection Committees, with women’s membership
Agreement	A memorandum between the forest department and the committee on duties and benefit sharing
Benefits	Share of timber and other produce, usually a fixed percentage that varies by state, plus minor forest produce and usufruct rights
Scope	Mostly degraded forests near villages
Federation	JFMCs combine in Forest Development Agencies at division level, for funds under the National Afforestation Programme

Meaning: tree planting on non-forest land by and for local communities to reduce pressure on forests
Farm forestry: farmers growing trees on their own land
Community forestry: trees on village commons and panchayat lands
Extension forestry: trees along roads, canals and railway lines
Agroforestry: trees combined with crops and livestock
Recommendation: National Commission on Agriculture, 1976
Examples: Gujarat’s social forestry programme in the 1980s, and eucalyptus planting on farms
Issues: monoculture of eucalyptus, benefits to better-off farmers, lack of fodder trees

What Else Should You Remember?

A K Banerjee: forest officer who began the Arabari experiment
Arabari: in Midnapore district; degraded sal forest regrew
Share at Arabari: villagers got 25 percent of the final harvest and employment
1990 resolution: suggested involving village institutions in regeneration of degraded forests
Guidelines of 2000: extended JFM to better forests and allowed non-timber produce sharing
Guidelines of 2002: strengthened the role of panchayats and set up Forest Development Agencies
JFM states: almost all states, with differing names such as Haryana’s Hill Resource Management Societies
Van Panchayats: Uttarakhand community forests set up in 1931 under Forest Panchayat Rules
Joint forest management committees number: more than one lakh across India
Area under JFM: over 20 million hectares reported
Women: a share of committee seats is reserved
NAP link: National Afforestation Programme funds go through FDAs
Eco-development committees: like JFMCs but around protected areas
FRA 2006: recognises community rights over forest, which gives a stronger legal base than JFM
Criticism of JFM: forest departments retain control, benefit sharing is unclear, and committees become inactive
Van Mahotsav: K M Munshi started it in 1950 as a tree-planting festival
Social forestry boom: World Bank funded social forestry in the 1980s
Wastelands: social forestry on community wastelands
Tree outside forests: farm trees supply much of India’s wood
Link to previous: see Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA)
Link to next: see National Bamboo Mission
Link to FRA: see Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006
Caution: committee numbers and benefit-sharing percentages vary by state and source
Exam hint: remember Arabari, 1972, the 1990 resolution, JFMC and social forestry types
Micro-plan: each JFMC prepares a plan for protection, planting and harvest, approved by the forest department
Forest protection: committees patrol against illegal felling, control grazing and fight fires
Minor forest produce: members collect and sell items such as leaves, fruits and gums, often free of royalty
Gender: women’s membership and leadership are encouraged in JFMCs and many have shown strong results in protection
Evaluation: studies find better regrowth in JFM forests but uneven benefit sharing
Ecodevelopment: funds for village development around protected areas support similar committees

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Origin: Arabari 1972
Resolution: 1990
Committee: JFMC
Current affairs link: Community forest rights
Common errors: confusing JFM with the Forest Rights Act

As an analytical point, JFM turned villagers from forest users into partners, but it kept power with forest departments. The Forest Rights Act gives communities legal ownership of management, so the two systems need to be reconciled.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Idea Partnership
Share Benefits
Limit Control

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the National Bamboo Mission. Next topic: National Bamboo Mission.

Key People and Terms

JFM Joint Forest Management
JFMC JFM Committee
VSS Van Suraksha Samiti
FDA Forest Development Agency
Social forestry Village tree growing
Agroforestry Trees with crops

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Origin: Arabari, 1972.
Resolution: 1 June 1990.
Committee: JFMC.
Social forestry: NCA 1976.
Van Panchayats: 1931.

Do Not Confuse With

JFM and FRA Co-management versus community rights
Social forestry and JFM Trees on non-forest land versus degraded forests
JFMC and EDC Forest villages versus protected area villages

Memory Hook

Arabari seeded it, ninety made it national; planting on commons is social.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for origin and committees. These points help.

Idea Partnership
Types Social forestry
Gaps Control

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Discuss Joint Forest Management and social forestry as approaches to people’s participation in forestry in India.”

How to Answer

Origin Arabari.
JFM 1990, JFMC.
Social forestry Types.
Gaps FRA.

GS Relevance

Prelims: origin, year, bodies. GS Paper 3: community forest management.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Joint Forest Management?

Joint Forest Management is a system in which the forest department and village communities jointly protect and manage forests, with the community sharing in the produce and income. Villagers form committees, prepare micro-plans and guard against fire and illegal felling. India's national JFM resolution was issued on 1 June 1990.

Where did JFM start in India?

JFM began at Arabari in Midnapore district of West Bengal in 1972, where forest officer A K Banerjee involved villagers in protecting degraded sal forest and gave them a share of harvest and jobs. The success of the experiment led to the spread of the idea across India and the 1990 national resolution.

What is social forestry?

Social forestry is the growing of trees on community and private lands, village commons, roadsides, canal banks and farms by and for local people, to meet needs for fuelwood, fodder and small timber and reduce pressure on natural forests. It was recommended by the National Commission on Agriculture in 1976.

What are the types of social forestry?

The main types are farm forestry, where farmers grow trees on their own land; community forestry, with trees on village or panchayat commons; extension forestry along roads, railways and canals; and agroforestry, combining trees with crops or livestock. Each aims to supply wood and fodder and improve the environment.

How do JFM and the Forest Rights Act differ?

JFM is an administrative arrangement under which the forest department keeps control and shares benefits with committees. The Forest Rights Act, 2006 is a law that recognises the legal rights of communities over forest land and resources, including community forest resource rights, giving Gram Sabhas authority to manage forests. FRA therefore gives stronger rights than JFM.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 JFM began at Arabari in West Bengal.

True

In 1972.

2 The national JFM resolution was issued in 2006.

False

In 1990.

3 Van Panchayats are in Uttarakhand.