India National Social Forestry project midterm review, Parts I, II, III

KEYWORD: Community-based Natural Forest Management, Asia. Asia, India, farm forestry, fuelwood, income distribution, income generation, reforestation, soil conservation, extension, training, equity, poverty abatement, evaluation. SUMMARY: Objectives of the project were to increase the production of fuelwood, poles, small timber and fodder, increase rural incomes, employment and equity, reduce soil erosion and environmental concerns, and strengthen institutional capacity. To achieve these goals, tree planting programs on private, community, and public lands were initiated, from supplying private farmers with tree seedlings to the reforestation of public wastelands. Technical and financial assistance was given to support capacity building, field programs, and the development of project infrastructure, but these budgets fell short and therefore some work was limited. The increase in farm forestry was among the most significant achievements. Most family incomes improved due to these efforts. There was some concern that absentee farmers who already had economic advantages over smaller farmers were taking advantage of the farm forestry programs and undermining goals of increasing equity. Efforts were made to increase decentralized, farmer-run nurseries in order to assure that seedlings are available to all farmers. The project's inability to offer guidance regarding agroforestry technology, environmental effects, and silvicultural techniques was found to be major limitation. The project created environmental concerns in planting Eucalyptus' monocultures in semi-arid locations, which caused competition for water and the need for soil enhancement. The author recommends that a greater diversity of species be made available, and the effects of all of the species on neighboring crops, habitats and water regimes be evaluated.