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Economical and ecological realization of Joint Forest Management (JFM) for sustainable rural livelihood: a case study

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Abstract

In India, Joint Forest Management (JFM) programme was first introduced in the year 1972 at Arabari forest range in West Bengal with the collaboration of local community and forest department for the protection of reserve forest and improvement of rural livelihood. Subsequently, in 1990 the JFM programme was further extended at nearby Bhadutola forest range of Paschim Medinipur (West Bengal, India). The evaluation of this programme with respect to ecological and economic indicators has not been done. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of JFM scheme in two sites and also assess the ecological impacts of such programs. Applying relevant research methods like focus group discussion (FGD), standard of living index (SLI), livelihood dependence index (LDI) and measurement of forest dependency, the effectiveness of JFM project has been assessed for the sustainable forest management. The ecological impacts were calculated using the value coefficient method through implied for ecosystem service functions. The results showed that the forest dwellers of Arabari forest range are getting more benefits like different non-timber forest products (NTFP) than Bhadutola forest range community. It is stated that around 85% respondents are highly satisfied with the implementation of JFM project. In the recent years, the standard of living index (SLI) of almost sixteen villages under JFM project has been significantly improved. The ecological impact for both the forest ranges clearly shows a positive effect on the ecosystem service values through food production, raw materials, genetic resources, climatic regulation and soil erosion control strategies. The Arabari forest range has shown more positive changes in ecological services function than the Bhadutola forest range. Therefore, this model needs to be applied effectively in different vulnerable forest ranges of tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world for sustainable forest resource conservation as well as improvement of livelihood of forest dwellers.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are extremely grateful to all those participating in the research, especially the community members of the villages of Paschim Medinipur District. We are grateful to the PG Department of Geography, Raja N. L. Khan Women’s College (Autonomous), affiliated to Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, India for supporting this research. The author (P. K. Shit) grateful acknowledges West Bengal DSTBT for financial support through R&D Research Project Memo no. 104 (Sanc.)/ST/P/S&T/ 10G-5/2018).

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This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Raja N. L. Khan Women’s College (Autonomous), Gope Palace, Midnapore, West Bengal, 721102, India

    Soumen Bisui, Sambhunath Roy & Pravat Kumar Shit

  2. Department of Geography, Sidho Kanho Birsha University, Purulia, India

    Biswajit Bera

  3. ICAR Indian Institute Water Management, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751023, India

    Partha Pratim Adhikary

  4. Department of Geology and Geophysics, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India

    Debashish Sengupta

  5. Seacom Skill University, Birbhum, West Bengal, India

    Gouri Sankar Bhunia

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Bisui, S., Roy, S., Bera, B. et al. Economical and ecological realization of Joint Forest Management (JFM) for sustainable rural livelihood: a case study. Trop Ecol 64, 296–306 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42965-022-00275-5

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