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About the Workshop
• 7th in the series of Annual Forestry Workshops
under JICA assisted projects
• Started in 2009 in Odisha followed by Delhi,
Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu
• Objective – cross learning, experience sharing
and exposure for Implementing Agencies
• Learnings and Recommendations expected to
assist in course correction or formulation of
future implementation strategies
• Additionally, Annual Project Directors’ meeting
also convened in Delhi by JICA
JICA’s Forestry Sector Activities
1991 ~ 2015
• JICA has been assisting the sector for the past
two and half decades, since in1991
• Started with ‘Afforestation & Pasture
Development along Indira Gandhi Canal Area’, in
Rajasthan
• 23 projects have been supported to date, one
more is on pipeline
• 22 are state specific, cover 13 states, namely
Rajasthan (5), Tamil Nadu (3), Gujarat (2),
Karnataka (2), Punjab (2), Haryana, Orissa,
Himachal Pradesh, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim,
West Bengal and Uttarakhand
JICA’s Forestry Sector Activities
1991 ~ 2015
• 1 new HRD project for frontline staff at
national level to cover 13 new states
• 1 Technical Cooperation project at DFE &
CASFOS, Dehradun (completed)
• Cumulative commitment stands at JPY 224.8
billion (Rs. 11,800 crores approx. or US$. 1.86
billion at current exchange rates)
• New project for Nagaland for Rs. 620 crores
( JPY 11 billion approx.) expected to be signed
during FY 2015
• JICA continues to be the largest donor to the
forestry sector in India
State Wise Commitment
Commitment in Million Japanese Yen
States covered by JICA
Punja
b (2)
H.P (1)
Haryana
(1)
Sikkim(1)
Uttarak
hand
Uttar Pradesh (1)
Rajasthan (5)
Nagaland
(Candidate)
West
Bengal
(1)
Gujarat (2)
Odisha (1)
Karnataka
(2)
Tamil
Nadu (3)
Tripura (1)
Journey Two and Half Decades
• Sectoral assistance has traversed
two and half decades journey
• Covered 3 generations of projects
• 1st : 1990-91 ~ 1997~98
• 2nd: 2002-03 ~ 2012-13
• 3rd: 2013 onwards
First Generation Projects
1991 ~ 1997
• Core focal areas: Large scale
Afforestation/ Regeneration, Soil & Water
Conservation
• Ineffective Community Participation: By
design JFM was weak
• Poverty alleviation: was not perceived a
major objective
• For Forest dept. JFM meant: providing
labour work
• For communities, JFM meant: a source
of wage earning
• Traditional mindsets and skepticism:
limited JFMs growth & strengthening
Second Generation Projects
2002 -2012
• Well structured in terms approach,
strategy and content with greater
focus on JFM and poverty alleviation
• Effective blending of Ecological
Restoration and Community
Development (Livelihood) activities
• Autonomous Organization Structure
Odisha project, first to set up PMU
under Society mode in 2006
• Three phased approach adopted for
well structured, timely and effective
implementation
Second Generation Projects
2002 - 2012
• Uniform mechanisms established for
implementation of project works
followed across levels
• High transparency and accountability
through proper documentation, record
keeping, accounting, audits etc.
• Empowerment of women through SHG
activities
• Methodical involvement of NGOs for
micro planning, training VFCs and SHGs,
assessing value chains and facilitating
marketing
Second Generation Projects
2002 - 2012
• Stronger capacity building initiatives
in-built for all stakeholders
• Inter-sectoral convergence for widening
ambit of socio-economic development
encouraged
• 11 projects fall under this category
Broad Milestones Achieved
• Plantation and regeneration
activities have covered over 2
million hectares
• Another 0.5 million expected in
next 5 to7 years
• 16,000 plus JFMC committees have
been formed/ functioning, another
1,500 expected in next 5 years
• 24,000 SHGs are operating, 7000
more SHGs to be formed.
Moving onto 3rd Generation
Projects
• 12th Five Year Plan has spelt out new
GoI’s policies and strategies
• Changing times have brought new
issues to the fore
• Value add required to convince Govt.
of Japan to continue support for
forestry projects
• JICA has internally reviewed its
assistance policy to the sector to adjust
to emerging trends
Approach for 3rd Generation
2013 onwards
• More Holistic approach is adopted
• Large scale afforestation/ regeneration
continues through active JFM approach
• Focus on sustainable livelihoods
opportunities through JFM
Consolidation Activities in enhanced,
which includes eco-tourism
• Need-based and strategic funding is
provided for Livelihood development on
certain objective parameters
Approach for 3rd Generation
2013 onwards
• IGAs are selected after identifying
strong marketing networks based on
value chain assessment
• ‘Society mode’ organizational set up is
mandatory
• Strong and appropriate institutions at
the local level are adopted
• Biodiversity conservation, Agro-farm
forestry receive greater focus
• Technology based planning and
monitoring is made a prerequisite
Approach for 3rd Generation
2013 onwards
• Intensify efforts to facilitate introduction of
REDD+ Mechanism for larger benefits to
communities
• Disaster Mitigation measures for specially in
hilly/ coastal states considered
• Emphasize on institutionalization of
convergence by dovetailing of local resources
and development schemes for promoting
sustainability
• Have an In-built ‘Sustainability Plan’ as an
integral component at project formulation
stage
The Theme
Sustainable Forest Management through
Community Partnership
• Forest Fringe Villages (FFVs) have agrarian
livelihoods, critically depend on forest
resources.
• FFVs have poor socio-economic conditions
because of remoteness
• Development schemes bypass FFVs due to
weak delivery mechanisms
• Expecting strong FFV communities support
for forest management without alternative
livelihoods is impossible
• Forest Department is the only government
arm to reach out to FFVs
Sustainable Forest Management
through Community Partnership
• Therefore, strong and consistent
community partnership is the key to
sustainable forest management
• Focused participatory approach triggers
larger ownership amongst communities
• The first step is to orient communities to
establish a ‘buy-in’ of the project
concepts, objectives, expected outputs
and impacts
Sustainable Forest Management
through Community Partnership
• Participatory Micro Planning is an
extremely critical activity to establish
genuine community partnership and
ownership
• For effective implementation and
ensuring sustainability, relationship
between department and communities
has to be strong
• Hence, communities need to be
accorded the status of ‘critical partners
in sustainable forest management’
JICA’s Perspective on Livelihood
Security
• Alternate livelihood development is an
imperative to wean people away from
over dependence on forests
• Livelihood development activities serve
as incentive to generate larger
participation
• Focused participatory approach triggers
larger ownership of the works amongst
communities
JICA’s Perspective on Livelihood
Security
• Feasible livelihood alternatives to be
selected based on market survey
• Bottom up consultative approach to be
adopted for identification of livelihood
options based on value chain assessment
• Choice of IGAs to be need based
• Micro Credit revolving fund to be
established under the project
• Provisions for value addition, processing,
marketing etc. to be in place
JICA’s Perspective on Livelihood
Security
• Formal link-ups with MFIs to be
established for up-scaling
• SHGs to be trained for enhancing product
quality, managerial skills and self
sufficiency
• Federation of SHGs on product cluster
basis to be considered
• Professional organizations/NGOs to be
considered for establishing marketing
linkages
• SHGs to be linked with direct markets to
eliminate middlemen
JICA’s Perspective on Institutional
Strengthening (PMU)
• PMU in society mode needs to be set up
viz-a-viz conventional mode
• Needs to be suitably empowered and
staffed
• PMU staff need to be in position for the
entire project duration
• Implementation mechanisms need to be
uniformly established
• Funding arrangements need to be in place
• Leads to methodical and systemized
implementation of the project
JICA’s Perspective on Institutional
Strengthening (VFCs)
• Legal status of VFCs needs clarity
• Linkages with Panchayats need to be
strengthened
• Rules and regulation governing JFM differ in
states, need to have some broad common
ground
• Rotation of VFC Executive members needs to
be ensured
• Genuine and larger involvement of
communites required in Micro Planning
• After project closure VFC continuity needs to
be ensured through capacity development
JICA’s Perspective on Institutional
Strengthening (SHGs)
• Forest Department has no experience in
forming, training or promoting SHGs
• Formation/ adoption needs to be
carefully done
• Professional organizations/NGOs required
for the purpose
• SHGs require intensive training for
managerial skills, product selection,
quality improvement, marketing etc.
• Link up with MFIs is crucial for upscaling
and sustainability of SHG activities
JICA’s Perspective on Institutional
Strengthening (NGO)
• Selection of good NGOs and their
orientation is most important
• Quantifiable and ‘monitorable’
benchmarks need to be set for
evaluating performance
• Works need to be closely monitored
• Good NGOs need to be retained while
non-performers need to be relieved
• Payments release need to be on basis
of benchmark performance, specially
final payment
JICA’s Perspective on Capacity Building
• CB needs to be carried out at all levels
• Should be planned on the basis of “TNA”
• Appropriate Resource Persons/
Institutions required
• Calendar should not be front loaded
• Refresher trainings are a must
• Overseas trainings should be theme
based and should have utility
• Sharing of training material between
states could be considered through
MoEF/JICA
JICA’s Perspective on Technology based
Planning & Monitoring
• Use of technology is imperative for
improved scientific planning and real
time monitoring
• Emphasis should be on developing inhouse expertise
• Budgetary provisions for periodic
upgradation of hardware and software
are required
• States like Tamil Nadu, Odisha, U.P. have
developed successful models
• Focus should be on replication rather
than ‘reinventing the wheel’
JICA’s Perspective on Carbon Financing
• Carbon Financing has huge potential for
enhancing benefits for communities
• Can majorly contribute towards
improvement of socio-economic
conditions
• AR-CDM initiatives have been taken up in
U.P – output awaited
• Next step is to facilitate REDD plus
readiness for ongoing and future projects
• To take up pilot REDD plus projects on
test basis and replicate and upscale
subsequently
Other Challenges
• Timely Development of Infrastructure &
Procurement of Equipment/ Vehicles in
preliminary phase
– Completing construction of PMU/DMU/FMU
buildings and other infrastructure
– Need basis procurement of vehicles and
equipment and ensuring its proper utilization
– Provisioning for Operation and Maintenance
costs specially after project closure
• Revision and Adherence of the Overall
Implementation Plan (OIP)
– Quick revision of MoD OIP vis-a-vis Actual
– Close Monitoring of works as per OIP
Other Challenges
• Adequate Budget Allocation & Release
– Allocation by state government as
per MoD required at the beginning
of financial year
– Release of funds in a timely manner
commensurate with the
implementation schedule
– Setting up a ‘Revolving Fund’ at PMU
– Quick replenishment of funds after
receipt of funds from JICA
Other Challenges
• Timely Mid-course correction of
components and targets
– Quick identification of changes
required for enhancing effectiveness
and sustainability
– Avoiding implementation of
superfluous components and targets
Other Challenges
• Strengthening Reporting, Monitoring and
Evaluation at all Levels (MIS)
– Developing ‘user friendly’ MIS system during
preliminary stage of the project
– Developing concise and user friendly MIS
based formats for reporting
– Enhancing capacities of officers / staff at all
levels
– Adopting concurrent course corrections
based on M&E outputs
– Rewarding good performance while fixing
responsibility for poor work
– Including the performance in the ACR of
officers
Other Challenges
• Intersectoral Convergence
– Sharing Micro Plan effectively and
ensuring ‘buy-in’ by other departments
– Dovetailing other department schemes
through Micro Plans
– Getting enabling orders issued from State/
District administration
– Setting targets for convergence for each
Division
– Making DFOs/ RFOs follow up with district
administration
– Providing incentives, monetary or
otherwise, for achieving the targets
through convergence
Other Challenges
• Formulating ‘Sustainability Plan’
- Projects have been successfully
implemented in terms of physical and
financial targets
- Credible project impacts have been
generated during lifetime of the project
- ‘Sustainability’ or ‘Continuity’ is
imperative for long term project impacts
and real success of the projects
- But ‘Sustainability’ or ‘Continuity’ of
activities remains a huge challenge
Other Challenges
- ‘Sudden collapse syndrome’ associated
with externally aided projects needs to be
reversed
- Need to have ‘in-built’ sustainability plan
with demarcation of funds
- Support from State required for 10 years
horizon
- Inter-sectoral Convergence, Corpus Fund
at VFC level, some options
New Project Formulation
- Detailed Project Report should be in place
- Components need to be in line with 3rd
Generation perspective
- Cost should be based on absorption and
expenditure capacity
- All Clearances at state ( planning, finance
etc.) and central level (MEA, MHA, Debt
Clearance etc.) should be obtained in
advance
- Project must get included in JICA’s Rolling
Plan with DEA through MoEF & CC
Looking forward to your active
participation in the
deliberations during the day
Thank you very much for your
attention !