Main Weaknesses noticed in Social Forestry Programme

Main Weaknesses noticed in Social Forestry Programme!

The term social forestry was used by the National Commission on Agriculture in 1976, to denote tree raising programmes to supply firewood, small timber and minor forest products to rural population.

Rural income generation through massive plantation work and revenue earning from wood stock value, selling the medicinal plants and energy crops generated by inter crop management are the important task to improve socio-economic condition of rural masses, carbon credit through Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) will be an additional income benefitted by social forestry for Afforestation/reforestation and waste land development.

It is a community based work on massive plantation through Panchayat/Village assembly involving under joint-venture programme.

The National Commission for farmers has determined the following objectives for social forestry:

a. To cooperate soil conservation and to prevent spoiling the productive capacity of soil.

b. To increase fuel availability and to increase the food modification by increasing fruit production.

c. To enhance the natural beauty of the villages and cities by plantation.

d. To encourage environment conservation by plantation and to create general consciousness regarding environment conservation.

Some of the weaknesses are there in this programme:

a. Social forestry has not been implemented extensively.

b. Corruption and misuse of the fund which is for the purpose of social forestry.

c. Illegal tree-cutting.

d. The lack of information among people and ignorance regarding social forestry programme.

e. In many states there are unsatisfactory activities regarding social forestry.