Initiative on the Forest Economy (IoFE)

#TechForForest| Idea of a traditional boundary among Remos. Protecting people's long-term property rights is a primary and essential prerequisite for securing community tenure for any type of forest management. A clearly defined right of access to the natural resources of the forest is another consequence of securing community tenure. In Odisha, the forest is not only a source of livelihood for the Adivasi community but also a mean to survive, thus, the Initiative on the Forest Economy (IOFE) in partnership with the Government of Odisha, is progressively formalising the rights of these forest stakeholders. In most of the cases, such a process assumes that rules or regulatory boundaries of the forest that already exist in the record will have precedence, disregarding the potential impacts of change on the customary system, which also runs parallel to the formal tenure system under the Forest Rights Act. According to the rule of law, the concept of a 'traditional boundary’ will always have supremacy in deciding community tenure under the FRA 2006. At IoFE, we believe that no one knows the forests better than the people directly dependent on them. Bonda Ghati is located at an altitude of about 3000 feet above sea level in the Kondakamberu ranges of Eastern Ghat, on the eastern side of the Malkangiri district. The Adivasis which are commonly referred to ‘Bonda’ or ‘Bondo Paraja’ call themselves ‘Remo’. The range of their human settlement is called ‘Bonda hills’. For the first time, the IoFE team at the Indian School of Business, under its pilot intervention in Malkangiri district, initiated a training programme in partnership with the local Gram Sabha youth members for the creation of digital maps for their traditional forest and boundary mapping. This boundary-making exercise was essential for the determination of their rights to the Habitat of Bonda PVTG. The initiative was supported by youth members who were trained for GIS mapping using the Traccar Client app and our machine learning app #nCount. In this training programme, 18 volunteers from four different Gram Sabhas were trained for the preparation of a map of forest and settlement areas of Bonda Adivasis. Several women volunteered for this activity irrespective of difficulties they faced with accessibility to basic technologies like smartphones due to unequal access to resources and socio-economic factors, which is a huge contributing factor to the digital divide among men and women. In total, ten such Bonda settlements have been marked and mapped through this initiative. To know more about our technological interventions, please visit https://lnkd.in/dHPJjbTU #DigitalInnovation #PVTG #HabitatRights #FRA #Malkangiri #Odisha #ForestEconomy #SDG Ajaya Muduli Sanjoy Mondal Abhijeet Parmar Soumya Banerjee   

Ashwini Chhatre, Associate Professor & Executive Director at Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business, was featured on the AgriBusiness Matters podcast with Venky Ramachandran. In the episode, Prof. Chhatre discusses his research on creating a framework for a forest economy centered on community forest ownership, emphasising equitable and sustainable aggregation economies. He leads the Initiative on the Forest Economy, driving a paradigm shift through sustainability, scalability, and technology, empowering communities to manage forest resources effectively. Watch the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/gw26pgbp. Share your thoughts below! #ForestGovernance #PublicPolicy #ISBUpdates #IoFE

#CFRKitDelivery | Empowering Communities to Secure Forest Rights The Initiative on the Forest Economy (IoFE) has successfully completed the delivery of kits for Community Forest Rights (CFR) claim filing to Forest Rights Committees (FRCs) across Jharkhand. This effort covered eight blocks during the pilot phase and 11 blocks in the first phase of delivery. This initiative is crucial for empowering local communities and facilitating the claim filing process to scale up community forest tenure under the Forest Rights Act. The kits included essential resources such as CFR claim forms, village maps, and instructional materials, ensuring that every FRC is equipped to successfully navigate the claim filing process. The CFR kits provided to FRCs are comprehensive, containing: -CFR claim forms (Type B and C)  -Village maps unique to each village  -Record of Rights (RoR) for land claims  -Sahayika (Guide) for navigating the claim process  -Registers, stamps, and stamp pads for FRC officials  -Stage-wise video tutorials and access to helplines for support The delivery of the CFR kits is essential to streamline the claim process and ensure that every Forest Rights Committee (FRC) has the necessary resources to file claims efficiently. IoFE piloted innovative delivery models that moved beyond traditional centralized systems, ensuring direct-to-village distribution. The deliveries were facilitated through a mix of vehicle-based deliveries and a delivery boy system, with post-delivery support provided via helpdesk and helpline setups at the block level. This approach ensured that FRCs not only received their kits on time but also had access to ongoing support. The success of this initiative underscored the power of collaboration between community leaders, civil society, and institutional partners. In total, we covered approximately 670 villages in the pilot and first phase of delivery—across 19 blocks in the districts of East Singhbhum, Simdega, Latehar, and Gumla. For more information on the Initiative on the Forest Economy, visit: https://lnkd.in/dS5YbGYS #CFR #ForestRights #CommunityEmpowerment #Jharkhand #SustainableDevelopment #IoFE Kamini Singh Ankur Raushan Sandip Chowdhury Sandhya Singh RAHUL DEV MAHATO Augustina Soreng

#CommFor by IoFE, BIPP, ISB at #FLARE Conference 2024 The Initiative on the Forest Economy (IoFE), led by Prof. Ashwini Chhatre, Executive Director and Associate Professor at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business (ISB), presented the Community Forestry App (CommFor) at the recently held FLARE Conference. Prof. Chhatre virtually presented the CommFor app—a data collection solution addressing the lack of accessible, cost-effective tools for monitoring community forestry interventions and the scarcity of reliable multi-country data to inform policy and research. FLARE (Forests & Livelihoods: Assessment, Research, and Engagement) network drives knowledge at the nexus of forests and livelihoods, bridging research with policy and practice. This year’s conference was held from 3rd to 7th October 2024 in Rome.  The conference was attended by the technology team of IoFE who designed the application: Abhijeet Parmar, Lead, Technology and Research Partnerships; Nitesh Saini, Full Stack Developer; Bhumika Premanand Morey, GIS Specialist; and Apurva Duddu, FLARE Community Engagement Coordinator, Yale University. Prof. Ashwini Chhatre underscored the idea behind the data capture design of the application. This would empower researchers and community leaders to lead the way for the integration of diverse data sets. He also introduced the CommFor interface and sub-components, including the process of data capture, a web-based portal for comparative analysis of insights through visualizations, and a discussion portal for feedback and knowledge sharing. The session was concluded with a live Q&A on data security and consent. To read more about the CommFor App pilot project, please visit Community Forestry (CommFor) Data Collection App Pilot Project – FLARE (forestlivelihoods.org) #CommFor #TechForForest #ForestEconomy #IFRI #IoFE

Our Simdega District Coordinator, Augustina Soreng won the prestigious #MarthaFarrellAward2024. Augustina works tirelessly for the upliftment and empowerment of women from tribal and forest communities in Jharkhand. Her dedication to gender equality and women empowerment has earned her this recognition. Her work in creating a gender-just society is truly inspiring. Congratulations, Augustina! 💐 Martha Farrell Foundation #WomenEmpowerment #ForestRights #Jharkhand

Forging New #Partnership: Lahaul & Spiti District Administration, Government of Himachal Pradesh and Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business unite to expand the Forest Economy #LahaulAndSpiti has taken a significant step forward in its sustainable development journey. The district joins hands with the Initiative on Forest Economy (IoFE) at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business, through two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU). The Deputy Commissioner Officer (DC), Lahaul, and Spiti inked this partnership, along with the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Spiti division, at Kaza with Prof. Ashwini Chhatre, Executive Director, Bharti Institute of Public Policy, ISB. The key objective of this partnership is to create a model around Forest Economy, Seasonal Forest Products (SFPs), and Pastoral Grazing economy in Lahaul, by securing community tenure under FRA 2006 for traditional seasonal grazing rights of the pastoral community. While in Spiti, this partnership will focus on creating an economic model around Sea Buckthorn and other Seasonal Forest Products (SFPs) by securing tenure rights.  By expanding its footprints in the challenging terrain, IoFE will also be promoting sustainable grazing practices and harvesting of the identified SFPs. The IoFE team will also be supporting Gram Sabhas and district administration in organising various capacity-building workshops for community members, including government stakeholders, and in establishing women-led community enterprise, business planning, and market linkages for various SFPs. This will be accomplished utilising the digital technology to further scale up these objectives. For more information about our work, please visit: https://lnkd.in/dHPJjbTU #forestgovernance #forests #foresteconomy #womenempowerment #CommunityEmpowerment #digitaltechnologies #CommunityForestRight #FRA #SDG #HimachalPradesh Ashwini Chhatre Amit Upmanyu Sonam Chhukit Tanzin Tashi Ramesh Chand Yamini . Satya Prasanna 

Fostering Community-led #Conservation in Pangi Valley, Himachal Pradesh In continuation of our consistent efforts to raise awareness about the vital role of Community Forest Resource (CFR) management in the Pangi Valley, the Initiative of the Forest Economy (IoFE) team facilitated the formation of the management committees and plan for ten villages in the region. Recently, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) issued the latest guidelines on the formation of Community Forest Resource Management (CFRMC) and Community Forest Resource Management Plan (CFRMP), which are crucial to sustainable forest management.  In the Pangi Valley, with the active participation from women and youth, these democratically elected new committees are taking charge of sustainable forest management, guided by the principles of the Forest Rights Act, 2006.  The committees developed comprehensive Community Forest Resource Management Plans (CFRMP), focusing on conservation, equitable benefit sharing, and sustainable practices. This management plan has also been passed by the Gram Sabha and will soon be compiled with the working plan of the Forest Department of Pangi Valley. Key highlights of the Community Forest Resource Management Plan: -Deciding on rotational harvesting practices,  -Establishing rules for forest resources use,  -Addressing destructions of the forest resources with the fines.  -Banning of high-value seasonal products for a few years for regeneration of harvest. Gram Sabha is pivotal in empowering forest dwellers in asserting their right in decision-making, which directly affects their livelihood and forest resources. Adopting cultural and social practices by CFRMC were reflected in the CFRMP by the Gram Sabha. These approaches will ensure sustainable forest resource management. The efforts by the Gram Sabha, set a strong foundation for sustainable development and forest governance in the Pangi Valley. For more information, visit https://lnkd.in/gNYnvBrM #ForestManagement #CommunityEngagement #Sustainability #CommunityForestRights #ForestRightAct #PangiValley #Chamba #HimachalPradesh Yamini . Amit Upmanyu Satya Prasanna Hans Raj Sant Ram

Strategic #Partnership for Sustainable Forest Management through SFP Inventory Our recent collaboration with the District Administration of Gadchiroli marks a pivotal step in advancing the sustainable management of Seasonal Forest Products (SFPs) using digital and geospatial technologies. This initiative focuses on developing a comprehensive SFP inventory to map the variety, distribution, and potential yield of forest products such as medicinal plants, resins, honey, and bamboo using nCount (https://lnkd.in/g9BTwzTH). The collected data will play a key role in sustaining community rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006, enabling local communities to manage these resources sustainably and fostering a more equitable distribution of benefits. By combining traditional knowledge with advanced digital tools, the project aims to develop economic models that balance ecological preservation with income-generating opportunities. Local communities will be trained to manage and conserve forest resources, ensuring that sustainable practices are embedded at the grassroots level. This SFP inventory not only supports rural livelihoods but also offers valuable insights for policymakers working on sustainable development strategies in forested regions. It represents a scalable model for other areas seeking to integrate technology and community-driven forest management into their development plans. As this collaboration progresses, it will contribute to both environmental sustainability and economic resilience for forest-dependent communities, serving as an important case study for sustainable forest economies across India. To know more about our initiative, visit- https://lnkd.in/dHPJjbTU #SustainableDevelopment #ForestManagement #CommunityEngagement #DigitalInnovation #SFP #ISB #GreenEconomy #RuralLivelihood Bhumika Premanand Morey|  Ravindra Chunarkar|  Abhijeet K.

#IndigenousRights | 257 CFR Title Distribution in Jharkhand As part of the Abua Bir Abua Dishyom campaign, the government of Jharkhand recognised the significant role of Indigenous People and held state and district-level ceremonies to honour them.  257 Community Resource Right (CFR) titles were awarded, covering 73,583.645 acres across 13 districts. At the “Jharkhand Adivasi Mahotsav” event held in Ranchi, four symbolic titles were presented to communities from Simdega, Gumla, Sahibganj, and Bokaro districts by Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Governor Santosh Gangwar. About the ABAD Campaign: On 6th November 2023, Chief Minister Hemant Soren launched the ‘Abua Bir Abua Dishom Abhiyan’ in Ranchi, a pivotal initiative aimed at granting land ownership (pattas) to forest dwellers under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. This campaign focuses on the swift processing of both pending applications and new claims via the JharFRA mobile application. The campaign’s success is supported by key knowledge and technology partners, including the Foundation of Ecological Security (FES), the Partnering Hope into Action (PHIA) Foundation, and the Initiative on the Forest Economy (IoFE) team at the Indian School of Business. A state-level FRA cell has been established to streamline these efforts with representatives from all three organisations. Read more about the campaign at https://lnkd.in/epKRwamD Kamini, Ankur, Sandip, Augustina, Rose  PHIA Foundation Foundation For Ecological Security (FES) TRIF  #Jharkhand #TenureRights #FRA #IndigenousPeoples

#SeasonalForestProducts|The importance of Formal Partnerships between Institutional Buyers and Forest-based Community Enterprises   The Initiative on the Forest Economy (IoFE) piloted the facilitation of an aggregated Sal seed sale across villages falling under Gumla and Ranchi districts with CFR rights, empowering Gram Sabhas in resource management. The sale is a testimony to the impact of collaboration between government officials, civil society, industry buyers, and forest-proximate communities.   The sale, a truckload, approximately weighing 11 tonnes, was executed by three women-led community enterprises to AAK. It was made possible through the collaborative efforts of multiple stakeholders, including IoFE-ISB, the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS), the Institute of Community Forest Governance (ICFG), and Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN). Community resource members from these supporting organisations successfully mobilised primary collectors and initiated aggregation efforts, enabling the benefits of economies of scale to be realized. Additionally, the sale provided community enterprises with valuable experience in effectively diversifying their sources of revenue generation. The sale, executed through direct industry linkages, also overcame a myriad of challenges. Heavy rainfall, this season, significantly impacted Sal seed production and collection. Moreover, the women-led Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) involved in the sale were undertaking an endeavour of this nature for the first time. The sale also coincided with the preparation period for the Kharif season crops which required all participating community enterprises to re-strategise their use of working capital. The IoFE model advocates for a formal partnership between industry and community enterprises, allowing primary collectors to sell under agreed terms to benefit from selling SFPs at scale. Such collaborations also address critical issues that primary collectors of SFPs typically face, such as vendors creating a sense of urgency and pressuring communities to accept low prices.  Formalising a large-scale sale with an institutional buyer resolves such concerns by conducting market surveys beforehand to set fair and stable prices.     For more information on the Initiative on the Forest Economy, please visit https://lnkd.in/dHPJjbTU  Jharkhand State Livelihoods Promotion Society Professional Assistance For Development Action (PRADAN) Kamini Singh, Ankur Raushan, Sandip Chowdhury, Thochi Seb Rengma, Augustina Soreng, Vishal J, Naina Shukla, Arushi Jha Thakur , Sandhya Singh Sushma Kattamuri.