https://www.tellus.org/pub/Using%20modern%20bioenergy%20to%20reduce%20rural%20poverty.pdf

Using modern bioenergy to reduce rural poverty

A study was conducted in Kullu district in the province of Himachal Pradesh in Indian Western Himalaya, to investigate the perceptions of Indian for- esters about aspects of forest management relevant for effective Joint Forest Management (JFM). A lack of uniform understanding was found amongst forestry staff about almost all the studied issues pertaining to JFM. A need is identified to emphasise social aspects in the training of the foresters (including in-service training), along with the existing silvi-technical aspects. For JFM success, measures need to be devised to reduce the political interference in JFM, reduce hierarchical rigidity, and increase interaction between field staff and the administrative hierar- chy. Strategies should be devised to make JFM participants as well as forestry staff equally responsible to honour their commitments with respect to JFM.

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Implications of Indian Foresters’ Perspectives of Joint Forest Management

Role of foresters' perspectives in orienting agroforestry programmes.

Publisher Summary This chapter deals with the sustainable afforestation programs through rural cooperatives. Degraded lands and forests cover as much as 130 to 170 million hectares in India. Such an enormous resource is unproductive due to the lack of initiatives and funds for regeneration. Recently, land restoration programs to revegetate wastelands have been initiated by the government as well as by the nongovernmental organizations (NGO). The major objective of these programs is to evolve institutions that can meet their energy and fodder requirements in a sustainable manner. One such program is by an NGO called National Tree Growers Cooperative Federation (NTGCF).The NTGCF forms tree growers cooperative societies (TGCS) with the active participation of the local people and finance them during the initial period. Mixed species are planted in the TGCS site to obtain fuelwood, fodder, pulp, and timber and the benefits are shared among the shareholders. A methodology of the program appraisal comprising the criteria of economic feasibility, sustainability, and acceptability is developed and applied to the TGCS. Economic feasibility is measured in terms of the internal rate of return (IRR) on investment, sustainability by the long-run viability of the program, and acceptability in terms of the stakeholder's participation in the program. Data obtained from TGCS amongst three states in India are analyzed to see how they have fared in the economic as well as the social benefits. The results indicated that the IRR for a 60-year plantation cycle for various TGCS vary between 10% and 12%. The amount of carbon sequestered range from 90 to 110 tons per hectare over a 60-year period.

Sustainable Afforestation Programmes Through Rural Cooperaitives

Revisiting carbon sequestration for joint implementation

This paper provides a framework for analysing land regeneration programmes combining financial, economic and environmental aspects as applied to a wood plantation programme undertaken by a Tree Grower’s Cooperative Society (TGCS) established by the National Tree Growers’ Cooperative Federation (NTGCF), Anand, India. Mallanahally TGCS, situated in the southern part of Karnataka state in India was selected and a survey was carried out. Benefit–cost ratios and internal rate of return are worked out for various situations. The paper also examines the role of cooperatives in managing plantation activities and assesses the distributional aspects of the benefits of the plantations. The survey elicited information on the villagers’ perceptions regarding benefits from and barriers to implementation of plantation programmes. It is shown here that despite apparently unequal distribution of benefits, the present arrangements preserve cooperation as each of the stakeholders derive positive benefits.

Plantation programmes through people’s participation: a case study from India

Performance indicators of an afforestation programme in India

In this paper we estimate the price elasticities of demand for electricity in the domestic and industrial sectors in India, and assess the potential role of pricing in managing demand. We discuss several possible pricing options that can bring about more efficient use of limited generating capacity, as well as addressing the issue of equity. From our estimations we find demand to be reasonably sensitive to price changes among both residential and industrial consumers. We also notice that India can choose from a wide spectrum of pricing mechanisms that can lead to efficient use of resources and reduce the losses incurred by its state electricity boards.

P.V. Srinivasan

Papers

Plantation programmes through people’s participation: a case study from India

Performance indicators of an afforestation programme in India

Electricity demand management through pricing: scope and options