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Social
Forestry programs have been initiated with a view to meet the forest
product requirements of local population and to reverse the process
of ecological and climatic degradation through proper soil and water
conservation and to improve the socio economic condition of the
rural people.
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Participatory
Forestry
From
last two decades there has been a gradual shift in the forest management
approach adopted by Forest Department i.e from its traditional custodian
role to a more participatory approach. Accordingly the provision
of people’s participation in protecting the natural forest
and afforesting the degraded and encroached forest land with benefit
sharing mechanism has been developed and people’s participation
has been ensured.
The
ADB funded Community Forestry Project implemented in the seven northern
districts from 1981 to 1987 paved the foundation of Participatory
forestry in Bangladesh. Following this other ADB funded project
named ‘Thana afforestation and nursery development project’,
‘Green Belt project’ were implemented and now ‘Forestry
sector project’ is being implemented throughout the country.
Major components of this project are: Woodlot, Agro forestry and
Strip plantations etc.
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Social
Forestry Achievements
Physical
achievement during 1981- 2003 under Social Forestry Programs
can be summarized as follows :
|
| No
|
Components |
Achievement |
| 1 |
Woodlot
/ Block plantation. |
32,640
ha. |
| 2 |
Agroforestry
plantation. |
8,778
ha. |
| 3 |
Strip
plantation. |
86,338
km ( including WFP assisted part) |
| 4 |
Rehabilitation
of Jhumias. |
6,321
families |
| 5 |
Village
afforestation. |
7,282
villages |
| 6 |
Institutional
planting & Seedling distribution / sale. |
168
million nos. |
| 7 |
Establishment
of SFNTC ( Social Forestry Nursery and Trainig Center). |
98
Nos. |
| 8 |
Establishment
of SFPC (Social Forestry Plantation Center). |
345
Nos. |
| 9 |
Training
on Social Forestry |
1,77,261
persons |
| 10 |
In
every upazila, there is a Forest Department’s Nursery
center. In addition to that 12,000 private nurseries have
been established throughout the country. |
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The
benefit-sharing ratio for Social forestry plantations
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Agroforestry: The benefit sharing ratio |
| Forest
Department |
45%
of the total benefits |
| Participants |
45%
of the total benefits |
| Tree
Farming Fund |
10%
of the total benefits |
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Woodlot Plantations: The benefit sharing ratio |
| Forest
Department |
45%
of the total benefits |
| Participants |
45%
of the total benefits |
| Tree
Farming Fund |
10%
of the total benefits |
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Linear Strip Plantations: The benefit sharing ratio |
| Forest
Department |
10%
of the total benefits |
| Participants |
55%
of the total benefits |
| Tree
Farming Fund |
10%
of the total benefits |
| Land
Owning Agency |
20%
of the total benefits |
| Local
Union Parishad |
5%
of the total benefits |
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Sal Coppice Management: The benefit sharing ratio |
| Forest
Department |
65%
of the total benefits |
| Participants |
25%
of the total benefits |
| Tree
Farming Fund |
10%
of the total benefits |
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| Economic
Benefit: |
Poverty
is a major problem, particularly in rural areas of Bangladesh. Plantations
raised earlier under the CFP and the TANDP are now being harvested
to raise second rotation plantations under the Forestry Sector Project
(FSP). During 1999-2003 nearly 5080 ha Woodlot, 1597 ha Agroforestry,
2,897 km Strip Plantations and 40 ha Charland Plantations have been
harvested and replanted under FSP with the total sale proceeds of
704 million Taka. In total 23,561 participants received Taka 308
million as their shares as per the agreed participatory Benefit
Sharing Agreement (PBSA) during this period.
Under
World Food Program Assisted Strip plantation program, starting from
1988 to 1998 about 45,682 km strip plantation have been raised and
38.524 million seedlings have been planted and maintained with the
participation of 4,56,820 landless destitute families of which about
3,65,456 is women. In total 77,048 nos. of caretakers have been
employed under this program.
During
1999 to 2006, an amount of 15174 ha woodlot, 3468 ha of Agroforestry,
7414 km Strip plantations and 219 ha Char land plantations have
been harvested and replanted under FSP with total sale proceed of
2370.21 Million Taka. In total 68372 participants received 1044.15
Million Taka as their shares as per agreed participatory benefit
sharing agreement (PBSA) during this period.
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| Sustainability
of Participatory Forestry |
| The
Social Forestry Rules
The Forest Act of 1927 has been
amended in 2000 to support and encourage social forestry/participatory
forestry activities in the country. Social Forestry Rules have been
formulated and now waiting for vetting from the Ministry of Law,
Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. Forest Act and Social Forestry
Rules will provide legal support to participatory forestry and will
also ensure sustainability to this programme.
The Tree Farming Fund (TFF)
Participatory plantations are being
raised from development budget using both government and loan money.
Participatory forestry cannot be made sustainable using government
fund only. Tree Farming Fund (TFF) has been developed using 10%
money from the final harvest to reduce dependency on government
and donor fund. The Ministry of Finance has approved TFF. The participants
will operate the TFF. TFF will provide 50% of the replanting cost.
The remaining 50% cost will be provided by the project. If TFF doesn't
cover 50% of the replanting cost, the participant will contribute
voluntary labour to cover the gap. TFF and participatory labour
contribution will make participatory forestry sustainable.
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Future
Prospect:
The Potential land
available for the Social Forestry practices are as follows : |
| No. |
Available
Land |
Area
in Million Hectare |
| A |
Degraded
& denuded land of Unclassed State Forest Land |
1.00 |
| B |
Khas
lands |
0.56 |
| C |
Degraded
government forest land |
0.27 |
| D |
Marginal
strip land |
0.08 |
| E |
Homestead
marginal land |
0.27 |
| F |
Degraded
tea garden land |
0.06 |
| G |
Degraded
private forest land |
0.05 |
| H |
Cropland
Agroforestry on private agricultural lands |
2.36 |
| (29%
of the total agricultural land is above normal flood level & suitable
for cropland agroforestry) |
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| Total
Available Land for Social Forestry |
4.65 |
| In
total about 4.65 million hectare land is available for this purpose,
which is about 31% of the country's total land surface. Considering
size of Bangladesh and her forest area, the potential land available
for Social Forestry production system is quite significant.
Anticipated production
If all the available 4.65 million
hectare of land is brought under Social Forestry production system
then 4.65 million hectare of land would be available for planting
annually under Social Forestry production system of 10 years rotation.
The area will produce 46.5 million cubic meter of timber and firewood
annually (at the moderate rate of 10 cu m/ha/year, production).
Moreover the system will provide food, income and employment opportunities
for the farmers.
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