INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER ORGANIZATION

TITLE

SERIAL NUMBER

COMMITTEE

SUBMITTED BY

ORIGINAL LANGUAGE

SUMMARY

ITTO PRE-ROJECT DOCUMENT

SUSTAINABLE AND MULTIPURPOSE FORESTRY TO SETTLE THE TRIBAL SHIFTING CULTIVATORS OF TRIPURA STATE IN INDIA BY PROVIDING VIABLE ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

PPD 111105 Rev.l (F)

REFORESTATION AND FOREST MANAGEMENT

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

ENGLISH

The pre-project is intended to assess the nature and seriousness of the problem of shifting cultivation in the Tripura State; identify priority areas for undertaking remedial measures, primarily land rehabilitation measures (in the form of raising and managing rubber plantations, either as pure or in mixture with hardwood species and rattan, through community participation, for their multiple products), supplemented by activities (such as NWFP development, bio-diversity conservation, eco-tourism, income earning activities for women etc.) to support sustainable forestry in the surrounding areas, conduct studies to gather relevant information social, economic, demographic or culture about the forest dwelling tribal communities, consult with, and sensitize the stakeholders about the importance of rationalizing shifting cultivation; expose planners and decision makers to similar initiatives elsewhere in Asia and to prepare a full-fledged project proposal for submission to ITTO.

EXECUTING AGENCY

COOPERATING GOVERNMENTS

DURATION

APPROXIMATE STARTING DATE

BUDGET AND PROPOSED SOURCES OF FINANCE

Tripura Forest Development and Plantation Corporation Ltd., a Government of Tripura Undertaking

6 MONTHS

TO BEDETERMINED

Contribution Local Currency Source in US$ Equivalent

ITTO 48,114 TFDPC 10,000

TOTAL 58,114

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Table of Contents

PART I: CONTEXT

1. 2. 3.

Origin Sectoral Policies Programmes and operational Activities

PART 11: THE PRE-PROJECT

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Pre-Project Objectives

1.1 Developments Objective 1.2 Specific Objective(s)

Justification

2.1 Problems to be addressed 2.2 Reasons for a Pre-project 2.3 Target beneficiaries 2.4 Other relevant aspects

Outputs

3.1 Specific Objective 1

Output 1.1 Output 1.2

3.2 Study Tours

Activities

4.1

4.2

Output 1.1

Activity 1.1.1 Activity 1.1.2

Output 1.2

Activity 1.2.1 Activity 1.2.2

Work Plan

6. Budget PART Ill: TROPICAL TIMBER FRAMEWORK

1. Compliance with ITTA 1994 Objectives

1 1 2

3 3

3 4 4 4

4

4 4

4

5

5

5 5

5

5 5

5

6

8

2. Compliance with ITTO Action Plan 8

ANNES (ES) A. Profile of the Executing Agency 9 B. Curricula Vitae of the Key Staff 12 C. Terms of Reference for project staff 15 D. Abbreviations 16 E. Recommendations of the 29th Expert Panel and the respective

modifications made 17

PART - I: CONTEXT

1. ORIGIN Tripura is a small State in the North-Eastern Part of India. The geographical

area of the State is 10491 sq.km. having a population of around 3.2 million. One third of the population constitutes Tribals. A majority of tribal populations is below the poverty line and a large number of them are living inside the forests and practicing shifting cultivation. The State is landlocked and surrounded from three sides by a porous border with Bangladesh and is connected by a small landmass in Assam in the North Eastern side with the rest of the country. The State is predominantly hilly (60%).

The forests in the State are tropical evergreen, semi-evergreen and moist deciduous. A sizeable area of the forests is covered with Bamboo brakes as a result of intensive shifting cultivation practiced by the Tribal population from the time immemorial. The total forest area of the State is 6292.6011 sq.km which constitute to around 60% of the State's geographical area.

A majority of the Tribals have been living inside the forests and practicing shifting cultivation. Every year, the productivity from shifting cultivation is declining due to land degradation, increase in population and consequently reduced jhum cycle. This vicious circle is leading to poverty and even more dependency on the dwindling forests.

2. SECTORAL POLICIES

One of the objectives of our National Forest Policy 1988 is to increase the sustainability of forests and the tree cover in the country through massive afforestation and Social Forestry Programmes, especially on all denuded, degraded and unproductive lands. Our national goal is to have a minimum of one - third of the total land area of the country under forest and tree cover. Therefore, a massive need -based and time bound programme of afforestation and tree planting with particular emphasis on fuel wood and fodder development is a national imperative.

One of the important aspects of the forest policy is to ensure that the baneful practice of shifting cultivation in forest areas by the tribal population is gradually stopped in the interest of sustainable forest management by providing tribals alternative livelihood based on reforestation and allied activities and also by providing them basic amenities of livelihood. The policy of the government is therefore, to evolve strategies for better forest - tribal interface. It is in this perspective that the central and the state government have launched tribal rehabilitation programme in forest areas in the state.

1

3. PROGRAMMES AND OPERATIONAL ACIVITIES

Tripura has an estimated tribal population of 853,345, which is roughly 31 % of the total population of the state. Most of the population in North eastern states is inhabited by tribals and all the programmes and developmental activities are directed towards the tribal population. The various activities assume significance because the tribals practice shifting cultivation and therefore, rehabilitation is a must to reduce pressure on forests because of the practice of shifting cultivation.

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PART 11: THE PROJECT

1. Project Objectives

1.1 Development Objectives: Rehabilitation and sustainable management of the forest areas affected by shifting cultivation and improving the Socio- economic condition of the affected community.

1.2 Specific Objective: The project will have the following specific objective.

Prepare after due consultation with stakeholders, experts and policy makers, a full fledged project on Tribal settlement and rehabilitation of degraded forest lands, through Rubber plantations, Bamboo development, Medicinal plant cultivation, creation of water bodies etc.

2. Project Justification

2.1 Problem to be addressed:

Tripura is a small state in the north-eastern part of the country. More than 65 % of the people live below poverty line. The state being landlocked is poor in communication facilities leading to under development. Previously 70 % of the state population was tribal dominated but the migration of people from Bangladesh over the years had resulted in demographic imbalance. The tribal popUlation now is only around 32 % and most of them have been pushed into the forests. These people can barely manage to eke out their livelihood from the forests by practicing shifting cultivation. More than 60 % of the land in the state is covered by forests and there is no land available out side forest to settle them. Due to increased population the shifting cultivation cycle is also getting reduced to 2 to 3 year's as compared to previous 8 to 9 year's cycle. Annually, around 80,000 hectares of the forestlands are put to shifting cultivation. The ecology of the state is fragile. The landform is mainly undulating as seven hill ranges run from north to south with interspersed flat valleys. The tribals mainly live in the hills. The geology is with out stone. There had been severe degradation of vegetation and consequently of landforms due to soil erosion after repeated shifting cultivation. Under these conditions neither there is a possibility of sustainable forest management nor can the livelihood of tribals be sustained any longer. This is breeding insurgency among the tribal youths and causing social tension.

In the interest of Sustainable Forest Management, it is therefore, necessary that the focus of forestry practices should be to first settle the tribal shifting cultivators in economic activities leading to their permanent settlement. The settlement can only be based on comprehensive models developed through land based afforestation and allied activities.

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2.2 Reasons for pre-project

There are several gaps in infonnation required for preparing a full-fledged project proposal on sustainable forestry and community development through rationalization of shifting cultivation in Tripura. The reasons for the pre-project, therefore, are the following:

• Need for assessment of the nature and extent of shifting cultivation, analysis of existing/on going programmes for promoting SFM etc. • Need for consultation with stakeholders • Need to sensitize planners and decision-makers • Need to co-ordinate the pre-project activities and to fonnulate a well­planned project proposal under the overall guidance of an experienced consultant.

2.3 Target Beneficiaries

Apart from enhancing the resource base of the State, the tribal families practicing shifting cultivation would be the primary targets of the project benefit. The Tribal population of the State is around 32% and in the long tenn a viable model of multipurpose forestry and integrated resettlement plan would benefit the entire population of the State.

2.4 Other relevant aspects

The involvement of forest dwelling commurutIes in achieving the goal of sustainable management of forests will be the focus of project activities.

3. Output

3.1 Specific objective 1

Output 1.1: Study Report covering (i) the socio-economic situation of the shifting cultivator community including their traditional rights, tenurial issues and current legal position and (ii) nature and extent of shifting cultivation, along with infonnation on recent trends of forestry development in Tripura State.

A workshop would be conducted on the need for resettlement of the tribals on pennanent basis after the results of the study reports are made available.

Output 1.2: A fully fonnulated project proposal on sustainable forestry and community development through rationalization of shifting cultivation.

3.2 Study Tours

Four persons shall be visiting China and Japan or Thailand to apprise them of the settlement processes of tribal and other indigenous people and to compare the situation in India in order to find out how best the experiences can be dovetailed in our planning process for settlement of the people on forestry based activities. The names of the participants shall be decided in consultation with Ministry of Environment & Forests.

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4. Activities

Out put 1.1 Study Reports

Activityl.l.l Desk study Activity 1.1.2 Study Tour Activity 1.1.3Field survey and information analysis Activity 1.1.4 Report preparation and submission

Out put 1.2 Fully formulated Project Proposal

Out put 2.1 Stakeholder and experts Consultation

Activity 2.1.1 Two day's consultation meeting to obtain stakeholders needs and views from experts and policy makers (supported by local resources persons and presentation materials)

Out put 2.2 Study tours

Activity 2.2.1. In one group of four persons visiting tropical China and Japan for 8 to 10 days.

5. Work Plan Output! Activities Fortnight

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Project initiation - 1 sI fortnight 1-Preparation of TOR for contract studies - I

_ 1 sI fortnight . First visit of senior consultant (for 10

1-days including travel) and discussions. (consultant also collects as much planning information as possible) _ 2nd

fortnight Interaction between senior consultant and leaders of local contract studies _ 2nd 1-fortnight Conduct of studies - 3rG to 61n fortnight Copies of studies made available to senior consultant - 71h fortnight 1-Stakeholder Consultation Meeting - 8rn

1-fortnight Conduct of study tours - 5th & 6th

fortnight Preparation of comprehensive draft project proposal Discussion of the draft project proposal and its finalization - Ith fortnight

5

11 12

1-

6. Budget

Project Budget by activity Activity Project Sub- Duty Miscellaneous Total

Personnel Contract Travel 1.1.1 Desk Study 1.1.2 Field Survey and

Information 800 6,800

Analysis 3,000 (E) 6,000 -

1.1.3 Report 800 (E) 3,800 (E)

Preparation and Submission

1.2.1 Gathering of Planning information

1.2.2 Drafting of 400 7200

Comprehensive 5000 - 1,800 1800 (E)

Project Proposal 1800 (E)

1.2.3 Discussion and Finalization of Project Proposal

2.1.1. Stakeholder 1500 (E) 9,000 900 1,550 10550 Consultation (E) 2400 (E) Meeting

2.2.1 Study Tours 2,000 (E) - 17,000 - 17,000 2,000 (E)

TOTAL 5,000 15,000 18,800 2,750 41,550 65 00 (E) 900 2600 (E) 10000

(E) GRAND TOTAL 11,500 15,000 19,700 5350 51550

E. Executive Agency/ Host Government Expenditure

Excluding ITTO Monitoring and Evaluation Costs

6

Project Budget by source

BUDGET COMPONENT TOTAL ITTO EXECUTING AGENCY

10. PROJECT PERSONNEL 11. Project Leader 3500 3500 12 Asstt. Project Leader 3000 3000 13 National Consultant 5000 5000 19. Component Total 11500 5000 6500 20. SUB-CONTRACTS 21. Sub-contract (Field survey & 6000 6000 analysis) Consultation Unit 22. Sub-contract (Stakeholders' 9000 9000 meeting)Meeting with tribals 29. Component Total 15000 15000 30. DUTY TRAVEL 31. Accommodation costs (Local) 1800 1800 32. International Travel 17000 17000 33. National Travel 900 900 39. Component Total 19700 18800 900 40. MISCELLANEOUS 41. Drafting of comprehensive 400 400 proposal 42. Gathering and planning 1800 1800 information 43. Field Support 800 800 Expert Consultation meeting 1550 1550 44. Report preparation 800 800 49. Component Total 5350 2750 2600

SUBTOTAL 51550 41550 10000 80. ITTO MONITORING AND EV ALUA TION ADMINISTRATION 81. Monitoring and evaluation 3000 3000

-82. Programme support costs (8 %) -35-6'f- ~~~H 89. Component Total CSbff {;S"btr

GRAND TOTAL 58(114- 48 lilt 10000

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PART Ill: TROPICAL TIMBER FRAMEWORK

1. Compliance with ITTA 1994 Objectives

By supporting sustainable forestry and forest-dependent community development, the proposal will contribute to objective of ITTA 1994: contribution to the process of sustainable development, of ITTF A 1994.

Further the project is aimed at rehabilitation of degraded shifting cultivation areas within the permanent forest estate, by raising rubber and other economic tree crops, as well as through scientific management and conservation of the surrounding forest, thus contributing to objective (f) of ITTA 1994: to encourage members to develop industrial tropical timber reforestation and forest management activities, as well as rehabilitation of degraded forest land with due regard for the interests of local communities dependent on forest resources.

2. Compliance with ITTO Action Plan

The project proposal is in compliance with the following goals and priority actions under Reforestation and Forest Management. Goal 1: Support activities to secure the tropical timber resource base Priority Action 4: Promote the conservation, rehabilitation and sustainable management of threatened ecosystems Priority Action 5: Assess opportunities for and promote development of non-timber forest products and forest services, which can improve the economic attractiveness of maintaining the forest resource base.

Goal 2: promote sustainable management of tropical forest resources.

Priority Action lO:Items such as: Improve the productive capacity of natural forests, as appropriate, through Enrichment planting and reforestation Restoration of tropical degraded forests and rehabilitation Collaborative forest management with participation of communities Bio-diversity conservation

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ANNEXURES

ANNEXURE-A

PROFILE OF THE EXECUTING AGENCY

i) to carry out business on plantation,

'rhe

a arc- graduates

management. There are six Project Manager. The Managing

\-\'ho wiH be the Project m fidd of comrmmity

Commomveal1h F'orestry posting was in the of Environment Inspector General of Forests acting as national focal point Curriculurn 'lime (C:.v.) is at

The Pn~ject related studies Public Administration

9

by the (SIPARD),

on

of the Corporation is for the An

of State .H.'-'>cH.'"

forestry act

of

10

General Manager Industrial

Estate

~ Factory Manager

Divisional Divisional Manager Manager

North r-- South-I

CHAIRMAN (Elected Public Representative)

+ Managing Director

(Chief Executive Officer)

-

I • Project Manager

(In- charge of Corporation Secretariat)

Divisional Divisional Manager Manager South-II r- Sadar

11

Divisional

- Manager Factory

Name:

Date of Birth:

Sex:

Marital Status:

Education:

Language:

Present Position:

Training and Seminars:

Curriculum Vitae of Key Staff Dr VK Bahuguna

21 st August 1954

Male

Single

ANNEXURE-B

l.Ph.D (1990) in Forest Ecology from University of

Garhwal, Uttaranchal, India

2. M.Sc (1988) in Resource Management from

University of Edinburgh. UK

3. Associate of Indian Forest College, Dehra Dun, Post

Graduate Diploma in Forestry (1981) equivalent to MSc

Forestry

4. M.Sc (1975) in Zoology from University of Garhwal,

Uttaranchal,India

English, Hindi, Bangla

Managing Director, Tripura Forest Development and

Plantation Corporation Ltd. This is a company set up

under the companies Act 1956 by the Government of

Tripura with equity participation from Government of

India to conduct business in Sustainable Forest

Management

I.Attended three months training programme on Tree

Improvement from March 1999 to June 1999 at the

Department of Forest Resources, University of Florida

2. Attended several International seminars and meetings

a few important one are as follows.

i) Visited Fremantle Perth in Australia from 16th April

2001 to 23rd April 2001 to give Key Note address in the

XVI Commonwealth Forestry Conference.

ii)Led Indian delegation in the FAOIUNDPIITTO

sponsored International Conference in Guatemala from

February 1 st to 10th, 2003 on Criteria and Indicators for

Sustainable Forest Management.

12

Experience:

iii)Represented India in UNFF III negotiations in

Geneva from 25th May to June 6th 2003.

iv) Led an Indian Government delegation comprising

four Ministries to study the mine reclamation work done

in forest areas in Australia from February 16th to 25t\

2004.

v) Attended on invitation as expert in Community

Forestry in the International Conference on

decentralized forestry governance under UNFF led

country initiative, organized by CIFOR, in Interlaken,

Switzerland from 25th April 2004 to 1st may 2004.

vi)Represented India in the International seminar

organized by the Government of Germany on

Renewable Energy from May 31st to June 4th 2004 at

Bon, Germany.

26 years work experience in tropical forestry in all the

fields. Before the present position worked as Inspector

General of Forests in the Government of India in the

Ministry of Environment and Forests from June 1997 to

June 2004.Was responsible for many policy reforms in

India relating to community forestry, SFM and forest

conservation and protection. Awarded Queen's Award

for forestry 2000 by the Commonwealth Forestry

Association in recognition of the achievements in the

career.

13

1. Name

~~r. : Cherukat Chandrasekharan. ~ \J> ~~ ~ t..}

~zr:;e:: , J}P.

2. Place and date of birth : Koduvayur, Kerala, India, 15 October 1933. j2.Pt. ~., ~c...v~

3. Marital Status : Married.

4. Educational and Professional Qualification:

Year(s) Institution

1948-52 Madras University

1953-55 Madras Forest College

1957-60 Indian Forestry College

1968-69 Michigan State University

1969-70 Michigan State University

1970-73 Michigan State University

1982 Comell University

Experience:

Country

India India India

USA USA USA

USA

~~.

DegreeIDiploma Main Subject

B.A. Economics Honours Certificate Forestry Diploma: AIFC Forestry (Hons.) M.S. Forestry M.A. Economics Ph.D. Forestry Forest

Economics Summer sabbatical Rural

Development

1. As. Divisional Forest Officer in Kerala (India) during 1960-66, was involved in all aspects of forest management (natural forest management, logging, marketing of forest products, organizing nurseries, forest plantations etc.)

2. Worked as Industrial Economist in the FAOIUNDP project: Pre-investments Survey of Forest Resources in India during 1966-1968 which paved the way for establishing several forest based industrial units in India.

3. Worked in FAO and other International Organization for 1975 to 1995 in various capacities and contributed in Sustainable Forest Management.

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ANNEXURE-C

Terms of Reference for project staff

1. Project Director

The Project Director will be fully responsible for implementation of the pre-project and achieving its objectives. He is presently the Managing Director of the Tripura Forest Development and Plantation Corporation, which will be the Executing Agency on behalf of Government of Tripura. The Project Manager of the Corporation who is a member of Indian Forest Service will assist him as Assistant Project Director. The Project Director, would engage the State Institute of Public Administration or any other organization to conduct the following studies.

a. To collect the data required for the pre-project b. To conduct the sodo-economic survey of tribal people c. To conduct studies required for the project d. To conduct stakeholders and experts seminar

2. National consultant

The task of National Consultant shall be:

a. To analyze the data b. To analyze the situational context and the existing policy c. Prepare presentation for the seminar of experts and stakeholders. d. To fonnulate Project Proposal e. To submit the final report with his re commendations to the Project Director

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Abbreviations

c.v.

IFS

ITTA

ITTO

NWFP

TFDPCLtd.

TOR

TERI

SFM

SIPARD

Curriculum Vitae

Indian Forest Service

International Tropical Timber Association

International Tropical Timber Organization

Non - Wood Forest Produce

ANNEXURE-D

Tripura Forest Development and Plantation Corporation Ltd.

Terms of Reference

The Energy and Resources Institute

Sustainable Forest Management

State Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development

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ANNEXURE-E

Table showing the recommendations of the 29th Expert Panel and the respective modifications made S.N. Specific recommendation Modification

1. Improve the problem analysis and clearly define The problem has been defined clearly and the key problem to be addressed. necessary modifications have been made in

Para 2.1 of the project report by replacing the previous text with the new one

2. Replace the international consultant with national Necessary modification has been made in consultant familiar with the ITTO project cycle. the text (dealing with executing agency and

its profile at page no 2) of project report. 3. Define only one specific objective by combining Modification done at Para 1.2 by combining

the present statements in a concise manner. and rewording the contents of previous objectives in a concise manner as recommended

4. Study of the report on similar project can partly There is no similar project report available substitute the costly tour to other countries at present with the implementing agency.

However, the project report has been modified and the proposed tour restricted now to China and Japan only. The cost of travel reduced from US$ 26,000 to US$ 17,000.

5. Consultation on the intervention for supporting The point has been taken note of and the SFM should not be limited only to formal scope of consultation has been broadened in stakeholders meeting the proj ect.

6. Assistant Project Co-coordinator should be fully Necessary changes have been made in the available for the duration of the pre-project project report and he has been assigned

specific tasks 7. Revise the budget in the following manner: Budget has been revised and each

• Scale down the budget by reducing the recommendation incorporated as below; international travel costs (number of participants, • The cost of international travel has number of locations to be visited; been brought down from US$ 26,000 to

• Significantly reduce the present budget US$ 17,000 by reducing the number of line on international consultant and allocate the participants and locations amount for stakeholders' consultation • The proposal for hiring particularly with tribal people; international consultant has been dropped

• Include US$ 3000 for ITTO's monitoring and the amount has been allocated as and evaluation costs; recommended.

• Allocate reasonable amount for financial • ITTO's monitoring costs kept as auditing; and recommended at US$ 3000.

• Recalculate the ITTO's Programme • This will be met from the proposed Support Costs at 8% of total costs. miscellaneous expenses.

• ITTO' Programme Support Costs kept at 8% as suggested.

17