Joint forest management in India: An attitudinal analysis of stakeholders

Abstract

Participatory approach to forest management started in India with the National Forest Policy, 1988, when joint Forest Management (JFM) was introduced. The study conducted the attitudinal analysis of 110 stakeholders from 14 villages forest committees of Madhya Pradesh State of India, which were constituted under JFM programme. Results indicated that both forest officers and rural communities were in the process of developing positive attitudes towards each other and a significant improvement in the inter relationship between the two was found. Rural communities were not able to express a clear attitude towards functioning of forest committee and role of women. However, they had a clear positive attitude towards forest protection and management. Forest officers were also not clearly positive in their attitude towards forest department in terms of freedom of working and participatory approach as they wanted more freedom in their work environment with limited external pressures. It was felt that JFM is yet to be institutionalized and joint efforts on the part of all the stakeholders are essential.