Dehradun: Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun has organised two days national workshop on agroforestry and farm forestry for sustainable land management under the World Bank funded Ecosystem Services Improvement Project at Dehradun to develop the suitable strategies/ frameworks and to provide policy inputs to the Government of India for addressing barriers and challenges for promotion of agroforestry and farm forestry in the country for achieving national targets and international commitments related to environment.
Eminent experts from national and international organisations, key ministries of the Government of India, State Forest Departments, forestry and agricultural research institutions of the country, non-governmental organisations, universities, wood-based industries and farmers participated in the workshop and shared their experiences, research findings and best practices for promotion of agroforestry and farm forestry for sustainable land and ecosystem management. During the workshop 24 presentations were made by the experts for promotion of the agroforestry and farm forestry in the country.
Progressive farmers and representatives of the wood-based industries participated in the panel discussion on opportunities and barriers for promotion of agroforestry in India. They have shared their experiences and challenges faced in adoption and scaling up of agroforestry and farm forestry practices.
After two days deliberations and experience sharing, the national workshop has finalized the doable and practical recommendations and solutions for promotion of agroforestry with respect to availability of quality planting materials of agroforestry species for different agroclimatic zones, rationalization of policies and regulatory regimes for development of agroforestry and farm forestry, certification framework and market mechanism for agroforestry and farm forestry produces. Sh. Arun Singh Rawat, Director General, ICFRE and Dr. Anupam Joshi, Senior Environmental Socialists chaired the concluding session of the national workshop and appreciate the contribution made by the experts, delegates and organizers of the workshop in
successful organisation.