Participatory forestry and poverty alleviation: the Himachal Pradesh experience

摘要

Himachal Pradesh (HP) has rich and varied experiences in participatory forest management (PFM) right from the first half of the last century when forest cooperatives were started in Kangra. PFM in HP has had strong direct or indirect linkages with poverty reduction, mainly by facilitating additional sources of livelihood and employment generation, thus increasing the income levels of the rural communities. This paper is based on the experiences of poverty reduction through participatory forest management. It deals with various PFM projects that have led directly or indirectly to increased income levels for the local communities. The lessons learned from these projects are presented. Different approaches and issues concerning poverty reduction through PFM in HP have also been analyzed. It is expected that these will help planners, researchers and practising foresters to move forward.