CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: IIT Indore and IIFM Bhopal successfully concluded a joint research workshop on the impact of forest fires on Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) in the Hoshangabad Forest Division of Madhya Pradesh. Funded by the South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE) under ICIMOD (International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development), Nepal, the findings of this research were presented during the workshop.
The event saw participation from forest department officials, researchers, academicians, and other relevant stakeholders. It was chaired by P.L. Dhiman, PCCF, and Mohan Lal Meena, APCCF of the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department. Dr. I.J. Parihar, former Deputy Director of SAC Ahmedabad, addressed the participants alongside the presentation of the study’s findings by the project PI and Co-PI.
Key policy recommendations were issued by the PCCF. The research highlighted that high-risk areas experience more frequent and severe forest fires, causing significant ecological and economic damage. However, controlled small-scale fires could help rejuvenate NTFP, benefiting local communities. The study also emphasized the importance of NTFP for small landholding families, aiding in reducing rural vulnerabilities.
Based on these findings, the research proposed critical policy recommendations, including expanding fire monitoring programs in high-risk areas, promoting value addition for NTFP to boost community income, and strengthening a minimum support price (MSP) mechanism to ensure fair earnings for harvesters while reducing exploitation by intermediaries.
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