30.11.24
Strengthening Andhra Pradesh's Forest Economy Through Partnership
A significant step towards sustainable forest management and community-led economic development has been taken in Andhra Pradesh. A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department (APFD), Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (APFDC) Limited, and the Bharti Institute of Public Policy (BIPP), Indian School of Business (ISB). This partnership marks a milestone in the integration of advanced technology, market linkages, and community participation in the forest economy.
Vision for Sustainable Resource Management
The collaboration is driven by three key objectives:
Comprehensive resource inventory: Advanced digital and geospatial technologies will be used to map and assess seasonal forest products (SFPs) across Andhra Pradesh.
Women-led community enterprises: A forest-based economic model will be developed, ensuring that women and forest-dependent communities play central roles in resource management and market integration.
Capacity building for forest functionaries: Training programmes and technical support will be provided to enhance the ability of forest department personnel to use innovative technology in resource planning.
The initiative will begin in the Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district. The Initiative on the Forest Economy (IoFE) will provide technical support for resource mapping and ground-truthing using its in-house nCount technology platform. This will enable accurate, multi-scale assessment of forest resources, improving decision-making for both governance bodies and community enterprises.
Additionally, we will work closely with the forest department to secure Community Forest Resource Rights (CFRR) and foster sustainable community enterprises. These efforts will provide long-term economic stability to local communities and ensure sustainable forest conservation practices.