Transforming Jharkhand’s Forest Economy

12.01.26

Jharkhand’s forest economy holds immense untapped potential, yet the communities sustaining it have long remained excluded from formal markets, formal credit, and decision-making. This report traces how we worked with the Government of Jharkhand, women-led institutions, and forest-dependent communities to build a new model of economic inclusion rooted in Community Forest Rights (CFR), technology, and local enterprise.

From digitising the CFR claim-filing process to establishing Jharkhand’s first women-owned, forest-based Producer Company, the report highlights a series of institutional innovations designed to strengthen community-led forest economies. It presents a scalable approach that advances women’s economic participation while connecting livelihoods, market access, and forest conservation across some of India’s most vulnerable regions.