|
|
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
| India:
have Indian foresters learned nothing? |
| |
 |
According
to the official viewpoint, India holds favorable
climatic and social conditions for the set up of
tree plantations. . |
|
| Forestry officials
state that more than 60 million hectares of "non-forest
wastelands and open scrub forest lands" can be considered
available for undertaking tree plantation activities.
The Ministry of Environment and Forests is promoting the
use of clonal disease-resistant plants of fast-growing
eucalyptus. Clones of acacia, poplars, gmelina and teak
are also being included in the menu. At the International
Expert Meeting that took place last April in Santiago,
Chile (see WRM Bulletin 22) the representatives of India
even went as far as saying that "plantation forestry has
become a benefactor and friend to villagers, tribals and
wood based industrial units.". |
| |
| However, reality
counters the arguments used by plantation promoters. Eucalyptus
monocultures on farm lands in India have generated severe
environmental problems: drawing down of the water table,
depletion of soil fertility, reduction in the land area
available for the production of food, greater dependence
on external inputs. In the northern region of Uttar Pradesh,
for example, in the mid '80s eucalyptus farmers due to
its negative ecological and socio-economic consequences
rejected plantation. In that state it was proved that
only big landowners -and not small farmers- adopted the
tree monoculture model to their benefit All over the country
this afforestation scheme generated strong reactions by
affected peasants, who even set tree nurseries on fire
and uprooted planted seedlings. |
| |
| More recent facts
show that even without considering ecological aspects,
the present trend of India's policy related to tree plantations
is worrying. A report set up by the Ministry of Environment
and Forests in late 1997 to review afforestation policies
in India, suggested that forestland be handed over to
industry for plantations. This means that precedence is
given to secure profits to the industry over the basic
need of food security for local people and tribal communities.
Considering that many small farmers -seduced by the false
promises of plantation promoters- have switched from agriculture
to farm forestry and that large sections of the population
of India (945 million inhabitants in 1996) is in urgent
need of food, is it reasonable to say that more than 60
million hectares of land are practically void, waiting
for tree plantation companies to make money out of them?
Have India's foresters learned nothing about the real
needs and desires of the people of their country? For
how much longer will they insist in not listening and
learning from the people? |
|
|
|
|
Share
4 Nature
|
|
|
| - Wild Fact |
| - Green Tip |
| - Quiz |
| - Atricle |
| - Campaign |
| - Wild Photos |
| - Your Experience |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
