Training on sustainable development begins at IIFM

THE INDIAN Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) is holding a five-day national training course on ?sustainable NTFP management for rural livelihood generation? from November 7 on its premises.

THE INDIAN Institute of Forest Management (IIFM) is holding a five-day national training course on ‘sustainable NTFP management for rural livelihood generation’ from November 7 on its premises.

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The seminar is meant for senior and middle-level officers of the Forest Department, field level professionals in NGOs and community-based forestry programme, researchers, academicians and representatives from forest-based industries and enterprises.

Nearly 25 representatives from Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Assam, Gujarat and Uttaranchal are participating in this course. IIFM Director Dr D K Bandyopadhyay inaugurated the programme.

In his inaugural address, Dr Bandyopadhyay stressed on the fact that Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFPs) are one of the major livelihood supports to 30 million forest rural people of India, who are predominantly tribal and poor.

Earlier, course director Dr P Bhattacharya welcomed the participants who have assembled from different parts of the country.

He gave a brief idea about the objectives of the programme and the activities to be carried out during the five-day programme. Dr Bhattacharya emphasised on the fact that there were a good number of NGOs in the NRM sector who have very good ideas and concepts for the development of the sector, but they need to put their ideas to understand the NTFP sector and plan it effectively in their livelihood strategies for the rural poor.