Premium
Impact of Participatory Forestry Program on Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Lessons From an Indian Province
Author(s) -
Das Nimai
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
applied economic perspectives and policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.4
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 2040-5804
pISSN - 2040-5790
DOI - 10.1093/aepp/pps018
Subject(s) - livelihood , sustainability , business , citizen journalism , socioeconomic status , community forestry , rural area , economic growth , socioeconomics , geography , agriculture , environmental planning , forestry , forest management , political science , economics , population , ecology , demography , archaeology , sociology , law , biology
This paper examines how rural livelihoods are improved owing to the impact of policy interventions through community‐driven forest management in West Bengal, India. As an instance of comparative analysis of a gender‐sensitive forestry program, this study employs the “sustainable rural livelihoods” framework to assess any enhancement of livelihood opportunities across various socioeconomic groups in forest fringe areas. In general, robust livelihoods sustainability is found for a pro‐poor section of rural households that participated in the forestry program. Amongst participants, however, especially the feminine units attain more favorable livelihoods outcome. Conversely, the program's eschewed households are behind sustainable livelihoods. It is therefore early need to expand the participatory forestry program for sustaining poor households' livelihood security in forest fringe areas of rural India.