IBRAD has been identified as one of the lead NGOs under JBIC assisted Sustainable Forest Management and Biodiversity conservation project  of Karnataka forest department. IBRAD has been assigned to facilitate the process of the implementation of the project through formation and capacity building of the VFCs, preparation of the management plan and its implementation.

Joint Forest Planning and Management (JFPM) is one of the major programs under this project.  In this programme, it is envisaged to form 1,200 Village Forest Committees (VFCs), 73 Eco-Development Committees (EDCs). The project is approved for implementation from 2005-06 to 2012-13, with a financial outlay of 745 cores for Karnataka Forest Department.

Objectives of the Project

The project aims to restore forests to bring about ecological restoration and also to facilitate livelihood improvement of the inhabitants of the project villages by afforestation through JFPM in the State of

Karnataka, which further contributes to reducing poverty and preserving biodiversity conservation in the area with the following components.

• Afforestation.
• Income Generation Activities for poverty alleviation
• Protected Area Management & Bio-diversity Conservation.
• Provision of Basic Infrastructure Support for Field Work.

Supporting Activities for Forest management (Research and Training, Monitoring and Evaluation and Enhancement of Geographic Information System (GIS) and Management Information System (MIS).

IBRAD’s Role

• Assist the Department in identification of VFCs in the area of operation for project interventions as per the selection criteria.
• Facilitate active participation of project stakeholders, a rapid assessment of VFC area to assess socio-economic & technical feasibility for the project interventions.
• Helps to prepare meticulous and diligent plan to ensure capacity building activities of the VFCs.
• Helps in development of data base for every VFC.
• Provides managerial, professional and technical assistance to VFCs to enable it to appreciate and share the vision of community based planning, implementation of Micro / Management Plan.
• Helps the Department in enabling VFCs to plan and implement the Micro / Management Plan by providing technical, managerial, and professional help with responsibility and accountability to the VFCs and the project.
• Facilitates in ensuring the primary stakeholders particularly those vulnerable (including landless, women, SC / ST, disadvantaged groups etc.,) actively participate in planning and implementing project interventions and that their concerns are addressed.
• Ensure that all JFPM Facilitators are able to help the Department for community organization and undertake respective activities through collective decision making process at VFC level.

• Ensure that JFPM Facilitators appreciate the concerns of each task/activity and in turn enable VFC communities to understand integrated approach to VFC system improvement and management.
• Ensure that every JFPM Facilitator builds the capacity of VFC with respect to each task / activity aiming at sustainable and self reliant VFC management system.
• Facilitates that JFPM Facilitators accomplish each task within a specified time frame and agreed action with concerted efforts and co-ordination.

Training Advisor of Andhra Pradesh Community Forest Management Project

The Andhra Pradesh (AP) Forest Department has been implementing a World Bank funded Andhra Pradesh Community Forest Management Project since November 2002. This project aims at poverty alleviation of forest dependant families through improved forest management and community participation. The project has three inert related components (a) creation of an enabling environment for community forest management, (b) forest management and (c) community development. The project is being implemented through the Vana Samrakshana Samities (VSS).

Creating enabling environment through capacity building of different stakeholders is one of the most challenging tasks for effective implementation of the project. It needs development of training strategies and training plans through training need assessment and its implementation. Keeping in view the above, a Consultant needs to be appointed to support the Project Monitoring Unit for revisiting Capacity Building strategy, assess emerging training needs and help in developing training manuals and modules in training trainers for effective implementation of the Project activities.

Assignments of IBRAD

Indian Institute of Bio-Social Research and Development (IBRAD) have been appointed as Consultant as Training Advisor for Andhra Pradesh Community Forest Management Project. The contract was signed on 20th February 2006 between the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Andhra Pradesh and IBRAD.

The consultants are required to provide support to the Project monitoring Unit, the AP Forest Academy, Dulapalli and all the Project implementing institutions in various Circles and Forest Divisions to undertake assessment of training needs, development of training strategy and training action plans and assist in monitoring their implementation.

The Specific Tasks of the Consultant are as follows:

1.   Assess the existing training strategies prepared under the AP Community Forest Management Project in
      terms of their content, scope and effectiveness.

2.   Assess emerging training needs.

3.   Study the various operational manuals developed for implementing various capacity building needs.

4.   Study the monitoring and evaluation manuals tools in use by the project.

5.   Provide support to the Project Monitoring Unit in the AP Forest Department implementing the project in.

• assessing training needs and development of training and extension strategies from time to time basing on emerging needs,
• developing suitable capacity building modules and training tools and material to upgrade capacity of various stakeholders for effective implementation of these activities,
• developing suitable and effective monitoring and evaluation strategies, manuals, tools and material especially focusing on participatory and internal monitoring and evaluation,
• monitoring implementation and internal evaluation of the capacity building initiatives of the Project and
• Documenting the same.