The Project Directors Meeting for JICA-Assisted Forestry and Natural Resource Management Projects

Catalysing Active Cross Learning among Project Heads towards Greener and Poverty Free State

New Delhi, August 22, 2017:The 8th edition of Forestry Project Directors Meeting for JICA-Assisted Forestry and Natural Resource Management Projectswas organised by JICA on August 18in New Delhi.The purpose of meeting was to share the experiences and to facilitate cross learning anddiscussionson issues, such as challenges and opportunities. Thesepertained to afforestation, biodiversity, soil and moisture conservation,livelihood improvement, Income Generation Activities, Information Communication Technology and financial inclusion for sustainable forest managementas well as women’s empowermentunder JICA-assisted projects in India by the project heads and to strengthen theworking environment and relationship between the Government of India, JICA and the Forest Department officials of all projects.

Esteemed guests and dignitaries includingMr. S. Selvakumar, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs(DEA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India,Mr. SoumitraDasgupta, Inspector General of Forests, Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of Indiaand Mr. Avanish KumarMishra, Director, DEA, Ministry of Finance, Government of India,addressed the Project Directors Meeting. They applauded the work and achievements of JICA projects in the forestry and natural resource management sector in India.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Selva kumar stressed on achieving smooth and timely implementation of the projects. Mr. Takema Sakamoto, Chief Representative, JICA India Office said, “It gives JICA immense pleasure and pride to facilitate such important cross learning and experience sharing over all these years among Project Directors. Sustainability and replicability of JICA-assisted projects are important, and the meeting brought together the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India and Forest Departments of various states to share best practices in design, implementation and evaluation in JICA-assisted forest resource management projects. I would also like to highlight the collaboration between Technical Cooperation and Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan for erosion control in Uttarakhand, as a good example of integration of JICA’s various schemes.”

During the course of the meeting, various key participants including projects heads of states from Odisha Forestry Sector Development Project (Phase 2), Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Conservation & Greening Project, Tripura Forest Environmental Improvement and Poverty Alleviation Project, Uttar Pradesh Participatory Forest Management Project, Rajasthan Forestry and Biodiversity Project (Phase 2), Gujarat Forestry Development Project (Phase 2), West Bengal Forest & Biodiversity Conservation Project, Uttarakhand Forest Resources Management Project, and Sikkim Biodiversity Conservation & Forest Management Projectmade their technical presentations on themes related to sustainable forest management.

The experiences from the JICA-assisted forestry and natural resource management projects, which have been formed through active collaboration between India and Japan and executed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and different Indian states, would facilitate further development of forestry management in India and balanced and sustainable economy.

Since 1991-92, JICA has committed 246 billion Japanese Yen(approx. Rs. 15,000 crore) for 25 projects, across 14 states of India in the forestry and natural resource management sector. JICA is also supporting through an ODA Loan a Human Resource Development project, ‘Capacity Development for Forest Management and Personnel Training’, for front line staff in 13 different states, synergistically with a Technical Cooperation project at the Directorate of Forest Education (DFE) and Central Academy for State Forest Officers (CASFOS), Dehradun for improvement of ‘Master Trainers’ program for Frontline staff and for ‘Training of Trainers’ at the state level.