Weak rupee blessing in disguise for Gujarat forest development

GANDHINAGAR: A weak Indian rupee during the last ten months might have been an issue of concern for the economists but it has resulted in a blessing in disguise for forestry development in Gujarat. Due to conversion rates, the state government got a benefit of an additional Rs 153 crore from the aid provided in Yen by Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) for its Gujarat Forestry Development Project (GFDP).
Thanks to extra money, the project is being extended for another two years. "The project that was to end in 2015 will now continue till 2017. Since it is a supplementary project now, the money will be used for plantations by Joint Forest management Committees (JFMCs) and for training officials and representatives of the communities," said an official.
The GFDP aims at restoration of degraded forests and improving livelihood of local communities besides empowering them through promoting sustainable forest management that would improve environment and help in alleviating poverty.
"The project covers the 12 tribal districts besides the grasslands of Jamnagar and Rajkot and some parts of coastal Kutch where there is mangrove plantation," said the official. Sources said the project was initially envisaged for a period of eight years with a cost of 20,923 million Yen or Rs 830.28 crore out of which JICA component was almost 84%.
Sources said that ever since the project took off, techniques have considerably improved through the introduction of mixed plantations. A shift in barren areas and difficult sites towards the introduction of suitable shrub species has allowed for significantly higher survival rates and the establishment of pioneering vegetation under harsh conditions. This vegetation type allows for further biomass accumulation, increased soil fertility and water retention capacities, and later the establishment of locally adapted forests including more valuable timber species.