The Institute of Community Forest Governance was formed as a trust by some eminent personalities of Jharkhand, such as late Padmashri Dr. Ram Dayal Munda, eminent social worker Mr. Prem Prakash Verma, Dr. Alex Ekka and Samar (Sanjay) Bosu Mullick in 2006 in response to the demand of providing an alternative to the prevailing self-destructive forest policy of the government. These individuals were leading the forest rights movement in Jharkhand under the banner of the Jharkhand Jangal Bachao Andolan, which is a mass organization.
The ICFG has emerged as a response to the realization that with the growth of the movement an institution would be required to support the movement ideologically, intellectually and technically, which would be focusing exclusively on the best interests of the forest dwelling peoples. ICFG has been formed on the basis of the collective decision of the JJBA members.
The immediate objective of the organization is to make the forest dwelling communities aware of their rights and duties as enshrined in the Forest Rights Act 2006 and its Riles of 2008 and the Amended Rules of 2012, as well as the PESA Act 0f 1996 and Biodiversity Act of 2002.
Besides, the objective of the organization is to engage with the State as well as Central Governments for the smooth and unhindered implementation of these Acts and Rules at the earliest of their convenience.
Helping the Gram Sabha to form Community Forest Governance Committee and organize training of its members for successful completion of forest management.
Supporting the Gram Sabha for the formation of SHGs and Producers Groups for women and men with a view to empower them for sustainable harvesting and marketing of Minor Forest Produces as well as produces of organic farming in the forestland.
Formation of youth groups as the defenders of forest biodiversity and regenerators of plant species and provide them theoretical and technical knowledge through regular and organized curriculum.
Through the establishment of these residential training centers, we aim to create a transformative impact by fostering community empowerment, promoting sustainable practices, and nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards. Together, we can build a future where communities thrive, forests flourish, and biodiversity thrives.
Presently, ICFG has 36 Field Coordinators and 16 office staff. The number keeps changing according to the availability of funds. Besides, it has large number of volunteers in all the 10 districts where ICFG is active now. We are as diverse as we are inclusive, people from all backgrounds and walks of life who share aims and values and work together to make a better world.
ICFG is the intellectual wing of the Jharkhand Save the Forest Movement (Jharkhand Jangal Bachao Andolan). JJBA covered whole of Jharkhand to mobilize the forest dwelling people of the state for the framing of the Forest Rights Act 2006 and its Rules of 2008 and the Amended Rules of 2012. Realizing the need of further mobilization of the people to prepare and submit their forest rights claims it formed ICFG in 2006. Since then JJBA has been active in the districts and potential villages for claiming Community Rights over the forests.
ICFG has been holding hands of the villagers to prepare and submit their claims, both Community Forest Rights (CFR) as well as Individual family rights of farming forestland called Individual Forest rights (IFR). Thus, the area of intervention keeps changing. Presently, JJBA has more than 20,000 active members and ICFG is active in 2,500 odd villages.
Jharkhand has been like most of the states of India, a glaring example the ‘tragedy of commons’. Colonial state had occupied the dense forests for revenue generation. The post-colonial state occupied all the forestland for timber predation leaving 90% of forestland hugely degraded. Two centuries of alienation form the forest rights made people careless about the forests that provided them livelihood. When we formed JJBA we were confronted with the classical situation of the tragedy of commons.
Turning the tide was an uphill task. But we found the seed of love for nature in the hearts of the forest dwellers that we nurtured and now lo and behold! Within the period of two and half decades of popular initiatives since 2000 the small spark that we ignited has turned into a prairie fire! But there is no space to be complacent, the arrow has just been shot, it has yet to hit the bull’s eye.
We will have to keep working hard mobilizing more and more people of the forest and also the people of the plains in their support, for this is a struggle to save our Mother Earth from utter destruction. Can children survive without the milk of love of the mother?
