A week-long training programme for Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers on forest certification: a marketing tool for sustainable forest management began at the Forest Research Institute (FRI) here on Monday.
Addressing the gathering at the inaugural session, the FRI Director Savita said forest certification of timbers and non timber forest products (NTFPs) in India would not only ensure that our forest are scientifically managed on sustainable basis but also proclaim the market worthiness of our forest produce as it encompasses the three important aspects of ecological integrity, economic viability and social acceptability/benefits of forest management.
She further reiterated that forest certification is a mechanism enhancing forest product positioning for a premium price on the one hand and ensuring better managing practices for forest on the other hand.
The institute’s silviculture and forest management division head and course coordinator, SD Sharma spoke about the objectives of the training as to sensitise the forest administrators of India across the operational verticals, about the standard procedural know how’s and fundamentals of certification processes. Certification of forest products is essential for boosting consumer confidence as well as the producers’ and marketers’ credibility.
The training course includes series of lectures by noted resource persons from forest departments as well as industry, field trip to Saharanpur forests which are being managed along with sustainable management practices, principle of criteria and indicators and panel discussions.
According to officials, the training programme is sponsored by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. Senior forest officers from the state forest departments and state forest development corporations of 11 states are participating in this training programme.