Factors Influencing Forest Based Tribal Livelihoods in Jharkhand Islam M.A.1,*, Sofi P.A.1, Rai R.2, Quli S.M.S.3 1Faculty of Forestry, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Wadura, Sopore-193201 (J&K) 2Tropical Forest Research Institute (TFRI), ICFRE, P.O. R.F.R.C., Jabalpur-482021 (M.P.) 3Faculty of Forestry, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi-834006 (Jharkhand) *Email: ajaz_jsr@yahoo.co.in & ajaztata@gmail.com
Online published on 24 December, 2014. Abstract The study investigated the status of forest based tribal livelihoods and encouraging and discouraging factors influencing the forest based tribal livelihoods in Bundu block of Ranchi district in Jharkhand state. The study is based on personal interviews of the selected respondents through structured interview schedule and personal observations carried out in the sample villages using multi-stage random sampling technique. The findings revealed that overall income and employment generated through forest resources was Rs. 6990.85/household/annum and 108.04 mandays/household/annum in the sample villages. Among encouraging factors of forest based tribal livelihoods, NTFPs self sufficiency was perceived most effective followed by support to livestock rearing, employment generation, income generation, support to agriculture, food and nutrition security, migration decline, utilization of free time, assets creation for emergency, sustenance to traditional and religious activities, poverty alleviation and socio-economic development respectively. Similarly, the most serious discouraging factor of the forest based livelihoods considered among the tribal people was ‘labour intensive and less remunerative livelihood’ followed by unsafe and unsecured working environment, seasonal subsistence, supplementary income, lack of cooperative societies, limited marketing facilities, influence of middlemen, harassment by officials in NTFPs collection and marketing, scarcity of transportation facilities, lack of right and responsibilities to access, manage and use forest resources, lack of modern techniques and lack of cold storage facilities respectively. To build the forest based tribal livelihoods sustainable and reduce the vulnerability the prominent encouraging and discouraging factors must be exploited efficiently. Top Keywords Encouraging factors, discouraging factors, forests, tribes, livelihoods, Jharkhand. Top |