Mahua

The fruit is rich in nutritive value. Alcohol made out of it is very popular in the region. Seeds are used in making oil. Leaves are used in making paper plate. It is used as fodder. The wood also has commercial value.

Tamarind

It is sweet and sour in taste and found in tropical climate. The fruit pulp is used for making sauce and soup. It is used in cooking. It is also has medicinal values.

Chiraunji

Locally called Char, it has high commercial value. The seed is used in sweets and confectionary items.

Arki is a remote block of Jharkhand state. It has very dense forest. It is located in Khunti sub-division of Ranchi District in India (http://jharkhand.nic.in/about/districts.htm). Munda tribe is in majority in this region. Forest plays a vital role in shaping their culture, economic and religions life. The region is rich in flora and fauna. Sal is the main type of forest found here. Other trees found are gamhar, mahua, palas, jackfruit, mango, tamarind, kendu and wide varieties of medicinal plants.

Forests in Jharkhand extend over 23605 sq.km. . It covers about 29% of the total area of the State (http://envfor.nic.in). Levels of literacy and income are very low. Poverty and migration are very high in this block (IFAD 2001: www.ifad.org/poverty ). Munda cleared the forest and established Khuntkati rights.
Forest is their primary source of income. Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) represents a vital basis for their livelihoods.  However in recent years, NTFP such as Ber, Tamarind, Lacquer (locally called lac), Mahua along with various medicinal plants, which were in abundance, are fast reducing.
Case Study: Lac producers facing economic hardship

Major changes have occurred in the last few years in Arki region. Forest cover has depleted from 90% to 50% in the last 10 years. Water has become a scarcity. So are the medicinal plants. The traditional practice of lac cultivation has decreased.
 It has affected the livelihood of tribal. This in turn has increased poverty, unemployment and migration. They are marginalized in their own land. Many villages lack road, electricity and drinking water. During the monsoon these villages get completely cut off from the rest of the world. Some villages are very far from the block town. There are many players who have led to destruction of forest. They include tribal, non-tribal, forest department and forest mafia. They have disturbed the same area of forest at different points in time.
Cases Study: Evil preys at night

AID was operating in education and health activities in Arki block for seven years. For more details see www.aidindia.org.uk.
During that period AID found that the Khuntkatti rights were not properly followed. Munda Raj system had become weak. That was leading to fast depletion of forest cover. Poverty level showed an increasing trend. So it became necessary to strengthen tribal panchayat. The aim was to give power to the people to control over forest.  Concern over depleting forest cover was also expressed by tribal. But they lacked proper information about Khuntkatti system. AID entered the scene to show them the way.

Arki block offered a great challenge for development. In order to make the existing Khuntkatti system strong, AID started to strengthen the village Munda panchayat. The aim was to control and manage forest for economic security. The objective was to empower Gram Sabhas.
One of the first tasks of AID was to build up the capacity of the Munda panchayat (or Gram Sabha). Women Self Help Groups (SHG) and men Youth groups (YG)  were formed

The aim of the Government of India is to bring about one third area of the country under forest cover. The purpose is to check deforestation and long-term development of the forest. For further details see http://envfor.nic.in/nfap
However such programme has not been properly followed up in many states of India.
India has a well-defined forest policy. The aim is to maintain the environment. Other purpose is to meet the basic needs of people living in and around forests. For more details see National Forest Policy, 1988  (http://envfor.nic.in/nfp). 
However the forest policy has disturbed the balance between forest and the tribal. It has created more confusion among villagers. The policy of Joint Forest Management (JFM) has further worsened the situation. See http://www.jfm.org.in.
The forest policy of Jharkhand  lacks a strategy to meet the demands of tribal. (see http://jharkhand.nic.in/governance/ministry.htm).
In recent years the government tried to intervene in Khuntkatti area of Jharkhand. Such steps have been the subjects of dispute. It has resulted into clashes between forest department and the tribal.
Case Study- Destruction! at whose cost

The forest cover is decreasing very fast. It has resulted in falling water level. Land has been degraded. It has led to poverty. Tribal migrate in search of work. The aim of the project is to break this cycle. The project has to protect 1200 hectares and create another 600 hectares of forest. The objective is to increase the forest cover by 8%. This is possible only when community based organization is made strong.
Case Study: Beware! Village on watch
Today about 900 hectares of forest area have been identified for protection. Colored rings have been painted around trees in that area. GS of many villages have restricted cutting of trees by villagers and outsiders. Any violator pays huge fine. Permission from GS is sought if trees have to be cut for house construction. However cutting down trees for sale purpose is not allowed. The training by AID has made GS realize the importance of forest.
Case Study: Training counts
Various government schemes and resources are available at the block. They are not reaching the people. This is due to bureaucratic tangle and corruption. AID took initiative to make people aware of such schemes. Rally and dharna are very regular phenomena by villagers at the block.
Trainings are being provided to SHGs and YGs about utilization of NTFP. Such produces are ber, tamarind, mahua and lac cultivation. Access to credit and market to NTFPs has been provided to them. Strategy is also drawn to increase awareness.  They are shown the way to access various government resources. For such purpose technical, information, networking and advocacy support are being provided to the target groups.
Case Study:  Future is ours to see