CIFOR in India and South AsiaPresentedbyLouisVerchot,Director,Forests&EnvironmentResearch

16April2013

CIFOR in India

CIFOR has worked off and on inIndia over the past 15 years

47 publications on India since1997 Forest management Plantations Tenure Livelihoods Carbon Degraded land rehabilitation Drivers of deforestation Governance and rights

CIFOR in India

Wehaveworkedonquestionsofsustainablefuelwoodprovision

D.Pandey,2002

Rehabilitationofdegradedlandsthroughre‐establishmentofforests

•Carbonstocks•Waterinfiltration•Foddervalue•Erosioncontrol•Soilfertility

According to FAO – large number offorest dependent people in the region

Nation Forest dependentpeople

People living onpublic forest land

India 275 100

Nepal 18 8.5

Sri Lanka 2-4 ?

CIFOR in South Asia: Opportunity for Impact

National Mission for a “Green India”: Goals include the afforestationof 6 million hectares of degraded forest lands and expanding forestcover from 23% to 33% of India’s territory.

National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem: The planaims to conserve biodiversity, forest cover, and other ecologicalvalues in the Himalayan region, which will be impacted by climatechange.

CIFOR in South Asia: Opportunity for Impact

National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change: To gaina better understanding of climate science, impacts and challenges,the plan envisions a new Climate Science Research Fund, improvedclimate modeling, and increased international collaboration. It alsoencourages private sector initiatives to develop adaptation andmitigation technologies through venture capital funds.

Western Ghats

Biodiversity ‘hotspot’ – home to many plant and animal speciesunique to India

Broad range of eco-system services flowing to communities Water supply to approx. 245 million people in India, dependent on

rivers originating in W. Ghats to sustain their livelihoods Influence on Indian monsoon weather pattern

Himalayas Himalayan forest ecosystems range across eight countries including

India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan Its river systems (Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra) are the source of

drinking water, irrigation and hydroelectric power for over 1.5 billionpeople

Research opportunity: forest degradation across the Himalayas andimpact on communities

A generalized NRM research to impact theory of change

We work with partners to identify knowledge gaps that require the support ofan international research effort• Assess the baseline situation – knowledge, actors, interests, coalitions• Determine what needs to change and the obstacles to change• Determine how research can help support change

We work with partners to set priorities for knowledge generation• Determine the desired state of society to which the research will ultimately contribute• Determine indicators of progress toward impact (outcomes)• Determine the research products that are needed to produce the outcomes• Plan activities with partners to produce the outputs

We implement research with partners and produce knowledge products• Conduct field and lab work and collect data• Analyze data and generate research reports to the scientific community that is

validated by the peer review process• Produce research products for actors and stakeholders outside the scientific

community

We disseminate knowledge through different forums to facilitate informeddecision making. More informed decisions or improved practices will lead tobenefits for affected people.

A specific theory of change fromCIFOR work on REDD+

If we are successful in providing appropriate knowledgeinformation, analysis and tools to policy makers andpractitioners, the implementation of REDD+ will produce:• Real GHG emission reductions (effective)

• Cost-effective programs (efficient)

• Distribution of costs and benefits (equitable)

• Co-benefits

- Poverty reduction

- Biodiversity and ecosystem integrity

- Enhancement of non-carbon ecosystem services

- Improvements of local livelihoods

- Rights and tenure

India: Livelihoods and Governance Joint forest management model Transfer of power to communities Forest Rights Act 2006

India: Knowledgesharing

Collaborative partnerships:

Expertise of Indian scientists

Abundance of existing institutionsin India working on sustainableforestry management fordevelopment

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