DSF executing afforestation prog for the poor in N-districts

RAJSHAHI, June 27 (BSS): By virtue of its diversified benefits, significant number of small and marginal farmers attained economic emancipation through the participatory social afforestation programme.
The Department of Social Forestry (DSF) has been executing various lucrative programmes in all 31 upazilas of Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Natore and Naogaon districts to encourage the rural people in planting saplings and nursing of the plants. More than 7083.01-km of strip plantation and 3678.05 hectares of block plantations were raised involving 60,905 beneficiaries, said Ajit Kumar Rudra, Divisional Forest Officer.
He said the profitable afforestation activities encouraged many people towards planting adequate saplings of wood, medicinal and fruit- bearing plants at homesteads, roadsides, office premises, embankments, forest areas, religious institutions' premises and other places.
The beneficiaries are getting their share by selling forest products in accordance with benefit sharing mechanism under the existing social forestry rules.
Over 2,800 beneficiaries have, so far, received over Tk 151.6 million (Tk 15.16 crore) as their share from the created forests. In the recent year, Fazlur Rahman in Naogaon district received the best beneficiary award valued at around Tk 1.24 million in social forestry from the Prime Minister. Besides, around 1.7 million saplings were distributed through the members of parliament of the region under the climate change trust fund.
Currently, social forestry is being adjudged as a tool for bringing about ecological and socioeconomic improvements. It also contributes towards alleviating poverty in the dried region.
Positive ecological changes refer to a greater number of trees, more biomass production and beneficial ecological effects.
Ajit Rudra informed that people of the respective areas were given responsibilities to look after the planted saplings who receive 55 per cent share of the sale proceeds after 10 years of plantation while the rest 45 per cent are distributed among other organisations and individuals concerned. He said the department distributed around 1.4 million saplings of wood, fruit-bearing and herbal trees among various government institutions and private organisations and individuals during the last fiscal.
In addition to creating strip gardens on 1468-kilometre lands and char garden on 220-kilometre, 55000 saplings were planted on various campus and premises of educational institutions during the last three years of the social forestry project.