Streamlining Agroforestry with Model Rules
In a major reform, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has issued the ‘Model Rules for Felling of Trees in Agricultural Lands’. These rules aim to simplify procedures, support agroforestry, and make tree-based farming more accessible to farmers and entrepreneurs alike.
The move is seen as a big step toward promoting sustainable agriculture and improving the Ease of Doing Business in India’s rural economy.
Agroforestry: A Game-Changer for Farmers
Agroforestry offers multiple benefits: it improves rural livelihoods, enhances soil health, conserves biodiversity, and increases climate resilience. It also reduces pressure on natural forests by encouraging domestic timber production.
By integrating trees into farmland, farmers can diversify income while contributing to India’s climate goals and water conservation.
NTMS Portal for Transparent Approvals
To ensure traceability and ease of access, a new National Timber Management System (NTMS) portal is under development. Farmers will be able to register plantations online by uploading geotagged photos, KML files, and basic land and tree data.
NTMS Portal Preview: A digital gateway for registering and managing agroforestry plantations.Applications for tree felling will also be submitted through this portal. After verification by authorized agencies, permits will be issued quickly and transparently.
Supporting Domestic Timber Economy
The new rules will help bridge the demand-supply gap in timber, encouraging domestic production and reducing import dependency. They will also support wood-based industries by ensuring a steady supply of legal, locally sourced raw material.
This will not only boost exports but also generate rural employment and promote eco-industrial development.
Oversight and Implementation
The State Level Committee, formed under the 2016 Wood-Based Industries Guidelines, will guide states in implementing these model rules. These committees will empanel verification agencies and oversee their performance under the supervision of Divisional Forest Officers.
The model rules also include periodic monitoring to ensure compliance and operational transparency.
A Call to States and UTs
The Centre has urged all States and Union Territories to adopt these rules to remove procedural hurdles for farmers. The goal is to make agroforestry viable, profitableNew Model Rules simplify tree harvesting on farmlands, promoting agroforestry, climate resilience, and Ease of Doing Business across India., and environmentally sustainable, while ensuring regulatory ease.
Officials believe that this step will encourage thousands of farmers to participate in tree farming without bureaucratic roadblocks.
