Ensuring Sustainability - Afforestation, Reforestation and Forest Restoration in Arid and Semi-arid Tropics - page 234

model treatment plans, and other characteristic features. Such training does not need
to extend beyond a week's time.
The divisional manager should receive training in order to build up his technical
and managerial skills from time to time. An orientation training of three days should
be enough to launch the project. He must receive a thorough briefing on conducting
training for supervisors and unit managers as mentioned above. On-the-job refresher
training sessions could be organised by combining these with the periodic review
meetings in the director's office.
The programme of training should be a continuing one, and not stop merely
because most of the necessary skills have already been acquired by the people.
Training also forms a source of innovative ideas apart from being an opportunity
of interaction with the community members. Community training sessions, like all
participative programmes, should be open-ended so that new ideas and technologies
may emerge and the local knowledge may be integrated into the scientific knowledge.
Trainers' training should be provided to a few key persons to equip them with
methodologies and techniques in designing and conducting effective training pro-
grammes. Programmes for master trainers should be conducted at the level of project
leaders or the funding agencies by expert consultants, especially the people who
designed the afforestation programme or project originally.

10.1.2 Participation of Local Communities

If local communities are to manage the resource being created under the afforesta-
tion programme, they must be involved in creation of the resource right from the
beginning. In the absence of close and continued participation at all stages, it is
unlikely that people will have genuine interest in the programme. A deep sense of
involvement in the work of afforestation and an understanding of its importance in
their own lives alone will sustain their interest.
If an afforestation programme covers a large geographical area, it may be difficult
to consult all the people directly, but the general views of the people, their needs,
and their preferences should be probed before designing the programme. Sample
opinion surveys or gallop polls can be conducted for this. Generally, programme
level details are very broad and, as such, few people will possibly have any objection
to the principles of the programme. Activities such as fencing of areas could create
issues that concern the people. Fencing restricts access to land and whether the land
is productive or lying waste, people feel their rights are being encroached upon if
their freedom is restricted (even if the people themselves are the encroachers—i.e.
without legal title or tenurial rights). People must be genuinely convinced of the
necessity of fencing for the land to be made productive and protected from further
degradation.
Plantation level details such as selection of site, type of fence, and choice of
species should be worked out in consultation with the user groups. The supervi-
sor should make sure that the choices made are technically feasible and not merely