Introduction - Afforestation, Reforestation and Forest Restoration in Arid and Semi-arid Tropics - page 11

exist. The only way of sorting out such problems is engaging the communities them-
selves in the planning and execution of afforestation and reforestation programmes.
Through participative appraisal methods, it is necessary to inquire into the problems
and hardships that the people face, to identify the causes of the same, and to evolve
solutions in a consensual manner. The selfish elements such as the encroachers or
the right-of-way demanders can only be handled by the moral influence of the local
community rather than the coercive force of law and authority.
Land availability is a particularly serious constraint in the case of high value
plantations of economic importance. Most lands available for afforestation today are
degraded uplands and hilly areas. This is because one of the greatest incentives of
deforestation has been the access to forest soils, and as a result most of the fertile
portions of forests and other commons are already encroached upon for agriculture.
Therefore, availability of good-quality land for afforestation and reforestation is more
of an exception than a norm. This constraint is the major reason why conservation
and subsistence forestry has a greater scope than commercial-economic forestry in
arid and semiarid tropics.
Availability of labour is a constraint in areas where only certain seasons of the
year are marked by lack of employment. It is necessary to schedule the afforestation
operations in such a manner that these coincide with the non-agricultural season,
so that people have an opportunity to work round the year. In those areas where
alternative employment is available—such as in the rural hinterland of cities or
in areas with mining industries—workers may not be available. But afforestation
programmes do not have to be taken up everywhere uniformly. In fact, the economic
returns of the arid afforestation programmes are justified only when the worth of
the much needed employment is counted as one of the principal benefits of the
programme.
Capital is often a constraint with most afforestation programmes. In fact, af-
forestation programmes in arid and semiarid area cannot be taken up as a financially
viable activity. Such programmes are often taken up with national or provincial bud-
getary support as social service investment rather than as economic programmes,
although only a miniscule proportion of the national budget is made available in
most countries. Against this, the requirement of funds is very high. A quick estimate
reveals that funds amounting to US$ 550 billion need to be invested in the next 20
years if all the high-priority lands in poverty-entrenched areas of the world are to be
afforested. This kind of investment does seem to be daunting for most developing
countries, but it is interesting to compare this amount with the US$ 178 billion paid
by the US tobacco companies as compensation to smokers.
Technical know-how in the field of afforestation is still limited to the forest depart-
ments and forest services. In the case of commercial-industrial plantations, there are
private companies that possess technical know-how in the latest frontiers of technol-
ogy, but in the case of community land afforestation and conservation afforestation,
few organisations other than the national forest services have any experience. This
constraint can be overcome only by disseminating technical knowledge to community
organisations, non-government organisations, and other agencies.