The present state of forestry in our country reveals that the Indian forests are neither able to fulfil the ever increasing demand nor can sustain the ecological security. ‘Social forestry’ purely an Indian concept, has developed under Indian environment and culture. It has been adopted and modified differently by different states. India, second in population in the world, needs social forestry programmes, because increasing population forces the forest land to be used for agriculture, industries, housing and urban development. But the policies relating to forests, soil conservation, areas for recreation, although originating from different departments of the State Government need to be fully integrated in the larger interests of natural resource management and ecology. The need of vegetative propagation in forestry is well understood, well documented, but not so well established practically in India. The need for application of biotechnology into forestry has become more relevant and a matter of urgency in India. Basic to the issue of forest biotechnology is the need to increase the yield. Successful production forestry programmes which incorporate high yields per unit area will in themselves be a conservation strategy. It is in this context the present title has been brought out to understand the urgent need to promote a new paradigm on social forestry and rural development based on integration and application of principles of ecologically sustainability, social equity and economic viability.
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