Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav on Friday launched a workshop on the ‘Capacity Enhancement for Effective Forest Management Project’, organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in New Delhi.
The project, being implemented from 2025-26 to 2031-32, aims to strengthen the capacity of frontline forest personnel in response to changing forest and wildlife management requirements, emerging climate and environmental challenges and their expanding responsibilities.
The workshop was attended by senior officials of the Ministry, JICA India, representatives of Forest Departments from States and Union Territories, research institutions and Central Training Institutes working in the forestry sector.
Focus on Region-Specific Capacity Building
Addressing the inaugural session, Yadav said the project marked an important milestone in the long-standing cooperation between India and Japan in the forestry sector.
He emphasised that forests play a critical role in addressing climate change, conserving biodiversity and supporting the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities. He called for strengthening the capabilities of frontline forest personnel from both operational and administrative perspectives.
Highlighting forest fires as a global challenge, the Minister said the project could strengthen technical and field-level capabilities in forest fire management, biodiversity conservation and climate action.
He stressed that capacity building should move beyond classroom training and focus on the practical application of modern technologies and field-level best practices, while incorporating the knowledge and experience of local communities.
Yadav called for the development of region-specific capacity-building modules that reflect local knowledge and challenges. He said the project would focus on research and development for practical technological solutions, pilot projects for field-level application, strengthening training institutions for practice-oriented training and sharing best practices with SAARC countries and other developing nations.
The Minister called for translating the workshop’s deliberations into tangible action by combining traditional knowledge, scientific approaches and emerging technologies.
JICA Highlights Nearly Three Decades of Cooperation
JICA India Senior Representative Eiji Wakamatsu said the project aims to create a platform bringing together Indian and Japanese research institutions to develop solutions to global challenges and strengthen India’s role in the Global South in areas such as forest management, climate change and capacity building.
He noted that JICA’s partnership with India in the forestry sector has continued for nearly three decades and has benefited more than 7 lakh people.
Wakamatsu said the second phase of the project, covering 2025-26 to 2031-32, focuses on wood transformation and livelihood generation, digital transformation for improved forest management, and collaborative academic research.
He expressed JICA’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the Union and State Governments on sustainable forest management and capacity enhancement.
₹537.10 Crore Project to Cover All States
According to the Ministry, the project has a total outlay of ₹537.10 crore, comprising a JICA contribution of ₹440.42 crore and a Government of India share of ₹96.68 crore.
The seven-year project will cover the period from 2025-26 to 2031-32 and involve all States in India, with priority given to new participating States while also supporting States that participated in a related earlier project.
The initiative builds on the earlier JICA-supported project and seeks to further strengthen sustainable forest management and the capabilities of frontline forest personnel.
A project brochure outlining the key objectives and areas of cooperation was also released during the event.
The technical session included presentations by the Ministry and JICA representatives on the project’s objectives and scope, followed by an interactive session involving State Forest Departments, research institutions and Central Training Institutes.
