Why in News?
The Himachal Pradesh Forest Department has signed a five-year MoU with the Bharti Institute of Public Policy (BIPP), Indian School of Business (ISB) to develop the state’s forest and pastoral economy.
Key Highlights
- The partnership aims to unlock an estimated ₹22,600 crore of untapped economic potential from five forest resources in Himachal Pradesh.
- The estimated value includes amla (₹8,700 crore), pine needles (₹5,500 crore), wild mangoes (₹4,800 crore), sal seeds (₹2,400 crore) and rhododendron flowers (₹1,200 crore).
- The assessment was based on data collected by more than 500 forest guards, who recorded over 2 lakh tree-level observations and species-tagged images.
- The data was combined with satellite imagery and AI/ML tools and later validated through field surveys.
- The MoU focuses on forest-based community enterprises, a Forest Intelligence Platform, a grazing portal and database, and capacity building.
- The initiative will promote women-led producer companies and better market linkages for forest-based products.
- The forest resources will be harvested only within a sustainable, species-specific “yield sweet spot” to balance economic use with conservation.