FOREST OFFICIALS TO HELP FARMERS CHANGE CROPPING PATTERN

LUCKNOW : Forest officials of Dudhwa and Pilibhit Tiger Reserves in the state have planned to assist the farmers living near the forest area in shifting their cropping pattern. The new pattern would be better suited to forest ecology, while keeping in mind the interest of the farmers.

“People living near the boundaries of the forest areas play an important role in regulating the ecology of the area. We want to capitalise on this by urging the farmers to shift to crops suitable for the forest,” said director of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) Ramesh Pandey.

An estimated 300 villages are located near the forest reserve in Dudhwa that depend largely on agriculture. The number of villages near Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) is over 250. The villagers grow traditional crops like sugarcane and paddy. These crops, according to forest officials, give a sense of extended habitat, allowing animals, including tigers to venture outside the forest. “When the tiger leaves the forest, it leads to man-animal conflict. This can be prevented by changing the cropping pattern,” said deputy director of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) Adarsh Kumar. Over 25 people have died in such conflicts near the forest reserves since November 2016.Under the programme, the forest officials have decided to promote cultivation of plants with less height like pulses, flowers and aromatic herbs. “On the advice of horticulture experts, we have shortlisted 20 odd crops that can replace traditional ones. The new crops have been selected based on the kind of soil and other related factors,” Kumar said, adding, “We have decided to provide guidance and seeds to the farmers through exiting government schemes.” The reserve officials have invited local farmers, villagers and local officials to participate in the programme.