Changing

A snapshot in time: the first major event of NGOs I attended was the "General body meeting of AP NGO committee on JFM in Andhra Pradesh", held in February 1999, when I had just joined Centre for World Solidarity (CWS) in January 1999. It was a gathering of about 150 NGOs working in different districts and being supported by CWS, OXFAM, SPWD and AFPRO as well as the representatives of these resource agencies. There was no representation from the APFD to the meeting, despite the best of efforts put by the organizers and I still remember vividly, the unhappy and to some extent angry feelings voiced by several of the members over this "irresponsibility" of the APFD.

A second snapshot: a similar meeting jointly organized by CPF and AP NGO committee on PFM in February 2006. This meeting was hosted by the AP Forest Academy and the agenda was on the nature of association of NGOs in future. The senior officials of the WB funded project were not only present but participated actively with due consideration to the concerns expressed by the NGOs from the field.

The contrast couldnt but be greater and illustrates vividly the changed relationship between the civil society organizations and the State Forest Department over the period. The contribution of different players - NGOs, FD and the WB project in this change process forms the subject of this article.

The Forest Policy of 1988 and the subsequent JFM guidelines of the MOEF in 1990, provided basis for the optimism among NGO quarters, because of the pro people measures pronounced. However, the Forestry Project formulated by the APFD in 1993, did not reflect such spirit. It caused dismay to the NGOs and prompted them to approach the WB for a revision in the project design and space for NGOs. Though the concerns expressed by NGOs were taken into account and led to the revision of the first JFM GO issued in 1992 (several times), before GO 173 was issued in 1996, mutual suspicion and mistrust guided the relationship to a large extent during this phase.

The conclusion of the first phase of WB project and the announced intention of FD to go in for the formulation of the second phase project in 2001 raised several questions. It led to prolonged debate among NGOs, which threw up different view points and approaches. Those who welcomed the second phase negotiated for more space for communities and took up responsibility of organizing stakeholder consultations to provide inputs into the policy (CFM GO of 2002) and project implementation plan (PIP) preparation. The idea of retaining space for NGOs and scope for negotiation through such space, guided the relationship during this period. These consultations, followed by regular and frequent interactions with the FD by the groups which supported the second phase, paved the way for a somewhat more cordial relationship.

However, the issue of R&R policy in 2002 without consultation or sharing revived mistrust among certain quarters of NGOs leading to a divided opinion even among the groups that supported the CFM. The FD proposed elaborate consultations as a corrective measure and all NGOs contributed to the process at different levels, leaving aside the differences. It was during this process, in the year 2003, that the foundation for a really collaborative relationship was laid down.

The ideas proposed by NGOs for formulation of livelihood projects were well received and the FD actively contributed towards the project development as well as implementation in terms of shared thinking and planning, besides the financial inputs during 2005.