AGROFORESTRY VS FORESTRY FOR THE RURAL POOR - A SOCIOECONOMIC EVALUATION

The paper evaluates Forest Farming for the Rural Poor (FFRP) component of social forestry in the Indian State of Orissa within the framework of the stated socio-economic policy objectives. Both the distribution al equity and efficiency aspects have been accounted for in the analys is. Based on two criteria (net present value and land expectation valu e) the socioeconomic profitability and optimum rotations have been det ermined for dense plantations in three site qualities and compared wit h the results for agroforestry. The net socio-economic benefits for ag roforestry are shown to be larger than for dense plantations in SQI. T he reverse was found for SQII, the net socio-economic benefits are com paratively less in agroforestry than in the dense plantations. The net socio-economic benefits in SQIII are negative for both the agroforest ry and dense plantations. It is found that for the FFRP policy to be s ocially profitable in SQIII, the investment funds should be acquired b y diverting consumption-oriented funds from rural development programm es.