Colonial state policies since 1894 and post-independence forest policies have characterized tribals as indiscriminate users of forests and therefore sought to protect forests from the tribals. Despite the policy thrusts and legislative instruments to curtail the use of forests by the local people, forest dwellers continued to find access to forests. In the last five years, under the joint forest management policy of the Indian government, various state governments have experimented with devolving authority for forest management to local communities. JFM policies, when viewed from a gender perspective, have significant consequences for women in tribal communities. Women are the linchpin that connects the livelihood strategies of tribal households with forest wealth.
Tribal women are largely responsible for collecting and processing many of the forest products.
Therefore, for JFM policies to be successful in promoting sustainable forest management by tribal communities, it must involve tribal women in deliberate and significant ways. This publication focuses on the dependence of tribal households on forests in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, India, and the implications for state and community partnerships in managing these forests. Particular attention is given to the gender dimensions of forest use in tribal villages and the implications for the implementation of Joint Forest Management Program being undertaken in Andhra Pradesh. The following discussion is multi-dimensional. The goal is to explore the critical role that tribal women play in sustaining tribal households and the resulting implications for crafting and implementing forest co-management programs that are sensitive to the pivotal role played by women in extracting forest products.