Establishment of lucrative industrial wood plantation with improved clones through contract farming

    To establish farmers linked industrial wood plantation, and to promote them as a successful and self sustaining business model, five districts of Tamil Nadu nearer to wood based industries will be approached through cluster systems. 

Mass multiplication of existing improved genetic material:

The available elite genetic materials with all partners for Casuarina and Eucalyptus will be utilized for mass multiplication of elite genetic materials and used for farmers / industrial linked plantation establishment through clones and clonal seed orchard based seedlings. For Ailanthus, the identified candidate plus trees (CPT's) will be used for collection of seeds for quality seedling production.

Formation of user groups:
The user groups will be formed at the identified revenue village involving 10-20 beneficiaries per group. The user group will be identified in first three months through industrial partners. The identified user group and the local farmers in every cluster will be given hands on training for acquiring state of art, the precision silviculture technologies for higher productivity and profitability through lead and partner institutes.

Number of trainings            :       Two per year
                                              * First training – Awareness programme on
                                               NAIP industrial agroforestry
                                              * Duration – One day
Number of participants         :       50
Duration of other trainings    :       Two days

Farmers linked industrial wood plantation

Farmers linked industrial wood plantations will be established in 5 districts through contract farming with industries as indicated in the Table 1 and Map 1.

Number of districts                         :     5
Area to be demonstrated                :     200 ha 
Farm holding size and beneficiary    :     1-5 acres (small and medium farmers)
Unit size of one cluster                   :     20 ha
Number of farmers                         :     15-30 farmers per cluster
Time frame                                   :     First two years

Each taluk will form as a major cluster and within every taluk, small clusters will be formed.
A. Pulp wood species                      B. Match wood
      1. Casuarinas                           1. Ailanthus
      2. Eucalyptus

Horizontal expansion of industrial wood plantation through contract farming

The identified cluster groups will be facilitated to further multiply the improved genetic materials and expand the area under industrial wood plantations through industry and financial partners by contract farming involving more growers outside the project area through cluster approaches. Under this system, the industries will facilitate strong agreement with the farmers and will help to provide credit facilities through nationalized banks