For Immediate Release
Press Release
Meeta Parti
91 11 24198000
Rohtak: Today, the Government of Haryana’s Forest Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the launch of the “Trees Outside Forests in India (TOFI)” program in Haryana, which will bring together farmers, companies, and other private institutions to rapidly expand tree coverage outside of traditional forests in the state. The new program will enhance carbon sequestration, support local communities, and strengthen the climate resilience of agriculture, thereby supporting global climate change mitigation and adaptation goals.
Haryana has long placed a high priority on improving tree cover outside forest areas, as demonstrated by its increase in tree cover, success of its wood-based industries, and inclusion of agroforestry, or integrating trees into farming systems, in its State Action Plan on Climate Change. TOFI will build on the state’s progress and harness agroforestry to bolster the resilience of farming systems, while also increasing the income of farmers in Haryana. Importantly, TOFI will leverage India’s private sector to promote and scale tree-based enterprises and the sale of carbon credits, helping to create jobs and boost incomes.
Announcing the launch, the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar, said, “The Government of Haryana is giving a major thrust to agroforestry and tree plantations on lands outside the notified forest areas. With only 6.80 per cent of the area under forest and tree cover, the State has demonstrated its potential to support the country’s food and wood/timber needs by showcasing globally how a forest deficient state can be a wood surplus state. The TOFI program will further spur agroforestry and plantation campaigns outside of forests and help raise the income of the farmers while enhancing the green cover in the state. It will also support India’s Roadmap towards Carbon Neutral Economy by 2070 and India's commitments related to Climate initiatives of Hon'ble Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi ji regarding "Panchamrita" and Mission LiFE.”
USAID’s Acting Mission Director in India, Karen Klimowski said, “As the climate crisis intensifies, it is ever more important that we protect India’s forests and the communities who depend on them. The United States is proud to support the Trees Outside Forests in India program in Haryana, which builds upon decades of U.S.-India cooperation on forestry and climate-smart agriculture. India’s progress on these issues can provide models for the world.”
In his shared message, Kanwar Pal, Minister, Forests, Wildlife, Tourism, Culture and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Haryana said, “Growing trees outside forest areas, especially adding more trees to mainstream agriculture can help the Haryana State achieve its goal of 20 percent area under forest and tree cover. The TOFI Program will contribute towards strengthening the policy environment, supporting TOF (Trees Outside Forests)- based enterprises, and providing technical support for the expansion of area under trees outside forests”
The Trees Outside Forests in India program was launched in September 2022 by Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Secretary Leena Nandan and U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Patricia Lacina. The program will allocate up to $25 million U.S. dollars over five years in seven states - Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh - with implementation support from the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (ICRAF).
TOFI will rapidly expand tree coverage outside of traditional forests by 2.8 million hectares, an area larger than 13 states and union territories in India. The program will contribute to India’s Nationally Determined Contribution target of creating an additional “carbon sink” of 2.5 to 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030. This new program builds on the enduring U.S.-India partnership to tackle the climate crisis and bolster resilience in the face of climate threats and extreme weather events.
