New Delhi: India has issued the first PRAMAAN certificates under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS), marking the beginning of field-level certification for forest plantations and tree-based farming under the framework launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2023.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav presented the certificates in New Delhi to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (APFDC) for plantations covering 33,000 hectares, and to Govind Mohapatra, a bamboo farmer associated with the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency.
The event was organised by the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal, which is the operating agency for the certification scheme.
First Certifications Cover Plantation and Bamboo Farming
The APFDC plantations and the bamboo farm underwent field and management audits before receiving certification.
The two certificates represent different components of the certification framework: large-scale forest plantations on one side and tree-based farming by an individual farmer on the other.
The Ministry said several State Forest Departments, Forest Development Corporations, farmers and industries have also applied for certification under different categories, including Forest Management, Tree Outside Forest Management and Chain of Custody.
Certification Based on Third-Party Audits
PRAMAAN is the certification framework under IFWCS for forests, wood and non-timber forest products. Its Forest Management certification is assessed against the Indian Forest Management Standard, which forms part of the National Working Plan Code 2023.
The certification process relies on independent audits conducted by certification bodies accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) under the Quality Council of India.
According to the Ministry, the accreditation architecture is benchmarked against international certification frameworks and is intended to provide assurance to domestic and international buyers and regulators.
PRAMAAN Aims to Link Certified Products With Markets
The Ministry said the certification framework is intended to help Indian producers, exporters and forest-based enterprises respond to emerging international requirements relating to sustainability, due diligence and deforestation-free timber sourcing.
The framework also covers agroforestry and tree-based farming, potentially bringing small farmers, rural and tribal communities and forest-dependent communities into a formal certification system.
The Ministry said women’s self-help groups and marginal landholders involved in non-timber forest product collection and processing, agroforestry and other tree-based agricultural systems could also benefit from the framework.
PRAMAAN Framework Launched in 2023
The Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme was launched by the Ministry in December 2023. PRAMAAN stands for Programme for Recognition and Accreditation of sustainable Management practices for Agroforestry And Natural forestry resources.
The framework is intended to provide a nationally accepted certification mechanism for forests, wood and non-timber forest products and create linkages with domestic and international markets for certified forest and agroforestry products.
The latest certifications therefore mark a shift from the establishment of the certification framework to its implementation through audited projects and producers.
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