Encroachment of forest land for agriculture by poor farmers, especially tribals, is a critical issue facing the country. Although most of the encroachments are illegal, it has been difficult for the Forest Departments to remove these due to major socio-economic and political implications. A number of Forest Departments have reported that implementation of JFM has led to voluntary vacation of encroached forest land by farmers in many areas. However, many activists are of the view that the Forest Departments are forcibly evicting poor farmers under the guise of JFM and these poor farmers have no other source of livelihood.

RUPFOR carried out a study in Vishakapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh (a large area of encroached forest land was vacated after initiation of JFM in the district). Two villages were studied in each of the three forest divisions in the district viz. Narsipatnam, Vishakapatnam and Paderu. The main objective of the study was to understand the dynamics of forest land encroachment and the impact of JFM on it. This study is likely to be published soon.