How an Adivasi Village Turned Forest Rights Into a Rs 3.4 Crore Bamboo Economy

On the edge of a forest in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district, bamboo is much more than a natural resource. For the Gond Adivasi community of Pachgaon village, it has become a source of income, employment and self-reliance.

Over the past decade, the village has built a remarkable example of what can happen when communities gain legal rights over the forests they have lived alongside for generations.

The journey began in 2012, when Pachgaon secured community forest rights over 1,006 hectares of ancestral forest land under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), a landmark law passed in 2006. Today, that forest supports a community-run bamboo enterprise that has generated profits of around Rs 3.4 crore over the last 10 years.

What makes the story even more significant is how those earnings have been used. Instead of leaving the village, the profits have been reinvested into education, infrastructure, local employment and the purchase of additional land.

Reclaiming a forest, rebuilding a future

The Forest Rights Act was introduced to recognise the rights of indigenous and forest-dwelling communities over lands they have traditionally depended on. The law sought to address historical exclusions by giving legal recognition to these long-standing relationships.

In Pachgaon, members of the Gond community saw an opportunity to regain stewardship of a forest that had shaped their lives for generations.

With support from local activists, including Vijay Dethe, villagers completed the legal process required to secure community forest rights. Their efforts resulted in formal recognition of their claim over 1,006 hectares of forest land.

What followed set Pachgaon apart.

Rather than treating the forest as a resource for short-term gains, residents created a collective management system. Decisions about forest resources and revenue use were placed under the authority of the gram sabha, ensuring community participation at every stage.

Turning bamboo into opportunity

After securing community rights, the village took charge of bamboo harvesting.

Bamboo had always been part of the landscape. What changed was who controlled it and who benefited from its sale.

The community developed a bamboo enterprise that created local jobs and a steady source of income. Over the last decade, the initiative has generated profits of approximately Rs 3.4 crore, averaging around Rs 34 lakh annually.

The impact has been visible across the village.

For years, migration was a common reality for families seeking work elsewhere. Today, employment linked to bamboo harvesting and forest management has reduced the need for residents to migrate to states such as Gujarat and Karnataka in search of livelihoods.

For many families, work that once meant leaving home is now available within the village itself.

Investing in the community

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Pachgaon’s model is how the profits are managed.

Rather than being concentrated among a few individuals, earnings from the bamboo enterprise are collectively managed through the gram sabha. Funds are invested in priorities identified by the community, including education, village infrastructure and the purchase of additional land.

The system has also helped the village manage seasonal challenges. Bamboo harvesting slows during the monsoon, but community earnings are used to support development work during this period, helping create employment opportunities throughout the year.

As a result, forest-based income continues to strengthen community assets while supporting future economic opportunities.

More than a decade after securing rights over its forest, Pachgaon offers a powerful example of what can happen when communities are trusted to manage the resources they depend on.

The village reclaimed 1,006 hectares of ancestral land, but its most meaningful achievement may be less visible: building long-term economic stability while keeping both livelihoods and decision-making firmly in community hands.

Sources:

‘India’s Forest Rights Act: A Tribal Village’s Success Story’: by Phoebe Guildford, Published on 20 August 2025

‘India’s landmark law to empower Indigenous forest-dwellers to sustainably access and use forest resources’: by Ishrat Jahan, Published on 6 June 2023

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