India's Green Revolution: A New Era for Agroforestry and Farmer Prosperity
An explainer into the key clauses and impacts of the recent Model Rules for Felling of Trees in Agricultural Lands.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) marked a pivotal moment on June 18, 2025, with the release of the Model Rules for Felling of Trees in Agricultural Lands ("Model Rules"). These rules herald a transformative era for Indian agriculture, designed to promote agroforestry and simplify the regulatory landscape for tree harvesting on farmlands. This initiative is deeply rooted in supporting the National Agroforestry Policy, 2014, and reinforcing India's commitments to sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation, aligning with national climate targets established under the Paris Agreement.
Notably, the Model Rules incorporate some key suggestions from the Economic Advisory Council's working paper, "Agroforestry: Missing Trees For The Forest," authored by Sanjeev Sanyal, Karan Shinghal, and Naveen Bali, and released in September 2024. While not all suggestions were adopted, the proposal for a single-window clearance system has been partially integrated through the envisioned National Timber Management System ("NTMS") portal. The overarching goals of these rules are to enhance farmer incomes, encourage domestic timber production, reduce reliance on imports, and foster a more sustainable agricultural sector.
For decades, tree felling on agricultural land was plagued by complex and inconsistent State-specific regulations. This fragmented regulatory environment deterred farmers from integrating trees into their cropping systems due to the need for multiple permissions, a lack of digital processes, and the fear of legal penalties, thereby discouraging private agroforestry. Consequently, India remained significantly reliant on timber imports despite its vast agricultural potential. The Model Rules aim to dismantle these regulatory restrictions, promoting the widespread adoption of tree-based agricultural practices. This briefing note explores the existing legal framework and delves into the profound implications of these new model rules for the Indian agroforestry landscape.
I. Navigating the Historical Legal Framework and its Hurdles -
The regulatory landscape for tree felling in agricultural lands has historically been fragmented and state-specific. The Model Rules represent a concerted attempt to streamline this fragmentation and introduce much-needed uniformity. Under Entry 17A: Forests of the Concurrent List of the Constitution, states possess the power to legislate on forest matters, provided their laws do not contradict central laws.
The applicable central laws in this context are the Indian Forest Act, 1927, which provides the primary legal framework for forest governance in India, and the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, which imposes restrictions on the diversion and use of forest land for non-forest purposes. Beyond these central laws, each state had its own specific laws or executive orders governing which tree species could be felled, under what conditions, and with what kind of official permission. Illustrative examples of such state-specific acts include:
This complex and often bureaucratic framework presented several significant issues:
Multiple Permissions Were Required: Farmers were burdened with obtaining approvals from multiple departments, including forest, agriculture, and sometimes revenue, even for trees they themselves had planted. For instance, in Uttar Pradesh, felling species like neem, mango, and peepal necessitated prior permission from the forest department, and applicants were required to plant ten new trees in return.
Lack of Digital Systems and Traceability: There was no centralized or digitized platform for registering plantations or seeking permits. Applications were processed manually, leading to delays and a severe lack of transparency.
Import Dependency: India's timber imports amounted to over USD 2.7 billion in 2023, constituting nearly 12% of all agro-based imports. This reliance included a heavy dependence on high-risk countries (conflict-affected states) for species like teak and gurjan. The cumulative effect of these challenges meant that farmers often found it safer and easier to avoid tree cultivation altogether, despite its potential to improve soil health, water retention, and farm income.
II. The New Model Rules: A Guiding Framework for Change
The Model Rules, as recently introduced, are recommendatory in nature, intended to serve as a guiding framework for states and union territories. While not legally binding, they offer a uniform structure that states may adopt, modify, or tailor based on their local conditions and existing regulatory systems. The Central Government's primary aim is to enhance the ease of doing business in agroforestry and incentivize farmers to integrate trees into their farming systems without facing undue procedural hurdles.
Key provisions of the Model Rules are as follows:
A. Role of State-Level Committee (SLC) :
According to the Model Rules, the State Level Committee (SLC) already established under the Wood-Based Industries (Establishment and Regulation) Guidelines, 2016, will also serve as the committee for these rules. These guidelines are national guidelines issued by the MoEFCC to regulate the establishment, licensing, and operation of wood-processing industries across India, requiring all states to align their rules accordingly.
The committee will advise the state Government on how to promote agroforestry and increase timber production from agricultural lands by simplifying rules for felling and transit of trees, especially species with commercial value.
It will also empanel agencies responsible for verifying applications and the transit of timber from agricultural lands.
The SLC is chaired by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, along with other senior officials. Notably, it will now also include officials from revenue and agriculture departments.
B. Registration Procedure :
Applicants are required to register their plantation land on the National Timber Management System (NTMS) portal, which is currently under development and will be operated by the MoEFCC.
In such registration applications, applicants must provide land ownership details and the exact location of their agricultural land.
Farmers will need to provide basic plantation details, including the number of saplings by species, planting date (month and year), and the average height of seedlings. Applicants will also be required to update this information as specified by the SLC.
Each tree must be photographed with geotagged images in KML file format. These details will be monitored by field functionaries from the forest, agriculture, and panchayat raj departments.
C. Simplified Felling Permits :
For plots with more than 10 trees, applicants must apply online through the NTMS portal, providing detailed information about the trees to be felled.
For applications involving the felling of up to 10 trees, applicants simply need to upload pictures of the relevant trees on the NTMS portal. The system will then estimate the tree size (girth, height), yield, and species.
A verifying agency will conduct a field visit and prepare a report containing details about the land, trees, and the estimated quantity of timber. Based on this report, a felling permit will be generated.
D. Monitoring And Supervision :
If the relevant department deems it necessary, it may send an officer to conduct an on-site verification of the applicant's plantation and the trees proposed for felling. Upon satisfactory verification, the no objection certificate (NOC) for tree felling will be issued digitally through the NTMS portal.
Divisional Forest Officers (DFOs) will monitor the functioning of verifying agencies. To maintain accountability, DFOs are required to compile and submit quarterly reports to the SLC.
III. Impact Analysis -
The Model Rules are poised to have a significant and positive impact across various sectors:
A. Economic Impact :
Boost To Domestic Timber Production: By promoting agroforestry, the rules aim to reduce India's reliance on timber imports and support the growth of wood-based industries with locally sourced raw materials.
Ease Of Doing Business: The streamlined, technology-driven processes would enhance ease of doing business and open up new markets for agroforestry produce, fostering entrepreneurship in rural areas.
Export Potential: By improving the quality and traceability of timber, the rules position India to become a global leader in sustainable timber markets.
Double Farmer's Income:
Despite having a sizable area under agroforestry, India has a relatively small number of farmers, fewer than 5 million, engaged in such practices, reflecting substantial scope for wider adoption and expansion. The Model Rules aim to address this gap by encouraging agroforestry as a viable supplementary livelihood, thereby helping to boost farmers' incomes.
Additionally, agroforestry has demonstrably enhanced farmers' incomes. For instance, a study in Meghalaya found that a guava-based agroforestry system led to a threefold increase in income, while in Assam, a lemon-based system resulted in approximately a twofold increase compared to conventional farmlands without tree cover.
Better Prices for Farmers In Overseas Markets: By creating a digital trail through the NTMS portal, the new system aims to ensure that timber from agricultural lands is certified as legal and sustainable. This will enable farmers to secure better prices, particularly in overseas markets, as it aligns with global regulations such as the EU Deforestation Regulation, which mandates importers to prove that their timber is not linked to deforestation post-2020.
B. Environmental Impact :
Enhancing Tree Cover Outside Forests: The Model Rules promote tree planting on agricultural lands, significantly contributing to India's target of increasing tree cover outside traditional forest areas, thereby improving overall green cover.
Improving Soil Health: Agroforestry systems have been shown to improve soil organic carbon (SOC) and groundwater recharge, leading to better yields and climate resilience. A study conducted in 2009 in central Punjab demonstrated that SOC concentration pools increased from 0.62 per cent for wheat to 1.14 per cent under poplar-based agroforestry.
Promoting Sustainable Land Use: By integrating trees into crop and livestock systems, agroforestry under the Model Rules encourages sustainable land management, improving soil fertility, water retention, and ecosystem health.
It also supports India's climate goals by contributing to its Paris Agreement commitments. By promoting tree plantation on agricultural lands, the Model Rules help align domestic agroforestry efforts with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This not only strengthens climate resilience but also reinforces India's role in global climate mitigation efforts.
C. Legal Impact :
Reduced Procedural Hurdles: The Model Rules simplify and digitise the regulatory framework for tree felling by introducing a centralized digital platform (i.e., the NTMS). This aims to minimize paperwork and delays, making compliance easier for farmers.
Uniformity: The Model Rules offer a standardized framework for states and union territories to adopt, helping to reduce legal ambiguity and minimize the risk of arbitrary enforcement across regions.
Strengthened Oversight: The involvement of SLCs and DFOs will ensure better monitoring, transparency, and accountability in the tree felling and timber transit process.
IV. Conclusion :
The Model Rules for Felling of Trees in Agricultural Lands establish a new policy direction that significantly advances agroforestry integration in Indian agriculture. By offering a simplified, digital, and transparent regulatory framework, these rules effectively address longstanding barriers that have discouraged farmers from integrating trees into their agricultural practices.
While the Model Rules mark a significant step toward simplifying agroforestry regulations, certain key policy suggestions from the working paper have not been incorporated. These include the deregulation of high-value native timber species and a shift from proving land ownership to tree ownership through technological tools like QR codes or blockchain. Including these measures could have further reduced regulatory obstacles and unlocked greater economic gains from agroforestry.
Furthermore, the recommendatory nature of the Model Rules allows individual states to adapt the framework according to their local realities, ensuring flexibility while promoting harmonization across the nation. The projected outcomes are compelling: higher income levels for farmers, coupled with a greater domestic timber supply and reduced dependence on foreign timber imports. The Model Rules also provide substantial environmental benefits by encouraging tree planting outside forest areas, thereby helping India achieve its climate and biodiversity targets and promoting sustainable land practices. If effectively adopted by the states, these Model Rules have the potential to transform the lives of farmers and establish agroforestry as a key pillar of sustainable rural development in India.