NCCF Organizes a National Workshop on Promoting Trees Outside Forests Certification Standards

NCCF organized a National Workshop on Promoting Trees Outside Forests Certification Standards, jointly with CIFOR-ICRAF, on January 30, 2023 at New Delhi, under the umbrella of the Trees Outside Forests in India (TOFI) Program (a joint initiative of the USAID and the MoEFCC), with an aim of raising awareness of and promoting the TOF certification scheme among the various stakeholders and collectively identifying areas in the regulations governing imported timber as well as in the building codes and procurement strategies, through which the use of certified TOF products may be stimulated.

The event comprised of three technical sessions where Dr. Devendra Pandey (IFS Rtd.), Former DG, FSI and Chairperson, NCCF ToF Certification Scheme, made a presentation on ‘NCCF -TOF standard and its benefits’ in the first session, Mr. A.M. Singh, ADG, NCCF and Mr. Maisnam Sanathoi Luwang, Project Associate, NCCF, on ‘Amending OGL vis-à-vis imported timber’ in the second session, and Mr. Punit Agarwal, Senior Counsellor, IGBC, on ‘TOFI Program and Green Buildings’ and Ms. Abhilasha Guleria, Assistant Director, on ‘Revising Building codes and procurement strategies’ in the third session. The workshop brought together representatives from the MoA&FW, State Forest Departments, IGBC, World Bank, UNEP, QCI, NABARD, IORA Ecological Solutions Private Limited, WRI India, Heartfulness Institute and Former CEO, NABCB, independent consultants, in addition the representatives of the consortium organizations of the TOFI

Program including CIFOR-ICRAF. The participants were apprised of the TOF Certification scheme, and jointly explored ways of strengthening policies and strategies to promote certified TOF products.