ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the case studies of two non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Indian Institute of Bio-Social Research and Development (IBRAD) and Ram Krishna Mission (RKM) that work towards fostering participatory forest management and rural development in West Bengal and Jharkhand respectively. It examines the working methods that are employed by the NGOs to promote Joint Forest Management. The chapter also examines the ways in which they address rural development, either as part of a forest management initiative or otherwise. It describes the organizational structure, funding opportunities, and the work philosophy of the two organizations. The chapter considers the constraints that the NGOs face in their respective States. It shows that IBRAD performs less well than it claims. RKM’s choice of methods is fairly conventional in that it engages with villagers over a long period of time to intensively cover a range of issues from agriculture and health to education.
