Bhopal, July 17, 2025: The Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal, hosted a knowledge exchange workshop on forest standards, certification, and product traceability, as part of the India-UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions) initiative. The event was organised with support from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, and the UK Government.
The workshop aimed to promote sustainable agroforestry and develop robust traceability and certification systems that support smallholder farmers and advance forest conservation. It brought together experts and representatives from Indian and UK government bodies, industry, financial institutions, academia, and civil society organisations.
Owain Roberts, Head of Climate Change Policy, British High Commission, said, “I was delighted to join the workshop at the Institute of Forest Management alongside India’s Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change and the UK’s Forest Research. Since 2021, we have collaborated on forest conservation through the India-UK Forest Partnership. This workshop marks an important step in our collaboration towards promoting sustainable agroforestry, as well as forest product traceability measures which benefit smallholder farmers and strengthen sustainable forest management.”
Dr. K. Ravichandran, Director, IIFM, presented an overview of the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS) “PRAMAAN,” launched by MoEFCC in December 2023. He highlighted the significance of third-party verification mechanisms to certify forests, trees outside forests, and wood and non-timber forest products, emphasizing alignment with global sustainability practices.
Key discussions focused on the UK’s experiences in developing forest certification frameworks and their relevance to India’s evolving needs. The technical sessions addressed institutional governance, implementation of standards, inclusion of local communities, and compliance with global due diligence requirements.
The panel discussions included stakeholders from MoEFCC, CIFOR-ICRAF, NABARD, FIPPI, Greenlam, and Incube, and explored how India could adapt best practices to strengthen its certification and traceability systems.
The event concluded with a call for continued technical cooperation between India and the UK and a commitment to long-term stakeholder engagement to support sustainable forest management.
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