Current Context:On 29 September 2026, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav handed over India’s first PRAMAAN certificates under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS) in New Delhi. Th The event marked the transition of IFWCS from a policy framework, launched in December 2023, to actual field-level certification.
- The first certificates were awarded to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (APFDC) for plantations spread over about 33,000 hectares and to Govind Mohapatra, a bamboo farmer associated with the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency.
- PRAMAAN: It stands for Programme for Recognition and Accreditation of Sustainable Management Practices for Agroforestry and Natural Forestry Resources. It is a national certification framework for forests, wood and non-timber forest products.
- Scheme: The certificates are issued under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS), which was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in December 2023. The scheme promotes sustainable forest management and traceable production of forest and agroforestry products.
- First recipients: The Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation received certification for plantations covering approximately 33,000 hectares, while Govind Mohapatra, associated with the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency, became the first farmer recipient. Their plantations underwent field and management audits before certification.
- Operating agency: The Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal serves as the operating agency for the scheme and organised the certificate-awarding event in New Delhi.
- Purpose: PRAMAAN is designed to provide credible proof that timber, wood and other forest products originate from sustainably managed and responsible sources. This can help Indian producers meet increasingly strict international requirements concerning deforestation-free and responsibly sourced products.
- International trade importance: Major international markets increasingly require exporters to demonstrate that timber and agricultural products are not linked to deforestation or unsustainable practices. PRAMAAN can provide Indian exporters with recognised sustainability credentials and improve access to such markets.
- Independent certification: PRAMAAN is not based merely on self-declaration. Forest-management certification requires independent audits by certification bodies accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) under the Quality Council of India.
- Standards: Forest Management certification is assessed against the Indian Forest Management Standard, which forms part of the National Working Plan Code (NWPC) 2023. This helps maintain a standardised and auditable certification process.
- Types of certification: Applications can cover Forest Management, Tree Outside Forest Management and Chain of Custody certification. State forest departments, forest-development corporations, farmers and industries can participate in the system.
- Benefits to farmers and communities: PRAMAAN is also intended to support small farmers, tribal communities, forest-dependent households, women Self-Help Groups and people involved in agroforestry or non-timber forest products. Certification can help them access premium and sustainability-conscious markets.
Question:
Q1. India’s first PRAMAAN certificates were issued under which scheme?a) Green India Mission
b) National Agroforestry Mission
c) Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS)
d) Compensatory Afforestation Fund Scheme
Answer: c) Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS). PRAMAAN is the certification framework under IFWCS for verifying sustainable management of forests, agroforestry systems, wood and non-timber forest products through independent audits.
