Arid Forest Research Institute (AFRI) is a

research institute A research institute, research centre, research center or research organization, is an establishment founded for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research. Although the term often i ...

situated in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. The institute conducts scientific research in forestry in order to provide technologies to increase the

vegetative cover Vegetation is an assemblage of plant species and the ground cover they provide. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular Taxon, taxa, life forms, structure, Spatial ecology, spatial extent, or any other specific Botany, bo ...

and to conserve biodiversity in the hot arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat. It operates under the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

About

The Arid Forest Research Institute was established in 1988 to cater the forestry research needs of the arid and semi-arid region of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman-Diu. The institute is situated on Jodhpur Pali Road (

NH 65 National Highway 52 (NH 52), Sangrur, Punjab to Ankola, Karnataka, is a National Highway in India. The national highway 52 was numbered after amalgamating many existing national highways of India. The old highway numbered NH-63 was from Anko ...

) in a campus spreading over 66 hectares, housing office buildings, laboratories, a library-cum-information center, community center, guest house, scientist hostel and residential quarters. The institute has an additional campus at Plot No. 729 adjoining CAZRI. The institute also has three experimental areas and a model nursery within the vicinity of the main campus. The institute is headed by the director supported by a group coordinator (research) and coordinator (facilities). The institute has six divisions with well-equipped laboratories and technical manpower, namely:

Divisions

# Forest Ecology Division # Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding Division # Forest Protection Division # Silviculture Division #

Agroforestry Agroforestry is a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland. Trees produce a wide range of useful and marketable products from fruits/nuts, medicines, wood products, etc. This intentional ...

& Extension Division These divisions are well supported with the information technology cell, coordinator (facilities), accounts section, library-cum-information center and an extension wing. The institute has a working strength of 133, which includes two conservators of forests, one deputy conservator of forests, 19 scientists, a controller, an assistant administrative officer, a Hindi officer, a librarian, 6 research officers, a range officer, and ministerial and technical staff. Capacity building and research training * Nursery, seed and VAM technologies for arid zone tree species. * Forest mensuration and growth & yield modeling in plantations. * Planting stock improvement, biotechnology and plant tissue culture. * Afforestation of stress sites (

Sand dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...

s, waterlogged areas, salt affected soils). * Rain water harvesting and soil-moisture conservation. * Site specific agroforestry models.

Facilities

Arid Forest Research Institute Jodhpur c

IT Cell, Library, Model Nursery, GIS Lab, Community centre, Dispensary.

Mandate of the institute

Forestry research for

conservation of biodiversity Conservation is the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws. Conservation may also refer to: Environment and natural resources * Nature conservation, the protection and manageme ...

and enhancement of bio-productivity in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, with special emphasis on arid and semi-arid regions.

Thrust areas

* To develop techniques for rainwater harvesting in arid areas. * To develop technology for

afforestation Afforestation is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees (forestation) in an area where there was no previous tree cover. Many government and non-governmental organizations directly engage in afforestation programs to create forests a ...

on stress sites. * Eco-stabilisation of

desert A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...

areas with emphasis on sand dune fixation. * To develop techniques for production of high-quality planting material. * Provenance trial of important arid zone species. * Studies on biofertilizer and biopesticide. * Research on non-wood forest products of the arid zone. * Tree improvement through tissue culture &

genetic engineering Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including t ...

References

External links

Ministry of Environment and Forests
{{authority control Education in Rajasthan Indian forest research institutes Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education Organisations based in Jodhpur 1988 establishments in Rajasthan Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Organisations based in Rajasthan Research institutes in Rajasthan Universities and colleges in Rajasthan Thar Desert Research institutes established in 1988