TN govt, USAID unite to increase tree cover

CHENNAI: To increase the green cover across the State, the Tamil Nadu government along with US Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the Trees Outside Forests in India (TOFI) initiative, on Thursday.

Through this programme, farmers, corporates and several private institutions will collaborate to increase forest cover outside traditional forests in Tamil Nadu.

With the high priority on expanding tree cover outside forest areas, the State government through the Green Tamil Nadu Mission and Tamil Nadu Climate Change Mission, aims to tackle the climate crisis and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a variety of measures. Hence, TOFI will build on the progress made by the missions on agroforestry.

Subsequently, it’d also work on increasing the income of farmers and will leverage the private sector to promote tree-based enterprises and the sale of carbon credits, helping to create jobs and boost incomes.