Now registration for doing agroforestry in India is mandatory

Farmers in India must now register on a government portal before planting or cutting trees on agricultural land. The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change has issued model rules that make it mandatory to use the National Timber Management System's (NTMS) portal for all agroforestry activities. Geo-tagged photos and detailed information about each tree must be uploaded online.

Mandatory agroforestry registration via portal

The Government of India is promoting agroforestry to boost farmer incomes, reduce timber imports, increase tree cover outside forests, and meet climate goals under the Paris Agreement. Agroforestry helps farmers diversify income and build resilience in the face of environmental and economic stress.  But complex and inconsistent rules across states make it hard for farmers to plant, harvest, and transport trees grown on farms. To address this, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change held consultations with states on April 24 and May 19, 2025. Based on those meetings, the ministry issued model rules to simplify tree harvesting under agroforestry.

According to the ministry, “The Model Rules aim to establish a streamlined regulatory framework by providing simplified procedures for registering agroforestry lands and managing tree harvesting and transit.”

Farmers must submit ownership records, farm location, species planted, planting dates, and other data. These details must be updated over time with new photographs to ensure traceability.

“To cut trees from agricultural land, a photo of the tree will have to be uploaded. It will have to be told when the tree is to be cut. NOC will be available from the portal. Photos will be uploaded even after felling,” the ministry stated.

If someone wants to fell a tree, they must apply through the NTMS portal. A verifying agency will inspect the site. Based on the report, a permit will be either granted or rejected. The Divisional Forest Officer will oversee this process.

Tree felling rules via NTMS

The model rules were shared with state governments during meetings on April 24 and May 19. In a letter sent to all states on June 19, the ministry explained the goal is “to enhance the ease of doing business in agroforestry and incentivise farmers to integrate trees into their farming systems without facing undue procedural hurdles.”

The state-level committee set up under the Wood-Based Industries (Establishment and Regulation) Guidelines, 2016 will help implement the new rules. It will also empanel verification agencies to assess tree felling applications.

The ministry said this new system “seeks to close the demand-supply gap, support wood-based industries with locally sourced raw materials and boost exports.”

States are not yet legally required to enforce the rules. The ministry said, “The Ministry…has requested States and UTs to examine the model rules and consider their adoption.”

Agroforestry is seen as key to India's climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Agroforestry boosts climate, needs safeguards

The National Mission for Green India identifies agroforestry as one of ten ways to expand forest and tree cover. It states that “restoration of natural forests through plantations can contribute up to 60% of the total carbon sink which can be achieved by 2030.”

According to the  Hindustan Times, forest policy expert Chetan Agarwal called the system a “welcome step in the agroforestry ecosystem.” He added, “Currently, some non-forest species are deregulated, such as eucalyptus and poplar, harvesting high-value species like teak pose significant regulatory burdens…with delays and high costs.”

Agarwal also warned that the verification system “should assess for conditions where certain trees of natural origin should not be cut for their environmental benefits such as a tree attracting lots of nesting birds.”

The NTMS portal is still being developed. Once operational, it will serve as the digital platform for agroforestry records and approvals nationwide.

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