Initially created for the development and extension of lac cultivation and established as Directorate of Lac Development, the Centre was renamed as ACEP on reorganisation of forestry research in 1987. It was provided the status of an independent institute under ICFRE in 1992. It caters the research needs of West Bengal, south Bihar and union teritory of Andaman and Nicobar.
The Institute is primarily engaged in extension work and development of programme packages for lac cultivation. It is also conducting research in agroforestry, forest productivity and hydrological studies of Balason catchment.
Among the major achievements of the Institute are successful demonstration of improved method of lac cultivation, silvi-agro combinations and provenance trial of Eucaluptus sp. The Institute has distributed about 43 tonnes broodlac to poor lac cultivators, mainly tribals of the region, and trained approximately 30,000 lac cultivators in improved method of lac cultivation. It has also taken up analysis of data on lac, its dissemination to different agencies involved in lac cultivation and marketing,processing and trade. Institute has successfully demonstrated silvi-agro combinations using tree species like Gmelina arborea, Leucaenia leucocephala, Eucalyptus sp., Acacia catechu, Adina cardifolia and tropical pines with ginger, potatoes, arhar, ragi, maize and wheat cultivation. Other research achievements include suitability of farm forestry species in lateritic zone,effects of slopes,fire,density,aspect, altitude and age of crop on infiltration rate in Balason catchment and effect of farm bund plantation in reducing crop damage due to hailstorm.
For further information, please contact :
Director
Institute of Forest Productivity (IFP)
(Indian Council of Forestry Research & Education)
RANCHI - 834 001 (Bihar) INDIA
E-Mail : icfre@envfor.delhi.nic.in