Sustainable Development Through Ecopreneurship: A Welfare-Driven Approach for Forest Dwellers

Abstract

Introduction: This paper explores how ecopreneurship can serve as a powerful tool for achieving sustainable development among forest-dependent communities, especially in India's Integrated Tribal Development Agency regions. Ecopreneurship, combining environmental sustainability with entrepreneurial innovation, offers a pathway to improve livelihoods, promote financial inclusion, and protect natural ecosystems. Forest dwellers often face socio-economic challenges such as unemployment, poverty, and limited access to basic services, and while welfare schemes exist, their impact is often limited due to poor implementation and lack of community engagement.

Methodology: This study follows a systematic literature review approach to explore the role of ecopreneurship in driving sustainable development for forest dwellers. The search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, Taylor & Francis and Google Scholar using keywords such as “Ecopreneurshipand Sustainable Development”, “Forest Dwellers and Entrepreneurship”, “Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Livelihood” and “Welfare Schemes for Indigenous Communities”. Only peer-reviewed journal articles from 2015 to 2024 were considered. Included were empirical studies, theoretical frameworks, policy analyses and case studies; excluded were non-peer-reviewed papers and general entrepreneurship studies without environmental concerns. A total of 20 papers were shortlisted and categorized by thematic area, geographical focus and impact metrics, and a qualitative synthesis method was used to identify common trends, gaps and policy implications.

Results & Discussion: The literature reveals that ecopreneurship bridges economic empowerment and environmental sustainability in forest-dwelling communities across four dimensions. On economic impact, sustainable entrepreneurship models increase income security through forest-based industries. On social impact, welfare schemes and ecopreneurship improve livelihood security, education and healthcare access for indigenous populations. On environmental sustainability, ecopreneurs promote non-timber forest product harvesting, agroforestry and sustainable tourism to reduce deforestation while generating income. On policy challenges, studies highlight bureaucratic inefficiencies in implementing government schemes for ecopreneurs, requiring better institutional support. Case studies in community-based forest enterprises show that locally run forest businesses in Cameroon can operate as profitable social entrepreneurs while reaching environmental and social goals, and indigenous ecotourism projects in the Bolivian Amazon demonstrate how social entrepreneurship promotes sustainable living while safeguarding biodiversity.

Conclusion: Particularly in ITDA areas, this study emphasizes the transforming power of ecopreneurship in promoting sustainable development among forest residents. The study emphasizes how environmental, social, and economic resilience can be created by sustainable entrepreneurship under the direction of welfare programs. Still, the success of such programs relies on robust institutional structures, market accessibility, and efforts at capacity building. Long-term policy effects, technology-enabled ecopreneurship, and cross-regional studies to support the pragmatic application of ecopreneurial models for sustainable development should be the main emphasis of future studies.