ICFRE

What ICFRE does

ICFRE is the apex body of India's national forestry research system, operating as an autonomous statutory society under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). It coordinates and conducts need-based forestry research, extension, and education across India through a federated network of nine specialized research institutes (including the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun, TFRI Jabalpur, AFRI Jodhpur, HFRI Shimla, IFP Ranchi, IFB Hyderabad, IFGTB Coimbatore, RFRI Jorhat, IWST Bengaluru) plus five thematic research centres (Skill Development, Bamboo & Rattan, Eco-Rehabilitation, Livelihood Extension, Coastal Ecosystems), a Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Land Management, and a Skill Development Centre. Its primary constituents are State Forest Departments, MoEF&CC, CAMPA, and other central government bodies, with secondary reach into academic institutions (FRI Deemed University) and rural/forest-dependent communities.

The organization delivers a portfolio of institutional platforms and proprietary technologies. Digital platforms include the REDD+ Knowledge Sharing and Safeguards Information System (India's nodal REDD+ platform under UNFCCC), the Dehradun Virtual Digital Herbarium (a Centre of Excellence on Forest Genetic Resources), and operational portals for HR, research projects, pensions, and recruitment. Proprietary/developed technologies span biopesticides (Tree Palh, using hydnocarpic acid combined with neem oil and Lantana essential oils as a first-of-its-kind formulation), biofertilizers and microbial inoculants, a spin-column genomic DNA isolation kit marketed as ArborEasy (registered trademark), potting mixtures (Tree Rich Bio-booster), clonal commercialization packages for Eucalyptus, Casuarina and Acacia for paper industries, propagation protocols for Himalayan medicinal species (Juniperus polycarpos, Picrorhiza kurroa, Valeriana jatamansi), and TFRI Trichocard for rice stem borer control in teak forests. It maintains a 350,000-specimen herbarium and a 7,000+ sample xylarium as long-duration research assets.

ICFRE is not a commercially priced enterprise. Funding flows primarily through MoEF&CC budget allocations and dedicated conservation grants from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA), supplemented by fees from short-term training courses, consultancies, plant identification services, and herbarium specimen identifications. The go-to-market is event- and policy-driven: national workshops, STTC training programs, farmer melas, international conferences, publications (including "The Indian Forester"), outreach via official website and social media, and direct engagement with State Forest Departments. The organization also serves as India's nodal agency for REDD+ activities under UNFCCC and partners with FAO, UN-REDD, CIFOR, IUFRO, and ICIMOD for international forestry research collaboration.

Name

ICFRE

Legal name

Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education

Website

https://icfre.gov.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

ICFRE is India's apex government forestry research body under MoEF&CC, coordinating applied forestry research, education, and extension through nine specialized institutes and multiple regional centres, serving State Forest Departments, central ministries, and forest-dependent communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forestry Research and Education

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Monitoring, Survival Surveys & Carbon/MRV Services (Remote Sensing, Field Audits) (AFAMACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA), NEPA/EA/EIS & Public Consultation (EUAHAAAB), Smallholder/Community Forest Group Certification (SLIMF) Support (AFAMALAG)

Keywords

• Forestry research
• Environmental education
• Forest conservation
• Climate mitigation
• Sustainable land management

Headquarters

HQ city

Dehra Dun

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: ICFRE is a government body under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and receives funding from the Indian government for its research, education, and extension activities.
2. Training and Consultancy Services: Revenue generated through short-term training courses, consultancies, plant identification services, and herbarium specimen identification services provided to various stakeholders.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ICFRE is an apex government body under India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) that conducts need-based forestry research, education, and extension. It operates a network of specialized institutes and regional centers delivering forestry research, training programs, consultancy services, herbarium/wood specimen identification, and developing forestry technologies including biopesticides, biofertilizers, DNA isolation kits, and tree propagation methods.

Product overview

ICFRE (Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education) operates a network of institutional portals and technology platforms. The core offerings include the main ICFRE website portal, the REDD+ Knowledge Sharing and Safeguards Information System for climate change mitigation, and the DD Herbarium (Dehradun Virtual Digital Herbarium) as a Centre of Excellence on Forest Genetic Resources. ICFRE has developed multiple technologies including biopesticides (Tree Palh), biofertilizers, DNA isolation kits (ArborEzi), potting mixtures (Tree Rich Biobooster), and various propagation technologies for medicinal plants. Internal operational portals include e-HRMS, Research Projects Database, Pension Portal, and Recruitment Portal. The organization functions as a platform of multiple research institutes (FRI, TFRI, AFRI, HFRI, IFP, IFB, IFGTB, RFRI, IWST) plus specialized centres that collectively support India's forestry research, education, and extension services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tree Palh Biopesticide A biopesticide developed for management of forestry-important insect pests using hydnocarpic acid combined with neem oil and Lantana essential oils; intended as an alternative to chemical pesticides for forestry applications.
• Tree Rich Biobooster A complete potting mixture made from coconut fiber waste, decomposed and enriched with beneficial microorganisms, providing nutrients and protection from pests and diseases for forestry seedlings.
• ArborEasy DNA Isolation Kit A spin column-based genomic DNA isolation kit providing an indigenous, non-harmful, low-cost system for extracting DNA from plant tissues, particularly tree species, for forestry and plant research applications.
• Casuarina and Eucalyptus Clone Commercialization Genetic improvement technology for Eucalyptus, Casuarina, Acacia, and fast-growing native tree species to meet raw material demand for paper industries and increase farmer income through clonal plantation programs.
• Microbe-based Biofertilizers Biofertilizers or microbial inoculants containing nitrogen-fixing, mineral-solubilizing, or cell-decomposing microorganisms to enhance nutrient availability for forest tree species in seeds, soil, or composting applications.
• Juniperus polycarpos Seed Technology Seed technology developed at HFRI to overcome dormancy and improve germination in Himalayan Pencil Cedar, an important native conifer of the northwestern Himalayan region.
• Kutaki (Picrorhiza kurroa) Propagation Technology Large-scale propagation technique for Picrorhiza kurroa, an important temperate medicinal plant found in the western Himalayas with high commercial cultivation potential in high-altitude temperate regions.
• Mushkbala (Valeriana jatamansi) Propagation Technology Large-scale propagation technique for Valeriana jatamansi, an important temperate medicinal plant species found in the western Himalayas with high commercial cultivation potential.
• TFRI Trichocard Technology for managing teak forest pest Cephalomicra by deploying fresh eggs on paper cards in teak plantations.
• REDD+ Knowledge Sharing and Safeguards Information System Web-based platform for REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) learning, knowledge sharing, and safeguards information that builds capacity of State Forest Departments and other stakeholders on climate mitigation.
• Dehradun Virtual Digital Herbarium (DD Herbarium) Digital herbarium serving as a Centre of Excellence on Forest Genetic Resources, providing searchable database of plant specimens with keyword search capabilities for researchers and stakeholders.
• FRI Deemed University Academic Programs Higher education programs in forestry, wood science, and environmental sciences offered through the Forest Research Institute Deemed University for undergraduate, postgraduate, and research students.
• Forestry Training and Consultancy Services Short-term training courses (STTC), national and international workshops, plant identification services, herbarium specimen identification, and capacity-building consultancy services for government departments, researchers, farmers, and other stakeholders.

Quantifiable outcome

• ICFRE researchers contributed to study valuing India's forest ecosystem services at approximately $2.5 trillion annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)coreOthersICFRE operates under the administrative control of MoEF&CC, Government of India. The ministry provides funding, policy direction, and administrative oversight for all ICFRE activities including research, training, and extension services.
• State Forest DepartmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICFRE collaborates with all Indian State Forest Departments for research projects, technology transfer, training, and conservation initiatives. Partnerships include digitization of forest flora, species identification, and capacity building programs.
• UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICFRE serves as the nodal agency for REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) activities in India, working under UNFCCC framework for climate change mitigation through forest conservation.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through REDD+ knowledge sharing platform for forest conservation and sustainable management, supporting India's forest monitoring and reporting under international frameworks.
• UN-REDD ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for REDD+ implementation, capacity building, and knowledge sharing on forest-based climate mitigation strategies.
• ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) - IISWCmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint training programs on sustainable land management and soil-water conservation strategies.
• GBPNIHPE-HPRC (G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on climate-resilient agriculture for Himalayan dryland ecosystems management.
• International Organisations (CIFOR, IUFRO, ICIMOD)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational forestry research partnerships for knowledge exchange and collaborative research on forestry, biodiversity, and climate change.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CIFOR-ICRAF: CIFOR-ICRAF is the leading international forestry and agroforestry research organization, operating globally with a focus on tropical forests, climate mitigation, and sustainable landscapes — directly comparable to ICFRE's tropical forestry research and REDD+ mandate.
• Japan Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute: Japan's national forestry research institute conducts R&D on forest genetics, silviculture, wood science, and forest products, organized as a multi-station national body — directly comparable to ICFRE in statutory mandate and institute structure.
• Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM): FRIM is Malaysia's premier statutory forestry research body under the Ministry of Natural Resources, covering tropical forest research, wood science, and biodiversity — strongly comparable in mission, statutory status, and tropical-forest research focus to ICFRE.
• Chinese Academy of Forestry: Chinese Academy of Forestry is China's national statutory forestry research institution covering genetics, ecology, wood science, and forest policy — a close peer as a government-affiliated apex body coordinating forest R&D across regional institutes.

Broad incumbents

• Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke): Finland's Luke is a statutory government research institute covering forests, agriculture, and bioeconomy, including wood science, forest genetics, and bioeconomy policy — comparable public-research-body model with a broader bioeconomy remit.
• INRAE (France): INRAE is France's national research institute for agriculture, food, and environment, including substantial forest and wood-science research — comparable as a large statutory national research entity, though with a much broader cross-sectoral mandate.
• USDA Forest Service Research & Development: USDA Forest Service R&D is the largest national forestry research enterprise with multiple research stations across the US covering similar domains (genetics, ecology, wood products, fire, watershed) — comparable institutional model to ICFRE with broader operational scale.

Others

• Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR): CIFOR is one of ICFRE's named strategic partners in climate/REDD+ research and shares a comparable focus on tropical forests and carbon; included as a peer/partner ecosystem organization rather than direct domestic competitor.

Regional players

• Bureau of Indian Standards - Forestry Section: India's national standards body with a forestry and wood-products division that interacts with ICFRE for technical expertise on Indian timber grading standards — adjacent institutional peer for wood-science and forest-products standards-setting in India.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IcfreIndia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQvLramYARdbBG7EMOVXgyQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/ICFREIndia
• Instagraminstagram.com/icfreIndia

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ICFRE