<P> Arid Forest Research Institute, (AFRI) situated at Jodhpur is another national level institute in the region . It is one of the institutes of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) working under the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India . The Objective of the Institute is to carry out scientific research in forestry in order to provide technologies to increase the vegetative cover and to conserve the biodiversity in the hot arid and semi arid region of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Dadara & Nagar Haveli union territory . </P> <P> The most important tree species in terms of providing a livelihood in Thar desert communities is Prosopis cineraria . </P> <P> Prosopis cineraria provides wood of construction class . It is used for house - building, chiefly as rafters, posts scantlings, doors and windows, and for well construction water pipes, upright posts of Persian wheels, agricultural implements and shafts, spokes, fellows and yoke of carts . It can also be used for small turning work and tool - handles . Container manufacturing is another important wood - based industry, which depends heavily on desert - grown trees . </P> <P> Prosopis cineraria is much valued as a fodder tree . The trees are heavily lopped particularly during winter months when no other green fodder is available in the dry tracts . There is a popular saying that death will not visit a man, even at the time of a famine, if he has a Prosopis cineraria, a goat and a camel, since the three together are some what said to sustain a man even under the most trying condition . The forage yield per tree varies a great deal . On an average, the yield of green forage from a full grown tree is expected to be about 60 kg with complete lopping having only the central leading shoot, 30 kg when the lower two third crown is lopped and 20 kg when the lower one third crown is lopped . The leaves are of high nutritive value . Feeding of the leaves during winter when no other green fodder is generally available in rain - fed areas is thus profitable . The pods have a sweetish pulp and are also used as fodder for livestock . </P>

Why there is low population in thar desert