participatory community forest management in the gambia

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Empowering Communities through

Participatory forest management in the Gambia

Hatab Camara: National Coordinator, Market Analysis andDevelopment on Forest Products and Services

National Stakeholders Workshop Organized by GlobalUnification

24th to 25th February 2011


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Country profile

sub-tropical country in West Africa total land area of app. 10 689 km2

human population of about 1.4 million population density 132/km2

population growth rate of 2.8 %

sudano-sahelian climate type

rainfall average of about 900mm (June-October) bushfire season from November to May

Mainstreaming community-based forest enterprise

development :The Gambian Experience


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development: The Gambian Experience

Over view of forest sector

By the end of colonial era, forest cover was closedof Guinea-savanna type.

66 forest park (7%) were demarcated and gazette

85% of the population depends on wood forenergy and construction materials

sector officially offers 1% to the GDP due to

limited reliable data on utility (domestic use,imports and exports) including employmentopportunities


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Constraints of the forestry sector

Frequent bush fires

Limited financial and human resources

Over grazing and soil compaction leading to deforestation

Forest clearance for agricultural expansions

Indiscriminate tree felling for fuel wood, timber productionand other products

Ill-designed infrastructural projects (housing and road works)

Drought (soil desiccation)

Population explosion with grave poverty




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Finding solution to forestry constraints

policy 1995 - 2005 reviewed to 2006 - 2016

legislative review (1998)

Community Forestry (CF) programme 1980

Participatory Forest Management 2000

Gambia Forest Communication Concept

Forest Enterprise Development (Nov, 2000)


development : The Gambian Experience


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CF Phases CF Community responsibilities Benefits and rights for the

communities

Start-up Identification of the proposed CF areaForming a forest management committee

By-law formation

Application for a Preliminary Community Forest

Management Agreement

Traditional customary access to

none commercial forest uses

Implemen-

tation

(PCFMA)

CF

Consoli-

dation

(CFMA)

Elaborating a preliminary management plan

Plan implementation and monitoring

Final demarcation of the CF area

Develop a 5-year forest management plan;

Protect the proposed Community Forest and

other surrounding forests from bush fires and

other illegal forest product exploitation;

Application for CFMA

Establish every five years a management plan

and annual work plans;

Protect the CF and surrounding forest areas;

Collection of forest products for

private consumption,

Have processed wood or round logs

from clear felling in creating fire

breaks,

Access to fruits and other

perishable non-wood products

Ownership right over the CF

Harvesting of timber and fire wood

for commercial purposes according

to the management plan

Communityforestry process




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Need for forest enterprise development

Providing economic incentives (through marketing of

products and services) to the communities to promote

sustainable forest management

Complement government poverty reduction interventions

and strategies

Gender consideration (women involvement)




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Piloting and Implementation of Market Analysis andDevelopment (MA&D)

Initial support of GGFP & FAO:

First introductory training MA&D in 2000, attended byGambia in Rome

2001 to 2004: piloting of MA&D in 22 community forestsnation wide through FAO TCP/GAM/2904

Forestry Department of The Gambia adopted the approachas part of its regular programme.




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Creation of legislative and policy frameworks

Revision of Forest Policy and Regulations (taxation);

Strategic alliance-building

Networking between interest groups

Inter-sectoral collaboration in capacity building andresource mobilization

Institutional alignment

Appointment of MA&D focal point in the ForestryDirectorate

Curriculum Development on MA&D in Forestry School

Review of the PFM Guidelines to incorporate MA&D issues




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Mainstreaming community-based forest enterprisedevelopment : The Gambian Experience

What is Market Analysis and Development

The goal of MA&D is to assist localpeople in developing income-

generating enterprises whileconserving tree and forest resources.

The main strength of the MA&D process is

its inclusion of social and environmentalconcerns alongside the technological,commercial and financial considerations of

products/services.


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The MA&D approach Includes several well-known tools that have

been adapted in order to focus on marketingaspects:

Resource mapping Livelihood analysis Production calendar

Venn diagrams

Analysis of marketing channels, and activityprofiling. They also include financial tools thatdefine and project economic viability,including calculation of profit and loss.


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MA&D helps Local people To be responsive as they develop their enterprises. The information

gathered at each step of the process can be used to make decisionsbefore proceeding to next step

Why do MA&D ? The MA&D supports the development of small,

natural resource-based enterprises and because ofits focus on ecological sustainability; it is especiallyapplicable to enterprise based on resources that

need to be protected.


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Who Benefits?

1. ENTREPRENEURS Local entrepreneur are people who use their tree and forest

products for generating income, not just for subsistence. Theycan be producers, manufacturers and/or traders. 2.

2.FIELD STAFF, FACILITATORS AND PLANNERS Using MA&D enables field staff, facilitators and planners to

integrate social and resource management issues into their

work with local people.

3. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND DEVELOPMENTORGANISATIONS

MA&D reduces the risk of time and funds being spent onunsuccessful enterprise development. It is a cost-effective

process that assists in the development of viable enterprise


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MA&D promotes four important aspects ofdevelopment:

1. Sustainability: Resource sustainability, Marketsustainability, Social/Institutional sustainability,Technical sustainability

2. PARTICIPATION The community members developing enterprises are the

main decision-makers3. CAPACITY BUILDING

MA&D focuses on capacity building and strengtheninginstitutions at the local level in order to provide thesupport of local people need.

4. STRATEGIC ALLIANCES MA&D relies heavily on the formation of strategic

alliances with other actors..


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MA&D Process

The MA&D Process is carried out in three consecutive phases:Phase 1: Assess the existing situation (6 steps) OUTPUTS A shortlist of products/services understanding of the social, environmental, and technical constraints

of a range of products/ services; formation of a team of target group members to undertake

Phase 2. PHASE 2: IDENTIFY PRODUCTS, MARKETS AND MEANSOF MARKETING OUTPUTS (3 steps)

Identification of the most promising products/services and gatheringof information for the design of business plans;

formation of interest groups for the selected products/services; formation of a team of target group members to undertake Phase 3.


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MA&D Process

PHASE 3 PLAN ENTERPRISE FORSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Enterprise Development Plan ( book)

OUTPUTS Formulation of an enterprise strategy for the

selected products/services; development of an action plan; financing as specified in the capital needs

statement; and the implementation of amonitoring and planning system.


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Impact of MA&D

ECOLOGICAL IMPACT

MA&D has increased the acceptance of the local communities to

protect their local forest by preventing and fighting fires Increased consciousness about forest utilization methods

Increased environmental knowledge and awareness

Reduction in illegal forest utilization

Link extraction rate to the scale of the resource

Shift focus to lesser known forest products e.g. palm fronds inCRR

A total of 2150 ha of forest cover is under sustainablemanagement


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Impact of MA&D

SOCIAL IMPACTS

Increased consideration of gender aspects Realization of the benefit of working together, promotes synergy of efforts Reduced friction between stakeholders Target communities conducted market survey, collect and exchange

required business information Enterprise Development Plans (EDP) developed/established by interest

group (IG) Learning skills in enterprise for benefit of communities Creation of Economic Grouping (JATIFIF) as platform for information

exchange

Creation of economic incentives for local forest users Employment opportunities e.g. handicraft, logs and timber marketing and

other interest groups.


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MA&D Impact

ECONOMIC IMPACT

Forestry sectors contribution to povertyreduction through the transfer of forest

resource ownership and utilizationresponsibilities to the rural communities.The MA&D approach serves a practicalmeans to accomplish that goal. The tableshows the extent of the economic activitiesimplemented by the Interest Group;


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Net profit from the sales 2006-07

Region Timber Fuel wood Logs Eco-tourism

Honey Handicraft Forestfruits

Western D128,000 D676,000 D220,000 D180,000 D17,800 - D7600

LowerRiver

D25,295 D31,247 D30,850 - D54,729 D9591

CentralRiver

D36,005 D36,500


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Lessons Learnt

Policy Context The local Government Act, pass in 2002 out line the

responsibilities of Regional Institutions

Promote Community participation in micro-projectplanning and implementation of local resources

Eliminate the competition generated through the illegalexploitation of state Forest

Proper monitoring of enforcement procedures Government commitment to adapt existing policy to

assist participatory forest approach


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Lessons Learnt

Participatory Approach The Community Forest Committee takes the lead in

decision making

Training the direct actors will keep a life long to theenterprise development

Representatives from each Community ForestCommittee have played a key role during all steps of

activities


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Lessons Learnt

Capacity building through diversification Community-based enterprise development requires

multi-sectoral approach

Empowering Communities with skills necessary tomanage and utilize their Forest resources

Is a need to build the capacity of all parties

Entrepreneurial and management skills are often

traditionally lacking.

C l i t i d l t


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Conclusion on enterprise development

mainstreaming

increase awareness & benefits from forest resources

improve community entrepreneurship & technical skills

ensure community participation in resource mgt.

increase attention to gender issues by facilitating the

involvement of women in marketing forest products

foster effective linkages between institutions

promote strategic alliances between all stakeholders(communities, government, private and NGOs)

focus on addressing poverty alleviation issues


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participatory community forest management in the gambia

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