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James Mayers International Institute for Environment and Development July 2006. Why? Because:. Forestry can do more for poverty reduction and sustainable livelihoods (role of timber exports here is specific but small)
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James Mayers International Institute for Environment and Development July 2006
Why? Because: • Forestry can do more for poverty reduction and sustainable livelihoods (role of timber exports here is specific but small) • Governance – who gets to decide what – is a vital focus for progress on: • Social justice– righting past wrongs • Tactics– making new policies actually work
Forest governance learning group An independent alliance sharing and spreading learning on how to make forest governance work • Inception 2003-04: Ghana, Uganda, Mali, Niger, Mozambique, Malawi, South Africa • 2005-09: deepening and extending – to Cameroon, India, Indonesia, Vietnam
Four targets • Macro-planning frameworks (PRSPs, NFPs, decentralisation programmes)enable improved forest governance • Illegal and corrupt forestry that degrades livelihoods reduced • Forestry enterprise initiatives and associations spread better governance • Locally controlled forestry through strengthened rights and management
Three elements in each country • Small ad-hoc group of “governance-connected” individuals • Group challenged by policy research on issues facing those marginalized by governance • Practical guidance, tools, learning events and opportunistic action
FGLG partners • IIED coordinates • Savcor-Indufor Finland, LTSI UK, Regional Community Forestry Training Center Thailand • SOS Sahel - Niger • Civic Response - Ghana • Forestry South Africa • Univ E. Mondlane & Terra Firma – Mozambique • Centre for Dev Mgmt & Forestry Dept – Malawi • Advocates Coalition for Dev & Env – Uganda • Center for Int Forest Research – Cameroon • Centre for People’s Forestry – India • Inspirit & Multi-S’holder Forestry Prog – Indonesia • Forestry Dept - Vietnam
Progress to date • 8 country-based groups active - beginning to have impact • 2 more starting - Vietnam and Cameroon • 12 policy research outputs – original research by group participants – on CD • International outreach (10+ meetings) and & cooperation (12+ programmes) • 8 tools for groups marginalized by governance – 4 languages, website & print
Ghana • Major innovations like competitive bidding, forestry customer service centres. But bad implementation and abuse of law – FGLG showed most timber is illegal, losing $100million/year revenue, time-bomb ticking at local level • Group work fuels new alliances of civil society, parliamentarians, individuals in government and companies – on social justice in forestry is focus – • Engage, shape and support: Voluntary Partnership Agreementprocess between EC and Ghana to ensure that EC imports only verified legally sourced timber from Ghana; and Forest Voices Project – rights-focused local forest management initiative run by NGOs
South Africa • Small-scale forestry focus • Land tenure and redistribution • Alternative business models • Key targets: • Small Forest Enterprises Support Policy • Charter for Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment in forest sector • Department of Trade and Industry strategy
Niger • New Rural Code - recognises right of local control of forest resources • Think-pieces on corruption, local NRM conventions and transfers of authority • Key targets: • Cooperation amongst government “big hitters” • Land tenure commissions which also deal with forest governance
Mozambique • Timber tracking and control • Small and medium production and processing in Cabo Delgado • Company-community deals • Public debates, radio broadcasts, parliamentarian working groups • Key targets: • FGLG fuels National Forest Forum
Uganda • Land and resource access • Corruption in forestry • Legal support for collaborative forest management • Policy dialogues and radio talk-shows • Key targets: • Poverty Eradication Action Programme and Environment and Natural Resources Sector Investment Plan • Giving life to District Forestry Services
Malawi • Local forest control and service provision • Charcoal and tobacco fuelwood production • Press clubs and media debates • Key targets: • Engagement with tobacco industry and big charcoal traders • Local by-laws
Tools – to date • Avante consulta! Effective consultation • Organising pitsawyers to engage • Good, average, bad: law in action • Improving forest justice • People's law: ideas for resource rights campaigners • Targeting livelihoods evidence • Independent forest monitoring: a tool for social justice? • Local government accountability
The coming year • 10 country group participants increasingly active and integrated • International synthesis of key issues in local land tenure, resource access and impact of governance processes • ‘Small forestry enterprise for local development’ (& considering ‘pro-poor timber’) UK TFF – 26-27 September 2006 at Kew Gardens • ‘Social justice in forestry’ - cross-country learning event for participants in all FGLG sub-groups. 28-30 November 2006 in Uganda
Websites www.policy-powertools.org www.iied.org