Community forestry frameworks in sub-Saharan Africa and the impact on sustainable development

Community based forest management (CBFM) has been implemented in Africa since the 1980s. Three main objectives, which are currently part of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), underlie the formation of CBFM. They are (1) enhancing community engagement in forest management, (2) reducing rural p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecology and society 2018-12, Vol.23 (4), p.21, Article art21
Main Authors: Duguma, Lalisa A., Atela, Joanes, Ayana, Alemayehu N., Alemagi, Dieudonne, Mpanda, Mathew, Nyago, Moses, Minang, Peter A., Nzyoka, Judith M., Foundjem-Tita, Divine, Ngo Ntamag-Ndjebet, Cécile
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa
community based forest management
Community development
Community involvement
Conservation
Forest conservation
Forest management
Forest resources
Forestry
Forests
Implementation
Literature reviews
Poverty
Resource conservation
Resource management
Rural areas
Rural communities
Rural poverty
Scientific papers
Studies
Sustainable development
sustainable development goals
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Summary:Community based forest management (CBFM) has been implemented in Africa since the 1980s. Three main objectives, which are currently part of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), underlie the formation of CBFM. They are (1) enhancing community engagement in forest management, (2) reducing rural poverty, and (3) promoting forest resources conservation. We examine CBFM frameworks in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and CBFM schemes’ contribution to selected sustainable development goals relevant to the forestry sector. Five SSA countries, Ethiopia, Kenya, Cameroon, Uganda, and Tanzania were chosen for the study because of their long-term engagement in CBFM. The analysis was based on desk review of literature from Web of Science™, Scopus, and Google Scholar™, and interviews with individuals representing institutions leading CBFM implementation in the countries selected. We found countries were strong in devising policy and legal provisions and articulating formalities for establishing CBFM. Major weaknesses were observed in monitoring CBFM performance, benefit sharing, and product management. The analysis of CBFM schemes’ contribution to SDGs was largely positive, though with several cases of no considerable impact and few reports of negative impacts. The contributions of CBFM schemes to SDGs was constrained by weaknesses in the CBFM frameworks. Enhancing CBFM schemes contribution to SDGs requires addressing the major weaknesses observed in the CBFM frameworks.
ISSN:1708-3087
1708-3087
DOI:10.5751/ES-10514-230421