Community organizations and their potentials as partners for sustainable utilization and conservation of forest resources
2004
Shifferaw Dessie | Taye Bekele
Agricultural production, which is the main stay of the population of Ethiopia, could not cope with the rapid population growth. Therefore, people scratch their living through extensive agriculture at the expense of forestlands. Furthermore, the long lasted civil war, forest fires, mobilizing a large number of people to new areas far away from their relatives and without their consent and forced villagization programs launched during the military regime have contributed much to the depletion of forest resources. At present, huge investment schemes within and adjacent to natural forest areas also pose threats on the remaining forest resources. Therefore, to develop strategies and measures for the conservation of the forest genetic resources of Ethiopia, a socio-economic survey parallel to the woody plant inventory diversity study is being conducted in selected natural forest areas. The objectives of this socio-economic survey are to identify the diversity and actual uses of tree and shrub species, to investigate the major causes and effects of forest destruction, to find out people's priority species and gender issues. Special attention is also given in identifying appropriate and feasible community-based organizations that can be involved in the implementation of species level conservation. The methodology employed to conduct the survey was PRA (Participatory Rural appraisal), and the tools commonly used in the technique were deployed. Community-based organizations and beliefs that include Elders, Idirs, Idol worshipping, Burial grounds, Geda system, Orthodox Church and task-oriented structures have been identified in the course of the survey. These community-based organizations are believed to contribute much to forest resources conservation due to the fact that the system involves the community in planning, decision-making and benefit sharing and monitoring and evaluation.
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This bibliographic record has been provided by Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research