community perspectives on participatory forest managment. the case of chilimo participatory forest management scheme in Ethiopia.
2006
Alemayehu Negassa and wiersum,K.F.(Researchers)
The ineffectiveness of centralized forest management approach triggered participatory forest management programme in Ethio0pia. The new scheme aims to ensure sustainable forest management while improving the livelihood of forest-local communities. This paper evaluates the level of community participation. It examines how institutional factors influence participation. Multi-stage stratified random sampling techniques were used to select respondents and informants from ten forest management units. Data were collected using individual in-depth interview, participant observation and random pot sampling. These data were analyzed through descriptive statistical method and content analysis. The study revealed that the Chilimo participatory forest management programme has made an important progress in stimulating community involvement in resource management and has improved the condition of forest resources. However, the conditions regarding participation are not yet optimal. In the first place, socio-economic household conditions and ambiguity about membership criteria were affecting the level of participation. Secondly, 88% of the respondents were suspicious or skeptical about the continuity of the new scheme. Frequent political changes and the associated shift in property rights as well as the ineffectiveness of the legal system to protect community rights gave way to distrust in the continuity of the scheme. The study emphasized that to make participatory resource management effective and sustainable, the intra-community dynamics and sustained access to the resources should be properly assessed and addressed. Moreover, the process of decision-making and control has to be legitimate transparent and accountable in order that members can trust that rules and regulations are upheld their interest is protected.
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