Analysis of employment generated from small holder upland development projects in selected CBFMT (Community-Based Forest Management Agreement) sites

The employment generated along the CBFM activity chain starting from nursery establishment to marketing of forests products to project management was documented and analyzed. Specifically, the study aimed to: 1) review and analyze employment generation programs and policies, 2) identify and describe the various activities and the actors, their functions and skills involved in CBFM areas 3) document the actual conditions of employment, 4) identify and evaluate the impacts of CBFM projects on employment and income at the household and community levels, 5) identify issues, problems, and concerns, 6) estimate the level of employment generated by the CBFM project along the entire supply chain, and 7) come up with policy recommendations. A total sample of 20 People's Organizations awarded with varying areas of CBFM Projects were included in the study. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were done to attain the objectives of the study. Analysis of the various CBFM policy issuances showed that there are a list of policies and guidelines exist to support the CBFM program of the government both at the national, regional and provincial levels. However, many of these policies are unstable and conflicting. The major activities undertaken in a CBFM project were nursery establishment and development, plantation establishment and development, forest protection and maintenance, harvesting and processing, marketing, and project management. Analysis showed that the CBFM Project had employed a substantial number of PO members and non-PO members. The major employing activities are nursery establishment and plantation establishment and development. The impacts and influences of the CBFM projects on the human well-being of the upland communities were documented and evaluated following the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Framework. The CBFM implementation had clearly improved the incomes of the member-families by almost 100 percent. This indicated that the communities benefited from the development brought about by the CBFM program. An analysis of the income derived from the CBFM Project revealed that 60 percent of the aggregate income came from the highest income range of P180,000 and above. The average income for this bracket was P348,979. This would show that the officers and team leaders of the POs got the lion's share of the benefits. There appeared to be inequitable access and enjoyment of resources, opportunities and eventually material benefits generated by the CBFM Project. Human welfare analysis using the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Framework showed that CBFM participants had attained a certain degree of freedom from poverty. By technical standards, their incomes are still was below the poverty threshold. But their present income is a marked improvement over their benchmark income of P20,000 to P30,000 before they were awarded with the CBFM project. They have acquired several assets which were before uncommon to forest-dependent communities. Their communities were also beneficiaries of other community development projects like electrification, water service facility, barangay roads and barangay [village] offices. The issues and concerns identified by the study included: unstable, conflicting and changing CBFM policies, lack of viable income generating project (IGP) to support PO activities after the termination of foreign funding support, lack of financial assistance to livelihood and/or development projects, inadequate technical assistance and institutional support, and transparency in the hiring and employment of PO members and non-members. The results showed that in general the CBFM program was able to alleviate employment problems in the community especially during the Comprehensive Site Development Phase. Many PO members were employed. The benefits however were inequitably distributed as non-members were employed. The benefits however were inequitably distributed as non-PO members were seldom hired. Barangays not covered by the CBFM area were not eligible to participate in the project.