Community Forest Management in the Gambia
Case Study C0061
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| Date | 1998 |
| Agency | Government of the Gambia - Forest Department |
| Donor/support agency | European Commission Bilateral German Development Cooperation |
| Project type | Implemented by agency |
| Context(s) | Community conserved area |
| Geographic coverage | Gambia |
| Locality | N/A |
| Biodiversity focus | Ecosystem/Landscape |
| Development focus | Rural population of the Gambia |
| Conservation goals | Bring 200,000 ha of forest land under management by the rural population |
| Poverty reduction goals | Improve the livelihoods of Gambian rural population |
Summary
With almost 100 inhabitants/km2, the population density of the Gambia is very high by West African standards. At the same time, the country is located in the ecological 'buffer zone' of the Sahel. Its remaining dry forest resources are themselves threatened by massive degradation.
After a traditional forestry policy had been pursued for a long time in the Gambia, which placed the state at the centre of forest management and conservation, and left the population on the sidelines, a "paradigm shift" took place in the late eighties. It had become apparent that the state alone could not solve the structural problems of forest destruction, and that without a fundamental change of policy it would not be possible to significantly influence degradation of the ecological resource base in rural areas. Proceeding from the fact that, according to the traditional legal system, the villages possess a mandate to manage and utilise the natural resources in their respective area, it was planned to strengthen their vested interest in actively conserving the resource, and their access to its economic benefits. This was to be achieved through the instrument of an unlimited-term transfer of forest ownership guaranteed by the state.
The Technical Cooperation project "Promotion of the Gambian Forest Service", promoted by German Bilateral Development Cooperation, had been part of this change process since 1980, and initially had helped shape it as forest project on the ground. The positive experiences gained in activities to directly transfer management responsibility to the population ultimately led to "community forest management" becoming a pillar of the new forest policy strategy in the Gambia. This step was accompanied by comprehensive changes in the legal and institutional environments.
In 1991, the first management agreement between a village and the forest administration was concluded. Over 450 villages are now involved, with approx. 16,000 ha of forest land. The national quantitative target is to bring 200,000 ha under management by the rural population, a significant area in relatively small Gambia. The ecological and poverty-reducing potential of participatory forest management that goes beyond isolated solutions, and involves the population not just on a one-off basis, now becomes clearly evident. The beneficiaries of the structural changes generated are the rural population.
Conservation impact
Around 16,000 ha of forest land have been brought under management or protection measures via the instrument of "management agreements with communities". The key management instrument is fire protection and the incidence and extent of fires overall has diminished significantly. The instrument of fire protection also forms an important instrument of forest rehabilitation, by harnessing the natural regeneration potential of the dry forest.
Poverty reduction impact
450 villages are now involved in community forest management. The reduction in fire-induced losses achieved allows better macroeconomic utilisation of the productivity and potential value added of existing forest resources. For the first time, forest management is gaining monetary value for the rural population as a land-use form, and can thus compete with other land-use forms. Community forest management has also stimulated the development of new sources of income in immediately adjacent sectors, e.g. the emergence of private nurseries. The rural population have gained fresh scope for action to effectively assert vis-à-vis third parties their interests and claims concerning the utilisation and control of natural resources. As management competence has been transferred to local communities, a diversification of management institutions has been set in motion. This process is harnessing productively the organisation and management potentials that exist within the population and developing them further.
Strategy for Conservation/Poverty Linkages
Devolution or reinstatement of local rights over/access to resources
Reference 1
http://www.undp.org/seed/pei/share/forest.html
More information
http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/60/Gambia.html
ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/004/X6808E/
http://www.crdfp.org/fd.htm#FM
Friederike.v. Stieglitz, Wirkungsanalyse Soziale Waldwirtschaft; Wald-Info 24, GTZ, Eschborn, March 1999
Related records above this one:
- European Commission (EC) (Organisation O0160)