Asia Dialogue on Community Forest and Property Rights

in the Context of Climate Change 11 – 12 August 2010 Kathmandu, Nepal

An Overview of Community Forestry in Asia Yam Malla

Executive Director

RECOFTC - The Center for People and Forests Bangkok, Thailand

Key Message

  The concept and practice of CF is real   Social movement, calling for a paradigm shift   New dimension to forest management & govern.   One of the most appropriate strategies for SFM   State gain most thru CF but it is the local

communities which hold the key

  Local and indigenous people involvement   Customary systems - hundreds of million ha of forests   Private farmlands – millions of farmers   State sponsored CF – millions of ha of forests

The Case for Community Forestry

Historical Periods of Community Forestry

1950sForestNationalization

Jakarta 1978

Rio 1992

UNMillenniumSummit2000

Bali2007

ClimateChangeStructuralAdjust.

to‘MDGs’‘ForestsforPeople’

‘State’asanAgentofChange

FallofFeudalSystemsandColonialism

Community Forestry Themes Over Time

Transformation, technology transfer,

Redistribution with growth, basic needs energy crisis

Structural adjustment, free market

Environment and sustainability, poverty reduction

Sustainable livelihoods; good governance; decentralization and devolution

Forest industries, resettlement and export of timber

Fuel wood, impacts of deforestation,’ forests and people’

Projects, subsistence needs, forest farming systems

Socio-economic dimensions, 2nd generation projects

Environment, livelihoods, governance, climate change, rights

Regulatory Framework for CF in Asia Country CF Policy, Law & Field Implementation Guideline

Cambodia CF policy (2002), CF law (2003), CF imp. guide (2005)

China Collective for. reform (1980s); further reform (2003)

India JFM policy (1989), JFM act (1991), tribal forest bill (2006)

Indonesia License to villages (1997), SF (2003), CF (2007)

Lao PDR VF in 20 year for. strat. (2005), NTFP law customary rights

Nepal CF rules (1978), forest master plan (1989), new forest act (1993), CF implementation. guide (1995)

Philippines FSC for communities (1986), CBFM (1990s), Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (1997)

Thailand CF program (1980s), national constitution - people’s rights to forests (1997), CF Bill (2006)

Vietnam SF & CF projects (1990s), CF law (2003), CF imp. guide (2005)

Changes in Institutional Landscapes [national, sub-national & local levels]

Country Government CF Organizations

CF Grassroots Organization

Cambodia CF Unit CF groups

China Collective Forest Unit Collective forest users

India JFM Cell Forest Protection committee

Indonesia SF Division SF and CF groups

Nepal Community & Private Forestry Div.

Forest user groups

Philippines CBFM Division CBFM groups

Thailand Bureau of CF CF groups

Vietnam CF Unit CF groups

State Forests Handed Over to Local Communities

Country Forests handed over CF groups

Cambodia 143789 ha 176 groups

China 8 provinces forest allocation -

H-holds - 69.1% of the total

India 17,331,955 million ha under JFM

84,632 forest protection groups

Indonesia 158,000 ha leased out to local groups

NA

Nepal 1.2 million ha (25% of total) 14,500 FUGs 1.6 million h-holds (35% of total)

Philippines 5.97 million ha 5,503 groups (690,687 h-holds)

Thailand 196,990 ha (1.16% of total). 5,300 groups (0.7% of total)

Vietnam 2,348,000 ha 1,203 User Groups

CF Supporting Institutions at Regional and Global Levels

Impact of Community Forestry Impact on forest landscapes

  Forest health & wildlife habitat   Enhanced biodiversity, tree density & plant species   Return of wild animals & birds to CF   Reduced forest fires & illegal logging in CF

1968 2005

Impact of Community Forestry

Income and other benefits from CF   Increased and regular flow of forest products   Increased cash flow

  In Nepal, an assessment of 1288 FUGs in 12 districts across Nepal and extrapolated to all FUGs shows:

  US$10 million/annum (42% of the govt. forest budget).   US$24 million/annum – with forest products used for

subsistence are taken into account

Community Forestry and Poorer Households Example from Nepal (Pokharel et al., 2009)

ITEMS 2000 2006 2008

Grant (NRs ‘000) None 17 149

Soft loan (NRs ‘000) None 174 506

Timber (cubic feet) None 3233 6096

Land (households) None 181 369

Area of land (ha) None 185 401

Scholarship (number) None 14 154

Enterprise (shareholder) None 601 NA

Employment (person / year) None 174 209

Community Forestry and Village Development Example from Nepal (Chapagain and Banjade, 2009)

 CF income supported a range of village dev. activities

 Roads, school building, drinking water, irrigation schemes, etc.

Community Forestry and Broader Dev. Objectives

  Rural dev. goal and process  Rural social change   Local people as agents of

change  Reach out to excluded

people

  Decentralization & devolution  Authority on resource to

forest users

Community Forestry and Broader Dev. Objectives

  Public participation  Millions of grassroots

people  Participatory tools and

techniques

  Improved forest governance   Checks and balances

Community Forests and Property Rights

 Forest (not land) handed over to local communities for use as “common property”

 Time allowed vary from 15 years (Cambodia) to indefinite period (Nepal)

 State remains the legal owner of both the forest and land

Community Forests and Climate Change   CC strategies must

harness local people’s skills and knowledge

  CF a key element of REDD

  Build on 25 years of CF

  New incentives, focus on ‘grassroots s/holders

  Do no harm

Thank You