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Tropical Forest Research Network |
GLOBAL FOREST MANAGEMENT DECISIONS AND THE LOCAL USE OF FOREST RESOURCES IN KENYA: EXPLORING THE LINK
By Wario R. Adano and Karen Witsenburg
Over 20 institutions and departments in Kenya are concerned with environmental issues and over 50 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were engaged in environmental activities in Kenya by 1999. The importance of NGOs in environmental activities has grown over the past few years. Their forest conservation efforts and those of local communities are hindered rather than supported by the Kenyan government, which has control over forest resources and legal excisions of protected forest areas. Forest excision or the removal of Kenyan forests from environmental protection, has a powerful effect on local and international forest conservation efforts, making supportive law unrealistic. The recently planned excision of over 680 km2 (about 10%) of the country's forest cover was not in the general interest. This decision contravenes the government's commitment to safeguard the environment and has serious consequences for the availability of forest products, the protection of vital water catchment areas and biodiversity conservation. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have started lobbying against such a move.
Forest conservation in Kenya is also challenged by widespread poverty and poor economic performance. A specific aspect of this is the use of wood fuel. Over 80% of the Kenya's population depends on wood fuel (firewood and/or charcoal) for their domestic energy needs and most of it comes from forests, woodlands and shrub lands. Government policies do not, however, recognise the problem of wood fuel as a cause of deforestation and the link between deforestation and the demand for wood products is poorly understood (Mbugua, 2000). One of the questions addressed in our study therefore refers to the effects on local communities of national and international organisations' forestry interventions and conservation initiatives.
'Global' financing of
forestry conservation and local level benefits
We conducted research in a small forest (about 152 km2) in northern Kenya which
serves as a water catchment and which is home to 350 elephants, buffaloes and
many bird species. This forest supports arable farming by over 37 000 people,
involving an estimated 80 000 head of livestock. Population growth and the economic
situation are the main determinants of demand for forest products like firewood
and charcoal, increasing pressure on the forest.
Forest products contribute significantly to local production and income, especially for the relatively poor. The forest products also diversify the livelihoods of people living in close proximity to forested areas, contributing 25% of the rural households' income in an average year. During extended periods of drought, the sale of forest products becomes more important when other sources of income fall short. Population growth and the reduced availability of forest products means extra labour time for collection is required, with the burden of harvesting falling on women and girls. The selective harvest of indigenous tree species of high market value and removal of the vegetation cover at 1.5% annually has also been noted (GTZ/MDP, 1997). Yet the centrally determined permit fee system at national level and forest policing to regulate resource use are far removed from the economic circumstances that rural households face with regard to the forest products they need.
Planting trees and promoting energy-saving devices are approaches commonly used to reduce local demand for forest resources. However, forestry projects take several years to yield returns on investment. Moreover, it is no straightforward matter to evaluate efforts of local NGOs at community level in measurable terms beyond the term of the project. However, one goal of a local NGO intervention was to install energy-saving devices (Bellerive stoves) in order to conserve the forest by encouraging reduced consumption of trees for firewood and to relieve pressure on the forest for fuel wood. The project helped to install energy-efficient stoves in schools, hotels (the main consumers of wood fuel) and households. The natural resource component of conservation of fuel wood accounted to only 6.3% of the total project cost. The comparison of fuelwood consumption before and after the installation of energy-saving stoves reduced the amount of fuel energy consumed by 64%, on average, and costs of firewood collection by about 63% by schools. The stoves achieved an overall 10% saving in wood fuel consumption by hotels. The stoves also cut household expenditures on firewood by 40%, and reduced fuel wood consumption and saved energy collection efforts by about 50% in the community. It is clear from the evidence that the energy-saving devices score highly in terms of reducing costs and creating savings on fuel consumption and collection time .
Conclusion
Forest conservation efforts in Kenya face a number of challenges, such as the
threat of government initiatives designed to convert forests to other land uses
and the lack of political will to implement the policies and existing regulatory
measures. The government does not recognise customary rights in forest management.
Local NGOs face the difficulty of creating new institutions that are sustainable beyond the term of the project. They lack the legal basis on which to base their concern, which indicates a lack of a connection between national forestry policy and local initiatives. Despite the criticisms levelled against globalisation, increasing inequality and exploitation of workers, the results of our study show increasing integration of the local economies into international markets and local partnerships in forest conservation that bring benefits to the rural poor, especially women who are the main actors in forest product exploitation. Currently, while working within the confinement of existing forestry laws, there is need to work towards effective forest and woodland management solutions, particularly as regards long-term policy.
There is no evidence of community involvement in the decision-making process of forestry conservation. The lack of involvement of forest-adjacent population groups and other stakeholders in conservation decisions remains the main challenge facing the forest conservation movement in Kenya. The decentralisation of certain forest decisions and the empowerment of local communities need to be matched with demand for forest resources. Another concern pertains to the influence of wealth differences on forest use. Without a special focus, the very poor are likely to be excluded.
Further information:
Wario R. Adano and Karen Witsenburg
Amsterdam Research Institute for Global Issues and Development (AGIDS), University
of Amsterdam
Nieuwe Prinsengracht 130
1018 VZ Amsterdam
The Netherlands
E-mail: w.adano@frw.uva.nl; k.witsenburg@frw.uva.nl