**1.3 The rationale, goal, purpose and objectives of the CFM process in Uganda**

Sustainable management of forest resources in Uganda has remained a challenge to forest managers and policy makers because the population is highly dependent on them for timber, agriculture, energy production and other non-timber forest products (Turyahabwe & Tweheyo, 2010). In addition, forest agencies responsible for forest management have been unsuccessfully in their effort to sustainably manage forests due to breakdown in law and order, ineffective rules and inadequate funding to manage forest resources (Banana et al., 2007). Since most of the forest reserves are small and scattered over a large area, the governmental lacks both financial and human resource to monitor the use of the resources (Buyinza & Nabalegwa, 2007). Therefore, in the current forest policy, there has been a shift of control of forest resources, especially those outside protected areas from state controlled to community level in an attempt to improve management (Kugonza et al., 2009). CFM was viewed as the one approach to achieving improved and more efficient management of the country's forest estate. The rationale behind CFM approach include: (i) a recognition that

Collaborative Forest Management in Uganda:

Benefits, Implementation Challenges and Future Directions 57

thus gives ownership of resources to the people while government holds the resources in trust for all citizens. The 1995 Constitution of Uganda also incorporated decentralisation into the directives of the national policy (Government of Uganda [GOU] 1995, 1997). The government of Uganda views participation of local people and community based organisations in forest management as a practical and equitable alternative to traditional top-down approaches to forest management (MWLE 2002). It is believed that actors and agencies with grassroots experience such as NGOs and CBOs will mediate participation of

Following the enactment of the Resistance Councils and Committees Statute in 1987, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government of Uganda embarked on the process of devolution of power to the district councils including the management of natural resources. In 1993, the Local Government Statute was passed and as a result some powers and responsibilities to manage forest resources were transferred from the central to local government authorities (GOU, 1993). This was further emphasised by passing of the National Environment Act (1995) and the Local Government Act of 1997 (Government of Uganda 1995, 1997). Along with other public service functions, the objectives for decentralising forestry were to: (i) enhance the role of local government with more developed responsibility to plan and implement forestry activities; (ii) reduce the burden on public finances by empowering local government to outsource financial resources and manage forestry activities; and (iii) encourage participation of local communities and farmers in the management of forest resources. The current 2001 Forestry Policy envisages that government will promote innovative approaches to community participation in forest management on both government and private forestlands and this is intended to provide a balance between the protectionist approach to forest management and open access to forest resources that may be destructive. The development of Collaborative Forest Management is intended to define the rights, roles and responsibilities of partners and provide a basis for sharing benefits from improved forest management. Therefore the CFM process is guided

The 2001 National Forestry Policy for Uganda emphasizes government commitment to "promote innovative approaches to community participation in forest management on both government and private forest land" (MWLE, 2001). The Policy puts a strong emphasis on public involvement especially, forest adjacent communities, and benefit from sustainable forest management, including the application of CFM. It says in part: "Collaborative Forest Management will define the rights, roles and responsibilities of partners and the basis for sharing benefits from improved management. There will be a specific focus on wide stakeholder participation, collective responsibility and equity and on improving the

The National Forestry and Tree Planting Act (2003) lay out a legal framework for the development of CFM agreements for various categories of forest reserves in Uganda (GOU, 2003). Section 15 of the Act says that one or more responsible bodies may enter into a CFM arrangement with the Central or Local Government for the purpose of the management of the whole or part of a Central or Local Forest Reserve in accordance with generally acceptable principles of forest management as may be prescribed in guidelines issued by the Minister. A responsible body refers to a body appointed to manage, maintain and control a forest reserve and includes; the National Forestry Authority, a Local Council, a Local

local authorities and their institutions in sustainable forest management.

by principles that partners have to adhere to (Box 1).

livelihoods of forest dependent communities".

**2.2 Policy principles and opportunities specific to CFM** 

forest reserves can only be adequately managed if cooperation of forest adjacent communities is obtained; (ii) a desire to overcome conflicts with neighbouring communities; (iii) a desire to create opportunities for local people to contribute towards protection ad rehabilitation of forest resources thus reducing the costs of management; (iv) a philosophical commitment to human rights and thus to fair and equitable treatment of communities living adjacent to forest to forest reserves that they have traditionally utilised for products and services; (v) a mechanism for supporting sustainable forest based livelihoods in poor rural communities; (vi) an awareness that forest reserves are decreasing while human population is increasing; and (vii) a move towards participatory approaches and decentralised governance in natural resources management.

The goal of CFM is to contribute to the overall goal of the National Forestry Authority in sustainable forest management. The purpose is to enhance sustainable forest management through the active participation of interested parties. The specific objectives are to improve forest management through: (a) reduced costs (fairer distribution of the costs of management); (b) fairer distribution of benefits, responsibilities, decision-making authority in management; (c) reduction of conflicts over resource use; (d) creating awareness about benefits of forests; (e) creating a sense of ownership over forest resources; (f) sharing knowledge and skills (both FD and community sharing with one another; and (g) keeping abreast with trends in the rest of the world.
