Collective forest land certification granted to 34 Forest Management Groups in Ethiopia
Dowa’s Forest Management Group is currently implementing their plan by crafting their own independent internal regulation that the members are abided by. This kind of community organization is new in the area, and so far progress is impressive. The members of the FMG show high ownership of the group, and are very motivated to implement the action plan and forest conservation. The sivi-culture training provided by leaders of the woreda Forest Management Agreement has increased communities’ capacity to prepare annual action plans based on the management plan and to undertake forest enhancement activities.
The Development Fund Norway and its partners are working to establish and implement community-based forest management model. The Participatory Forest Management model (PFM) is a forest management system whereby local communities living near or in a forest estate are voluntarily organized into some form of community based organizations and enters into Forest Management Agreements (FMA) the State. The FMA defines the communities’ rights and responsibilities, and incorporates forest user rights, defining restrictions and types of use. PFM transfers forest management responsibility from a government body to local communities that live near or in the forest. It permits communities to regulate their own use of forest and ensures their right to use the forest in sustainable way that enables them to maintain their livelihood.
Having recognized Dowa’s Forest Management Group’s efforts and commitment to improve the forest conditions, the Anderacha woreda agriculture office has provided collective forest land certification for the Dowa FMG and 33 other FMGs. This has increased the level and feeling of ownership among the members of FMG, which drives higher motivation to invest more in management of the forest resources and maintenance of forest to increase its carbon storage capacity, and thereby tackling climate change and providing better environmental conditions. The national collective forest land certification is only practiced in the area where the REPAFAMA project intervenes.