Forestry Department. Forest Management Working Paper. Multi-stakeholder forest management: A case from the humid zone in Ghana.

Transcription

1 Forestry Department Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Forest Management Working Paper Multi-stakeholder forest management: A case from the humid zone in Ghana Based on work by Dominic Blay Forestry Research Institute of Ghana University Box 63, Kumasi, Ghana April 2007 Forest Resources Development Service Forest Management Division Forestry Department Working Paper FM/32 FAO, Rome (Italy)

2 DISCLAIMER The Forest Management Working Papers report on issues addressed in the work programme of FAO. These working papers do not reflect any official position of FAO. Please refer to the FAO website ( for official information. The purpose of these papers is to provide early information on ongoing activities and programmes, facilitate dialogue and stimulate discussion. Comments and feedback are welcome. For further information please contact: Mr Froylán Castañeda Forestry Officer (Tropical Forest Management) Forest Resources Development Service Forest Management Division Forestry Department FAO Viale delle Terme di Caracalla I Rome (Italy) Or FAO Publications and Information Forestry Coordinator: For quotation: FAO (2007). Multi stakeholder forest management: a case from the humid zone in Ghana. Based on the work by Dominic Blay, Forestry Research Institute of Ghana. Forest Management Working Paper FM/32. Forest Resources Development Service, Forest Management Division. FAO, Rome (unpublished). FAO 2007 ii

3 Forest Management Working Paper Multi-stakeholder forest management: A case from the humid zone in Ghana Based on work by Dominic Blay Forestry Research Institute of Ghana University Box 63, Kumasi, Ghana April 2007 iii

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5 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS...vi PREFACE... 1 SUMMARY INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Multi-stakeholder management in Ghana Summarized information about the forest DETAILS OF THE PROJECT Project vision and mission Goal Developmental objective Specific objectives Project strategies Stake-holders and their responsibilities Project Area METHODOLOGY Development of concept and proposal Phases of the project Stakeholders consultations and outcomes Implementation of field activities RESULTS ASSESSMENT OF THE PROJECT FOR SUSTAINABILITY SUCCESS AND SHORTCOMINGS OF THE PROJECT Reasons for success Shortcomings LESSONS LEARNT CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY...21 APPENDIX 1: Map of southern Ghana showing the project site...22 APPENDIX 2: Pictures showing various participative forest management activities...23 APPENDIX 3: Training manual on on farm forest resource assessment for farmers...25 v

6 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS CARE CBFM CFM DANIDA/PSP DKK DLH Dbh FCG FD FIMP FRMP FSD GAP JFM NTFP ODA PRSP PSD An international humanitarian organization working in Ghana Community-based forest management Collaborative Forest Management Danish International Development Authority/Private Sector Programme Danish kroner A private timber company based in Denmark Diameter at breast height Forestry Commission of Ghana Forestry Department of Ghana Forest Inventory Management Project Forest Resources Management Project Forestry Services Division of the Forestry Commission (formerly Forestry Department) Ghana Primewood Products Limited- A private timber company in Ghana Joint forest management Non timber forest products British Overseas Development Agency (now UK Department of International Development ) Poverty reduction strategies Private sector development vi

7 PREFACE Multi-stakeholder forest management, or collaborative forest management as it is known in Ghana, has been an initiative of the Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission of Ghana since This initiative was emphasised as a policy in the Forest Wildlife Policy of Collaboration was described by the Forestry Department (FD) in 1993 as any form of interaction between local people and the Forestry Department which enhances the management of the resource and improves the flow of benefits of local people (CFMU, 1993). While this was meant to have been an arrangement between the forestry authorities and local communities, some timber companies used the initiative to make arrangements with landowners, farmers and other stakeholders when they realised that their resource base for timber could not be guaranteed unless other stakeholders, especially farmers, were involved in protecting and ensuring the regeneration of timber trees. A forest management and marketing project known as the Gwira Banso project of the Ghana Primewood Products Limited (GAP), Dalhoff Larsen & Homeman A/S (DLH, Denmark) and chiefs and people of Gwira Banso (Amanor, 1997), was initiated. Although very successful, this project had some shortcomings. This case study, which was initiated by the Forest Management Division of FAO, describes the project; it also identifies lessons that could be learnt from the project and makes recommendations that could serve as useful guidelines for people and institutions in countries with similar ecological conditions who want to undertake projects or programmes of this nature. 1

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9 SUMMARY Forests in Ghana are divided into areas inside reserves and those outside. The area outside forest reserves is a mosaic of agricultural fields, fallow lands, secondary forest patches and settlements. However, offreserve forest resources provide much of the country s timber and are an important source of non-timber forest products (NTFP) and therefore the loss of trees (through unsustainable logging) in the unreserved forests has become a worrying phenomenon for both the Government of Ghana and industry. Off-reserve forest resources are not strictly under the management of the Forestry Commission, but rather of individual and communal owners. Thus, any management prospects will be slim without the collaboration of the landowners. Multi-stakeholder management or co-management can be defined as working partnerships between the key stakeholders in the management of a given forest. This concept is now a major component of forestry development in the tropics. Thus, in the 1994 Forest and Wildlife Policy, principles and strategies were enunciated that enabled multi-stakeholder or collaborative management to realise that their resources in the off-reserve areas in Gwira Banso, where they had their concession, were being depleted. Further, as a result of its growing business interest in Ghana and backed by its newly developed environmental policy of supporting worthwhile initiatives towards sustainable forestry, Dalhoff Larsen & Horneman, Ghana Primewood Products Limited (GAP DLH) and Dalhoff Larsen & Horneman A/S (DLH) initiated the joint forest management project (JFM) at Gwira Banso in the western region of Ghana to help address the issues of deforestation and management of the remaining forest in the unreserved areas through a joint effort with local communities. The project promoted sustainable farm forest management; supported producer for an increase in the production of wood through identification, utilisation and promotion of lesser-known timber species; and helped develop guidelines for land use and promoted sustainable agricultural practices in order to improve the livelihoods of communities. Furthermore, the project helped villages implement some activities using funds contributed by the timber companies. The stakeholders of this project are communities and institutions who have a legal right to use the resources but at the same time have the traditional or moral responsibility to control or regulate conduct and behaviour of those using the forest, its goods and services. This two-phase project was developed by DLH in collaboration with GAP and the chief and elders of Gwira Banso who agreed to proceed with the project development and its socialization in order to secure the participation of the people. During the first phase, which focused on farmers as the main agents of change, the concept joint forest management was introduced followed by a collection of data for sustainable forest management,. The second phase consisted in implementing sustainable and commercially resource management by all the stakeholders. The project s results can be grouped into two main areas of interest. Socio-economically, it created awareness among stakeholders of the importance of them getting involved in sustainable forest management of the natural resources. Furthermore, the project promoted a dialogue between stakeholders to address land tenure issues. It also helped develop some communities in infrastructure; for example, construction school facilities in the area including classroom furniture and drinking water facilities. Farmers were trained in alternative livelihood production systems such as fish farming and bee-keeping; roads were constructed for better access, especially to market areas and health services of the villagers. In the technical field and through the project several hectares of farmland were reforested with indigenous and exotic species, cash generating crops such as Black pepper (Piper nigrum) and Cola (Cola nitida) were successfully introduced and adopted by farmers, diversification of production systems in farms was promoted including the introduction of new crops. Furthermore the project helped improve the extension services of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. 3

10 Several lessons were learnt from the project. Some of the most significant include: (a) stakeholders understanding the importance of sustainable resource management and its components; (b) reduction in the old tradition of depending on incentive programmes of the past; (c) the issue of land tenure was not totally resolved because it turned to be more difficult and involved as predicted even though stakeholders attitude towards the subject was very positive; (d) introduction of the private sector concept in sustainable forest management among rural people; and (e) stakeholders reassurance of the importance that forests play in reducing poverty of rural communities. Despite the fact that the implementation period during which this participatory forest management approach was introduced and implemented was short, there is some evidence that it succeeded in involving local people in sustainable management of the forest and a that it produced a positive impact on the environment as well as on the economy of surrounding rural communities. The project also concludes that: well trained multi stakeholder groups are a good means of resolving conflicts; sectoral agencies can work out with local communities in off-reserve areas for maximum benefits; and trained farmers in alternative livelihood production schemes is necessary, but they need to be provided with seed money to put their training into practice. 4

11 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The search for sustainable methods of land use goes back to the 1950s when planned community development thrusts were introduced but later abandoned in the 1960s. In the late 1960s to early 1970s the concept of equity and participation re-emerged, to be buttressed a little later by the concept and approaches based on integrated rural development projects. This period was also dominated by campaigns to avert an impending fuelwood crisis in Africa. These projects promoted on-farm tree planting and reforestation of degraded community forests on hilltops and areas of low agricultural potential. Community-based forest management (CBFM) was initially defined as any situation which intimately involves local people in a forestry activity. It embraces a spectrum of situations ranging from woodlots in areas that are short of wood and other forest products for local needs, through to the growing of trees at farm level to provide cash crops and the processing of forest products at the household, artisan or small industry level to generate income, to the activities of forest dwelling communities (FAO, 1978). Arnold (1995) noted that community forestry stems from the forestry profession s efforts to set up a new partnership with local people and to respond to subsistence needs and support livelihood security of growing rural populations. This new perspective was largely influenced by increasing global awareness that the crucial issues of resource conservation and sustainable development could only be addressed if people enjoyed a secure livelihood. But involvement of rural communities in forestry required a new understanding and recognition of the many important links between trees and people. Of particular significance are the links between forestry and basic needs such as nutrition, food security, off-farm employment, energy and the integration of trees in land use for risk management by rural people, and security of tenure over resource bases. Arnold (1992) reported that a major challenge to CBFM was how to contribute effectively to solving the problems of environmental degradation and rural poverty alleviation. Collaboration was described by the FD in 1993 as any form of interaction between local people and the Forestry Department which enhances the management of the resource and improves the flow of benefits to local people (CFMU, 1993). Collaboration became more relevant in Ghana because forests in Ghana are divided into those in reserves and those outside reserves. In terms of ownership of forest land, Ghana has retained the traditional customary system of communal ownership where the Chief (often referred to by his seat of office, the stool ) is the custodian of the land on behalf of the community. However, timber trees in the communally owned lands (outside reserves) and reserves are vested in the state and administered by the FD. The FD allocates tree-felling rights, collects royalties and shares them with landowners according to a defined sharing formula. The first 10 percent of the royalties are allocated to the office of Administration of Stool Lands to cover the cost of administration. The remaining 90 percent is taken as 100 percent and then split as follows: 20 percent to traditional authorities, 25 percent to the stool chief for maintenance of the stool in keeping with its status and 55 percent to the district assembly within the area of authority in which the stool land is situated. This arrangement has been unsatisfactory for several reasons. First, landowners feel alienated from the decision-making process, which leads to the granting of timber rights. Secondly, payment of their share of royalties is often delayed or not made. Thirdly, they abhor the policy that allows timber exploitation without management responsibility. Many factors including those mentioned above have contributed to the almost total destruction of forests outside reserves in Ghana (Appiah, 2002). However, forest resources in off-reserve areas provide much of the country s timber and are an important source of NTFP. Nevertheless, the timber industry relies mainly on these areas outside forest reserves for its timber supplies, and various donor-funded studies suggest that forest reserves alone cannot meet countries log requirements (Mayers et al., 1996). The loss of trees (through unsustainable logging) in the unreserved forests has become a worrying phenomenon for both the Government of Ghana and industry (Prah, 1997). Off-reserve forest resources, unlike those in forest reserves, are not strictly under the 5

12 management of the Forestry Commission of Ghana (FCG), but rather under the control of individual and communal owners. In Gwira Banso there are ha of forest resources outside forest reserves. The predominant occupation of the people is farming using slash and burn methods with cocoa being the major cash crop planted. Because of the high acidity of soils the cocoa yield is generally low. The damp conditions under the high forest canopy produce black pod diseases, which affect the productivity of the cocoa farms. Thus, the farmers abandon their farms after a few years and clear new forest for new farms. Some of the abandoned lands may eventually with time be suitable for the production of agricultural crops, usually after a short fallow period of three to five years. Furthermore, the forest has been heavily logged for many years using indiscriminate felling practices. In summary, the land use practices of both the farmers and the loggers have led to degradation of some areas. Therefore, in 1994, the timber companies that had concessions in the off-reserves in the Gwira Banso area based: (i) on the realization that the resource base of the timber companies was dwindling due to illegal logging, farming activities and lack of management; (ii) in taking advantage of the collaborative forest management or multi-stakeholder forest management policy as enunciated in the 1994 Forest Wildlife Policy (details of which are elaborated in Section 1.2 ), and (iii) a growing business interest in Ghana backed by new environmental policy in support of sustainable forestry by Dalhoff Larsen & Horneman (Ghana Primewood Products Limited (GAP DLH) and Dalhoff Larsen & Horneman A/S (DLH). The project addressed deforestation and management issues of the remaining forest in the unreserved areas (Prah, 1997). 1.1 Multi-stakeholder management in Ghana The concept of coordinated participation has undergone considerable evolution in Ghana even though it is of fairly recent origin in the formal forest sector. In the 1980s and early 1990s social forestry or rural forestry meant FD efforts to encourage communities to establish village, communal, individual or family woodlots. Most of this effort was focused on the northern savannah zone and had considerable support from donors such as the World Bank and FAO. Although inspired in part by the reported success stories of Korea, Thailand, Nepal, Philippines and some states in India, social forestry in Ghana never made a concerted effort to build up or facilitate the village-level organizations that underpinned the eastern success stories. In the 1992-initiated guise, collaborative management a term that Ghana seems to have been first to popularize could be seen as an initiative whose time had come. Collaboration was described by the FD in 1993 as any form of interaction between local people and the Forestry Department which enhances the management of the resource and improves the flow of benefits to local people (CFMU, 1993). Factors that contributed to the emergence of the approach included: recognition at top level that central government did not have the resources to police the forests adequately against illegal loggers or the alienated local communities, nor the resources to support effective management; genuine concern by the Chief Conservator of Forests about the erosion of the rights of local communities (the owners of the forests) and a strong desire to defuse a prevalent anti-fd sentiment at local level; growing international and national, political and social advocacy of people s involvement and donor support becoming linked to it; results from numerous projects elsewhere, and some in Ghana also, showing that local people had worthwhile knowledge, interest and concern (Falconer, 1991 and 1992a; Abbiw, 1990); local people respond to positive and negative incentives (FD/IIED, 1994; Mayers and Kotey, 1996) and the nature of the collaboration had to be worked out on the basis of local conditions (CFMU, 1993; Amanor, 1994); a supportive strategic forest (and wildlife) policy and donor support projects to fund a learning approach. 6

13 As a result the principle of multi-stakeholder management or co-management is embedded in the Ghana Forest and Wildlife Policy of The principles and strategies in this Policy that enable this type of management include: the rights of people to have access to natural resources for maintaining a basic standard of living and their concomitant responsibility to ensure the sustainable use of such resources; the need to incorporate traditional methods of resource management in national strategies where appropriate; a share of financial benefits from resource utilization should be retained to fund the maintenance of resource production capacity for the benefit of local communities; The need to develop a decentralized participatory democracy by involving local people in matters concerned with their welfare. In view of the importance of local people in pursuing these principles, the government proposes to place particular emphasis on the concept of participatory management and protection of forest and wildlife resources and will seek to develop appropriate strategies, modalities and programmes in consultation with relevant agencies, rural communities and individuals (MLF, 1994). In pursuit of the objectives of the policy, a number of strategies are earmarked for development; these include the: promotion of public awareness and involvement of rural people in forestry and wildlife conservation so as to maintain life-sustaining systems, preserve scenic areas and enhance the potential of recreation, tourism and income-generating opportunities; development of effective capability at national, regional and district levels for sustainable management of forest and wildlife resources; development of consultative and participatory mechanisms to enhance land and tree tenure rights of farmers and ensure access of local people to traditional use of natural products; initiation and maintenance of a dialogue with all interests through a national advisory forum (i.e. the Forestry Commission) and related district conservation committees to ensure active public participation in forestry and wildlife matters; initiation of continued contact and liaison with local authorities and communities to pursue integrated development activities related to sustainable resource management (MLF, 1994). The FCG subsequently developed a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Policy and Strategy in 2001, with the definition Working partnership between different stakeholders which enhances the management and development of forest and wildlife resources and leads to equitable distribution of benefits. Furthermore, the Ghana PRSP from May 2003 emphasized the need to: protect, rehabilitate and sustainably manage the national land, forest and wildlife resources through collaborative management aimed at increasing the incomes of rural communities who own these resources; enhance community involvement in the management of forest and wildlife and savannah woodland resources and improve the flow of benefits to communities from resource sales; increase community and farmer adaptation of improved land and water management techniques. 7

14 1.2 Summarized information about the forest 1. Country: Ghana 2. Name of the forest: Gwira Banso off-reserve areas that lie between the Fure River Forest Reserve to the north and Draw River Forest Reserve to the south. 3. Land tenure: Communally owned by the chiefs and people of Gwira Banso. 4. Ecozone: Wet evergreen ecological zone. 5. Forest type: Wet evergreen. 6. Extent of the forest (ha): ha. 7. Forest area under management (ha): ha. 8. When did the management start: 1994? 9. Designated functions of the forest under management: (i) timber; (ii) NTFP; (iii) agriculture. 10. Tree taxa (Berlinia spp., Bombax brevicuspe, Cynometra ananta, Daniellia spp., Dialium aubrevillei, Diospyros sanza-minika, Distesonanthus benthamian, Guarea cedrata, Heretiera utilis, Klainedora gabonensis, Mitragyna spp., Nauclea diderrichii, Parkia bicolor, Petersianthus macrocarpus, Piptadeniastrum africanus, Strombosia glaucescens, Turraaeanthus africanus, Afrosersalisia afzelii, Blighia spp., Calpocalyx brevibracteatus, Dacryodes klaineana, Duboscia viridiflora, Hannoa klaineana, Maranthes spp., Protomegabaria stapfiana, Pseudospondias microcarpa, Pcottellia klaineana, Phernaemontana spp., Sterculia africana, Trichilia prieuriana, Sichilia tessmannii and Uapaca guineensis). 11. Other taxa: Rattans (Calamus spp.), Bamboo (Bambusa spp.) Cola nut (Cola nitida, Cacao (Theobroma cocoa). 12. Location of the forest (including longitude and latitude): Located in south-west Ghana: latitude and longitude If the study/area has an URL, kindly provide it: None. 14. Contact organization: Forestry Research Institute of Ghana; University Box 63, Kumasi, Ghana; /3, DETAILS OF THE PROJECT 2.1 Project vision and mission The vision and mission of the project are as follows: In spite of the area being a timber concession, over which GAP has timber rights, the fact of its being located outside reserves confers on the traditional authorities of Gwira Banso the right to give out portions of it to farming. The result is that most of the area has been acquired for farming by people who are mostly migrants with cocoa cultivation as their major activity. The vision of the project therefore is a healthy forest capable of sustained production of timber and for the benefit of the project partners and improvement of the standard of living of the rural people through sustained production and marketing of agricultural produce. The mission is to involve the local people in this attempt at sustainable agriculture leading to sustainable forestry. 2.2 Goal The goal of the project was to establish a sustainable natural resource managed in an off-reserve forest concession to provide long-term supplies of raw material to GAP establish DLH as an environmentally sensitive timber trading company and improve the basic living conditions of the local people (Prah, 1997). 8

15 2.3 Developmental objective The developmental objective was to develop jointly a sustainable natural resource management system for the provision of timber resources to the companies in off-reserve forests and to enhance the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities through increased benefits. 2.4 Specific objectives The specific objectives were to: promote sustainable forest management in a farming environment; increase production of wood from the project area through identification, utilisation and promotion of lesser-used timber species available in the area and elsewhere; develop land use guidelines and promote sustainable agricultural practices in the project area leading to improved livelihoods for the individuals and communities in the area; implement village-level development activities with funds contributed by the timber companies to a community development fund. 2.5 Project strategies Strategies for achieving the objectives of the project include: stabilizing agriculture through intensive farming practices and alternate income-generating activities; working towards security of land tenure for migrant farmers to reduce their rush to clear forest land; helping farmers to develop farm management plans as a prelude to developing a land use plan for the area; selective timber harvesting to improve natural regeneration of the forested areas; reforesting degraded areas with both indigenous and fast-growing exotic species; and setting up a development fund from a portion of the proceeds of timber logged in the area. 2.6 Stakeholders and their responsibilities Stakeholders of this project are people and institutions who benefit from or use the forest and therefore have legal, traditional or moral responsibility to control or regulate conduct and behaviour which has an effect on the forest, and others whose acts or omissions impact on the forest or whose livelihood or wellbeing is affected by the forest. These stakeholders and their responsibilities are shown in Table 1. 9

16 Table 1: Stakeholders and their responsibilities Stakeholder Dalhoff Larsen & Horneman Ghana Primewood Products Limited DANIDA Chiefs and elders of Gwira Banso Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines Local farmers Forestry Service of Ghana (FSD) Ministry of Food and Agriculture Nzema East District Assembly CARE (an NGO) Responsibilities DLH was to provide technical assistance, training and technology transfer in the various activities of the project through its staff in both Ghana and Denmark. All training and technical assistance took place in Ghana except for a short period in Brazil. Ghana Primewood Products Limited (GAP) had the responsibility of providing resources to the farmers and supervising field activities. Interested in providing resources to DLH, a Danish company, while at the same time improving the livelihood of the local people in the project area. The chiefs and elders, who are generally the landholding authorities, were responsible for organizing the farmers and ensuring their collaboration. Primarily responsible for the formulation and coordination of forestry and land policy. In recent years it has assumed a dominant position in the forest policy arena and has been the driving force behind the recent policy initiatives that have been noted. The Ministry gives direction to, and coordinates the activities of, all the sector agencies including the Forestry Department, the Game and Wildlife Department, the Forest Products Inspection Bureau, the Timber Export Development Board and also donor funding and projects within the sector. Managers of trees on their farmland have the responsibility of implementing all field activities including reforestation. FSD had the responsibility of providing training in field activities related to forest management. Ministry of Agriculture provided training and facilitated activities related to the management of land resources and promotion of sustainable agriculture Benefits from royalties obtained from the timber industry and NTFP exploitation Collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture in providing training, facilitating activities related to the management of land resources and promoting sustainable agriculture 2.7 Project area Off-reserve situation at Gwira Banso Gwira Banso is located in south-west Ghana (latitude and longitude ) (Appendix 1). The off-reserve areas at Gwira Banso consist of a ha timber concession that lies between the Fure River Forest Reserve to the north and Draw River Forest Reserve to the south. The area, which falls within the wet evergreen forest zone of Ghana, has many of the ecological attributes of the two adjoining forest reserves. For this reason, although pockets of farms occur throughout the area, the remaining high forest mosaic is in pristine condition and is probably the largest chunk of high forest outside the reserves in Ghana today. Draw River Forest Reserve lies north of Nwini River. The project areas are between the areas outside the Draw River Forest Reserve and cover the portion of the watershed between the Ankobra and Tano Rivers. The area consists of a series of ranges of hills running more or less from north-west to south. The elevation varies from 46m to 138m ( ft) above sea level. The main drainage system runs from north-west to south or south-east. Three rivers flow through the area and the Draw River, from which the reserve derives its name, flows through the eastern portion. 10

17 Climate The climate is characterized by two peak rainfall seasons, May-June and September-October. In the rainy season, the prevailing wind is generally from the south-west. In the dry season, December-February, the effect of the prevailing wind the Harrmattan is mild in these areas and the average annual rainfall, which is the highest in Ghana, is between 1700 and 2000mm. Soils The soils of these reserves are mainly composed of forest ochrosol/oxysol intergrades (Brammar, 1962). Forest structure The structure of the wet evergreen forest is described by Hall and Swaine (1981) as being vertically compressed with canopy trees rarely exceeding 40m (32m average). This is substantially lower than the average of 43m for the moist evergreen forest type. It forms a single canopy, with a sparse understorey, typified by Cola chlamydantha and C. digitata. Other species form a dense shrub layer below 10m (Hall and Swaine, 1981). The dominant species in the forest include Amphimas pterocarpoides, Anopyris klaineana, Antiaris toxicaria, Berlinia confuse and those described in 1.2/10 (Tree taxa). Demography and economic structure The population of about is mostly made up of the indigenous Gwira people and migrants, who are mostly Ashantis, Krobos, Fantis and Brongs. The predominant practice of the people is slash and burn with cocoa being the major cash crop planted. Because of the high acidity of soils the cocoa yield is generally low. The damp conditions under the high forest canopy produce black pod diseases, which affect the productivity of the cocoa farms. This obliges farmers to abandon their farms after a few years, move to another forest patch and clear it where a new farm is then established. The abandoned lands may become suitable for food crop production but only after three to five years or more. 3. METHODOLOGY 3.1 Development of concept and proposal The concept of the project was developed by DLH, which approached GAP with it. The chief and elders of Gwira Banso were approached about the concept after it had been fine tuned; upon agreement a project was then developed. Since the chief and elders are the landowners they were requested to seek the approval of the Ministry of Lands and Forestry and the Forest Services Division for the implementation of the project. The approach used in the project involved mobilizing and fostering a close partnership between forest sector stakeholders concerned in jointly creating the appropriate conditions and implementing suitable activities in line with the stated objectives. 3.2 Phases of the project The project had been run in two phases. The first phase was a grant of DKK 2,150,000 (USD 335,937) provided by the DANIDA/PSD programme, which primarily sought to introduce the joint forest management concept and collect data for sustainable forest management, focusing on farmers as the main agents of change. These data included the number of farmers who were willing to collaborate in the project, the land resources they own, areas of land farmed and areas with forests as well as the state of the forest resources, their needs in terms of training, and financial and material resources. The data also included the appropriate management techniques for the different areas. After this period, the project partners generally agreed with the DANIDA/PSD programme that the project had collected many important data and begun developing methods for sustainable natural resource management in 11

18 collaboration with the stakeholders. In addition, it had successfully introduced the concept of joint forest management and, due to its innovative nature, had attracted much attention. The authorities in Ghana supported it and saw it as a model for replication in other off-reserve forest areas. However, the project had not yet fully achieved sustainability with regard to ensuring the forest resources in the area. For these reasons, in 1999, a second phase of the project, this time oriented in a more commercial direction but still working within the framework of joint forest management, was approved for support by the DANIDA/PSD programme with a further grant of DKK 1,976,823. The main objective of the second phase was to ensure that the project produce timber, including those species considered lesser-used, on a sustainable basis for processing by the Ghanaian partner and for marketing and sales involving DLH. During the second phase, most of the direct support to farmers undertaken in phase one was implemented by CARE Denmark and CARE Ghana within the existing project structure. Thus a unique opportunity was created to implement a sustainable and commercially sound resource management system, with the involvement of local people, two business partners, DANIDA, an NGO and the Ghanaian authorities in forest management and agriculture. 3.3 Stakeholders consultations and outcomes At the beginning of the project, a series of consultations was held with various stakeholders (see pictures in Appendix 1), principally the local inhabitants of the area (the landowners and farmers), the District Assembly (the political authority of the area), the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Forest Service of Ghana. The meetings were used to explain project aims and objectives and to solicit views for improvement and seek the participation of the people. The meetings discussed how sustainable forest management could contribute to raising living standards. The discussions were based on indigenous knowledge and local people s experiences in forest management. The roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders were also discussed. Further, development education workshops were frequently organized and this formed the core of consultation and awareness-creation campaigns. At these meetings it was also decided to cooperate fully and respect each other s interest; a project steering committee was formed with representatives from all stakeholders and this enabled the local community to participate in determining the goals and direction of the project and, more importantly, present their priorities Community development fund It was also decided at one of these meetings to set up a community development fund to address developmental issues in the area based on the needs identified by farmers and activate local people s participation in the project. This was perceived as a significant incentive as well as benefit sharing. For this purpose it was decided that for every cubic metre of tree harvested the companies were to pay $5 into the development fund. The fund has at the moment yielded an equivalent amount of $ However, there is a problem with how the fund can be used because of protracted chieftaincy difficulties. 3.4 Implementation of field activities Capacity building Before the implementation of actual field work, a two-week period of training was organized for some forest operations staff of GAP and local community members in the techniques of taking an inventory of timber stocks and surveying some non-timber forest products. In addition, farmers within the project area were trained in inventory techniques for NTFP. The farmers were also taught how to prepare simple management plans (see pictures in Appendix 2). The manual for the training section is given in Appendix 3. 12

19 Field activities In addition to capacity building the following field activities were implemented Forestry Harvesting A timber stock survey to determine the presence and quantity of commercial timber species was undertaken. Based on the survey, harvesting yields were prepared using Forest Service Division principles. Assessment of biodiversity A preliminary botanical survey has helped to establish the presence of some medicinal plants as well as some black star species needing protection. Farmers were also trained in how to take an inventory of NTFP on their farms. Reforestation The choice of indigenous species was carried out by the farmers based on indigenous knowledge of the species and their performance. Thus the selection was limited to species native to the area because of insufficient information on the silviculture of the non-native species. They were planted in mixed stands just as they occur in nature, on farms, at a rate of seedlings per ha depending on the wishes of the farmer and the crop being cultivated. The species included Khaya ivorensis, Heritiera utilis, Tieghemella heckellii, Entandrophragma angolense, Nauclea diderrichii, Entandrophragma utile and Ceiba pentandra. The main exotic species planted in the project is Cedrela odorata. Because this is a short-rotation timber tree, it was planted in pure stands on fallow lands with an initial population of about 1200 seedlings per ha. The farmers were provided with free seedlings by the project. Thus over 400 farmers have collaborated with the project to plant more than timber tree seedlings throughout the area. Livelihoods of the local people Agriculture 1. Alongside the implementation of interventions in agriculture, farm surveys were conducted to determine how much of the area has been acquired by farmers, crops being cultivated and size of farming households. Information from this survey, among other things, helped in developing farm management and social development plans. It will also provide input for land use planning, enable a proper assessment of land rents and generally help to resolve land tenure problems. 2. Many farmers have responded to the introduction of black pepper and kola, both shade tolerant agricultural crops, instead of the traditional cocoa that is not very suitable for cultivation in the area. The new crops should allow planting of timber trees on farms. 3. Others have begun organic fertilization experiments using nitrogen-fixing plants to improve soil fertility and crop yields. Though these take time to manifest their benefits in crop production, they are cheaper, easily available to the farmer and environmentally friendly. This could also help to reduce shifting cultivation. 4. The project has initiated trials to transfer technology for producing disease-free plantain to farmers in the area. This was considered important to encourage farmers to grow plantain, a major staple, on the same piece of land. Currently the disease condition causes the clearing of new land each time a new crop has to be grown, thus directly contributing to deforestation. 13

20 5. Income-generating activities such as bee-keeping, fish farming and rearing of snails have been introduced to the farmers and are yielding good results. All farming activities are supported with extension services provided by the project. Land use guidelines The development of land use management guidelines began with the physical measurement of the sizes of farms. Farmers, however, were trained in simple techniques such as using a GPS to trace their farm boundaries and to take subsequent measurements. With respect to promoting sustainable agriculture, the project initially undertook an inventory of farmers, their land holdings and crops being grown. This was to establish a database for implementing and monitoring project activities. Furthermore, new cash crops more suitable than cocoa for the area, such as black pepper (Piper nigrum) and kola (Cola nitida) were introduced to farmers. 4. RESULTS 416 ha of farmland were planted with indigenous (40 percent) and exotic (60 percent) timber tree species. Black pepper (Piper nigrum) and Cola (Cola nitida) were successfully introduced and adopted by farmers. An extensive groundwork for sound social, economic and ecological management of natural resources has been laid firmly in the project area. Crop and tree growing as a form of agricultural diversification was promoted along with collaborative natural resource management among farmers. The project created a forum for dialogue between farmers, landowners and other stakeholders to address land tenure issues. Free distribution of seedlings to farmers, which was responsible for the planting of more than 63,000 seedlings of timber species on their acquired land by farmers by the end of The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has co-operated fully with the introduction of new crops, as well as the cultivation of well-known crops through extension services. The project subsidises the costs of the Ministry s extension services. Roads constructed by GAP in the area serve important social and economic functions, e.g. enabling the sick to reach medical help more quickly as well as allowing ready access to markets formerly reached only on foot. Other projects have been initiated to bring development to the communities in the area, including 7,000 sandcrete blocks from GAP to clad pavilion-classrooms built by the Government of Ghana. In addition the schools also received more than 300 pieces of classroom furniture and seven hand-dug wells fitted with pumps Construction of a six classroom block at Jempere village. Training of farmers in alternative livelihood production systems such as fish farming and bee-keeping Construction of a 20-km road through the project area. 5. ASSESSMENT OF THE PROJECT FOR SUSTAINABILITY The project was assessed for sustainability using the institutional, socio-economic and ecological domains as developed by CIFOR and modified by Ba (1990) for the community-based forest management projects in West Africa as shown in Tables