Effectiveness of Community Participation in Sustainable Forestry in Malakand Division, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of community participation in sustainable forestry in Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It studies the existing mechanism of community participation in the management of forest resources; identifying the factors paralyzing the execution of participatory/joint forest management and highlighting the benefits sharing strategy among different stockholders. To carry out this study qualitative methodology was employed. Four districts i.e. Swat, Shangla, Dir Upper and Chitral were purposively selected out of the total seven districts in Malakand Division. 24 Executive Body, 48 General Body members of the selected JFMCs and 24 Forest Department employees were individually interviewed in the selected districts. Moreover, 08 Focus Group Discussions were also conducted to ensure more reliable information. It was found that there was gigantic gap between the theoretical claims and practical implementation of participatory approach in the management of forest resources as the Forest Department had meager resources for the implementation of participatory approach in the management of forest resources. The, staff responsible for such activities, was neither available nor properly trained to perform their duties. The specialized staff had no proper service structure and incentives while working in far-flung hilly areas. Owing to economic and socio-cultural constraints, forest-non owners and women were excluded from the management of forest resources and its benefits. The royalty from the forest products was distributed among the forest owners on the basis of male members in a family. Females and forest-non owners were not given any share in it. Therefore, the poor people were not interested to participate in forest management activities without incentives. The study suggests that the capacity of Forest Department staff should be built and it should provide with financial resources for the proper implementation of participatory approach. The local masses should be mobilized and organized for active participation in the management of forest resources and the benefits sharing strategy should be made pro-poor and gender sensitive. Furthermore, it is suggested that separate women organizations (JFMCs) would be more effective in such areas where women are in close interaction/contact with forest resources and their socio-cultural setup does not allow them to participate in the same organizations with men.