Project description

Title: Forest Policy Advisory Service
Commissioned by: Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)
Country: Tanzania
Lead executing agency: Tanzania Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT)
Overall term: August 1995 to December 2008

Context

Tanzania loses up to 400,000 ha of forest land annually through massive logging and slash-and-burn clearance. Much of the logging is illegal. Already today, in many places the need for wood, charcoal and other forest products cannot be met because of the shrinking of forest lands. The destruction of natural resources caused by forest mismanagement threatens not only biological diversity but also all the other functions and services performed by the forest, and with that an important potential for Tanzania’s national economic development. 

The Tanzanian government has recognised the problem and since 1996 has introduced comprehensive reforms. In this connection, in the preceding three phases the project supported the national forest authority, the Forest and Beekeeping Department (FBD), in forming a new forest policy and a legal framework for its implementation.

Objective

The foundations for life and production, particularly of the poor population segments, are to be preserved by promoting sustainable use of forest resources and protection of biological diversity. To reach this objective, the performance capacity of the national forestry authority and the legal and political framework conditions are to be improved. 

Approach

The project is oriented to the sector objectives of the Tanzanian government, which were formulated in the forestry policy of 1998 and in the National Forest Programme of 2001. They include the protection of biological diversity and sustainable management of forest resources.

The project acts primarily at the national level and supports the forestry authority in implementing, steering and coordinating forest policy. Intensive dialogue and consultation processes are promoted through moderation, advising and pinpointed training. Adaptation of the legal foundation supplements this approach.

Results achieved so far

Existing administrative and institutional conflicts regarding forest management between central and local government departments have been analysed and district bylaws have been evaluated.

Guidelines have been worked out for a more equitable distribution of income derived from forest management among user groups. Revenues stemming from forestry contribute to poverty reduction.

Guidelines have been elaborated for communication between MNRT/FBD
and local authorities.

Revision has begun of the National Forest Policy of 1998 and regulatory statutes.

Introduction of a sector-wide approach (SWAp) and integration of the National Forest Programme into the framework of the government’s operational and budget planning (Medium Term Expenditure Framework) including implementation of joint sector reviews.

Forest sector concerns are better integrated into projects of donors in other sectors, such as fisheries and wildlife protection within the scope of the Development Partners Group-Environment (DPG-E) and harmonisation of donor projects in the forestry sector (Co-chair DPG-Forestry):

• integration of non-governmental and civil society organisations and private sector representatives within the SWAp and National Forest Programme 
• conducting a study of illegal logging in the southern part of the country and promotion of implementation of the study’s recommendations for improving governance
• establishment of a sector-wide M&E system and preparation for introducing an independent and external forest monitoring system.