Zambia. nfp UPDATE - information as of Nfp process. Mechanisms and procedures. Main constraints

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1 Zambia nfp UPDATE - information as of 2004 Nfp process This section brings a brief chronology of the nfp process, from its early phases to the latest developments. Details are given on the mechanisms, procedures and structures put in place to advance the implementation of the nfp, as well as on the main issues constraining its progress. A final overview on the forthcoming actions and activities closes the section. Mechanisms and procedures The necessity for Zambia to develop a National Forestry Action Plan was already recognised at an early stage of the global TFAP process. In 1989 the government of Zambia requested FAO's assistance in starting a national programme of activity. The first mission was carried out in 1990 and contributed to the preparation of a draft "issue paper" that indicated an initial analysis of priorities and restrictions in the forestry sector (Web04). Due to various political and financial restrictions, progress in developing a Zambia Forestry Action Program (ZFAP) was rather slow until in 1993 the Zambian government organised a national seminar, with support from FINNIDA (the Finnish Development Agency), in order to obtain a clear picture of the problems. One of the results was that the Netherlands and UNDP decided to provide financial resources for strengthening national capacity for strategic planning of the forest sector, to be included under the umbrella of the National Environmental Action Plan (in 1994). This plan was the successor to the National Conservation Strategy of 1985 (Web04). In April 1995 the project "Capacity Building for the ZFAP Planning Process", formulated and financed by the Netherlands and UNDP, became effective. It was carried out by the Department of the Environment and National Resources, with assistance from the FAO and partial collaboration of the FD. This project represented the launch of the ZFAP planning process, undertaken as an integral part of the National Environmental Action Plan process. To promote community participation in forestry planning, Zambia with the support from FINNIDA has been implementing the Provincial Forestry Action Plan (PFAP) since 1995 as a local level planning process of the ZFAP. Provincial action programmes were meant to be directly linked to the national process, but during evaluation of the national process in July 1996 it turned out that there was much confusion as to the relationship between the provincial processes, the national process and the project that was intended to support the national process. As a result, an interactive discussion and planning process was started, and a renewed National Forestry Action Programme was presented at national and international level in June and July Effective synergy was created between national level activities and actions at the provincial level. (Web04). The current Forestry Policy and Forestry Act of 1999 are outcomes from the ZFAP planning process. Implementation of the ZFAP programmes activities has not fully taken off due to lack of financial and technical support from the cooperating partners. Legislation on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was developed in In 1999 the country also developed the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and the National Biosafety Strategy and Action Plan to guide the conservation and sustainable use of the nation's biodiversity. The Zambia Wetlands Strategy and action Plan and Policy were developed to guide sustainable management and utilisation of wetland resources in the country. Main constraints The main constraints in effecting the new Forestry Act have been financial and technical limitations in establishing a new institutional structure in the form of a forest commission (Web01). 1

2 Financial constraints. There is inadequate financial, human and technical capacity by government through the Forest Department to implement broad-based policy changes and to sustain the implementation of the JFM with much donor support (Bwalya, 2001b). The Forest Department is severely under resourced. For example, until recently in North Western Province, which is 125,000 km 2, the FD had no vehicle and no computer. The result is that it is difficult to police or manage the forest resource effectively. This has permitted the growth of a grey or illegal trade in forest products, including the illegal and non-sustainable harvesting of timber and its export. Unsustainable logging is reputed to be widespread. Structural weakness. Vast areas of woodlands have been classified as National Parks and fall under the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The Forest Department has no jurisdiction in these areas and the forestry profession plays only a limited role in their management. This structural weakness is common to all countries in the Miombo phytoregion except Mozambique, where the two functions are the responsibility of one department. Population growth, widespread poaching and encroachment pose a threat to the long-term sustainability of the current management approach. The current approach to forest management places too much emphasis on forest protection at the expense of management. As a result, policy recommendations which do not appeal to this traditional protection mandate of the Forestry Department receive little policy attention. This is generally due to lack of capacity in the Forestry Department to integrate economic and ecological analysis to inform policymaking (Bwalya, 2001b). Future actions Forest policy Village Based Woodland Management Project: The project has not started due to administrative problems. The Government of Zambia has continued to provide a minimal fund to the project while looking for suitable cooperating partner to the project; The Forest Revenue Fund: The Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural resources is to establish this fund, which aims at effective and efficient management of forests. Revenues and income from various sources are to feed the funds, prominent among which are licence fees and permits; income from forest produce and from grants. The national forest policy and theirs main achievements are hereby pointed out, together with the draft or official policy statement, when available. Two specific sub-sections on forest tenure and financial issues provide a more complete vision on the socio-economic context influencing the forest policy. Main achievements As an outcome of the Zambia Forestry Action Plan, in 1998 the Zambian Government approved a new National Forest Policy, which addresses the national macro-policy objectives of socio-economic development, poverty alleviation and food security. The new policy recognizes the role of traditional leaders and communities in production, sustainable management and utilization of forest resources. It emphasizes the need to make use of traditional structures and to apply partnership with the local population (women, men and youth) and the private sector in preparing management plans for Joint Forest Management Areas. It also introduces the possibility of sharing revenue from forest exploitation between government and local communities, and of transforming the Forestry Department into a Forestry Commission. The specific policy objectives are laid out clearly in the Zambian Forest Action Plan and a related series of documents prepared for a ZFAP donors meeting held 29 June - 2 July There is general agreement about these policy objectives. The problem lies in their implementation. Successful implementation requires that the managers and users of forest resources have incentives that are consistent with these policy objectives (Bwalya, 2001a). 2

3 The new forestry policy represents a significant shift towards recognizing the contributions of various stakeholders in the forestry sector. This shift towards participatory forestry requires retraining and training of forestry personnel in participatory and gender sensitive planning, monitoring and implementation (Web03). The combination of problems has resulted in a change of attitude towards forest management from one of 'command and control' to one of participation and community involvement. This change is strongly supported by international donor organisations that are active in the forestry sector. It also explains the uptake of certification and ethical fair trade initiatives (Web05). Forest, trees and land tenure The state owns all the land, woodlands, forest stands and trees outside forests,. This prevailing land tenure system notwithstanding, permits could be granted for harvesting of forest resources by private commercial enterprises or by the local community for domestic consumption, under prescribed circumstances. The new National Forest Policy of 1998 and the Forest Act No. 7 of 1999 are the policy/legal instruments that guide forest administration in the country. At the policy level, Zambia through the Lands Act of 1995 has recognised customary land as eligible for state registration and thus its citizens can get leasehold title on customary land. This has empowered peasant farmers and women with security of tenure to land (Web01). In practice though, land tenure in Zambia still remains a constraint in terms of forest management and utilisation. Forest finance One of the existing domestic public financial mechanisms available to finance the sector in the country is the Forest Development Credit Facility. This is a loan from the Government of Zambia for wealth creation to the rural poor people in Zambia to participate in forestry business. The fund is a revolving fund to support the development of the forestry sector in Zambia. It is noteworthy that no donor fund is involved in this mechanism. Apart from the Forest Development Credit Facility and the Donor funds under the various forestry projects/programmes, there is no external funding that is sector wide. The Forestry Sector in Zambia is mainly supported by the Government of Zambia National Medium Term Framework budget; and government funding has always been inadequate to finance forest operations. Institutions This section presents an overview on the main forestry and forest-related public bodies operating at the national and local level. Details on the decentralization processes and structures are also provided, when available. A special subsection on the major national and sub-national stakeholders outside the public sector completes the picture. Government and public organizations Ministry responsible for forestry matters Name: Forestry Department Name: Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources (MTENR) Forest administration structure level of authority The Director of Forestry is the Overall Boss in charge of Forest Administration in Zambia. Number and qualification of staff in headquarters and in decentralized offices Year: - 3

4 Staff HQ Decentralized Total % > 50 years old % of female Master degree and above % 25% BSc degree University level % Technical staff (school) % Forest guards Forestry education institutions Name: School of Natural Resources Name: Zambia College of Forestry Forestry research institution(s)/centre(s) Name: Department of Agriculture Name: Division of Forestry Research Name: National Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research Abbreviation: NCSIR Name: Natural Resources and Development College Abbreviation: NRDC Name: School of Natural Resources and School of Biology Name: University of Zambia Abbreviation: UNZA Staff of forestry research institution(s)/centre(s) Year: - Name of institution/centre Number and qualification of research staff Technical staff BSc MSc PhD Zambia Forestry College (ZFC) Copperbelt University (CBU)

5 North Wales University, Bangor UK Other Universities Total Research programmes Name of institutions/centres Main research areas Forest Research Unit Bambo and Rattan Propagation Budding of Rubber Seedlings to Improve Latex Productivity Studies in bamboo die-back and regeneration Indicative productivity study in the international gene conservation stand, Siamambo, Choma Forestry extension and outreach services NAME: Forestry Extension Unit Production of Publications, Information Dissemination Coordination of Extension, Programmes with Provinces. NOTE: Commemoration of National and World Forestry Events, Monitoring of Extension, Services in Provinces and Districts Other stakeholders Beekeepers Association. The traditional beekeepers of NW Zambia have inspired all the alternative trade and certification initiatives in the area. Beeswax has been exported from the area at least as far back as the 1840s. After independence the industry was taken over by the government and gradually declined. In the mid 1980's local beekeepers began a campaign to become the owners of the government honey factory in Kabompo. A dispute ensued which was finally resolved in the beekeepers' favour at Cabinet level by the Prime Minister. The result was that the government honey factory was privatised in 1987 as North Western Bee Products Ltd (NWBP) with the Beekeepers Association as a major shareholder. The beekeepers have played a dominant role in NWBP ever since. On several occasions forced the resignation of staff assigned to work for them and they have organised boycotts of NWBP to force up producer prices. This power is exercised through beekeepers conferences which take place every two years or so. This arrangement often attracts criticism form external observers but it is an efficient and effective means of empowerment for beekeepers spread over an area of some km 2. The beekeepers' conferences provide a useful model for local consent and control elsewhere in the Miombo phytoregion (Web05). Craftsmen and Women's Development Organisation (CDO). CDO is a producers' organisation for the pitsawyers, carpenters and other craftsmen and women who supply Muzama Crafts Ltd. The organisation is a shareholder in Muzama but barely functions and a key component of the Responsible Forestry Programme, which formed the basis for FSC certification, is to facilitate the village level producers who supply Muzama to develop CDO along the same lines as the Beekeepers Association. Muzama Crafts Ltd is an FSC certified alternative trading organisation specialising in timber and woodcrafts. It also runs a leather factory. Muzama was set up as a project that was jointly funded by government and the German aid organisation, GTZ. It was incorporated as a private Company in 1989 with a structure modelled on NWBP's. Initially Muzama's commercial strategy was to use village-based pitsawyers and carpenters to make doors, oxcarts, school 5

6 desks, etc. for sale on the Zambian urban market. In 1994 the introduction of Value Added Tax and a 2400% increase in License Fees per tree rendered this market unprofitable. North Western Bee Products Ltd is a Soil Association certified alternative trade organisation specialising in organic forest bee products. It has a similar history to its sister Company, Muzama. NWBP has been profitable and selfsustaining for several years. Finished products made from NWBP's bee products are widely available in the EU and the USA and the bottled honey has a loyal customer base in several European countries. The key contact person is Bob Malichi, General Manager. Uchi Mukula Trust is the biggest shareholder in both NWBP and Muzama. Uchi means honey and Mukula is the local name for the valuable timber species Pterocarpus angolensis. The Trust holds shares for and on behalf of beekeepers, Muzama's producers and the wider rural community. It has two functions: to give the producers' elected leaders/trustees more control over NWBP and Muzama and to give them access to relevant and independent professional advice. This is provided by professional Trustees who give their services on a voluntary basis. The aid agencies active in the area also participate in UMT. IUCN-ROSA (the World Conservation Union Regional Office for Southern Africa) and WWF (World-wide Fund for Nature) are the major international environmental NGOs in Zambia. IUCN are preparing to undertake an evaluation of certification schemes in Zambia in conjunction with the UK-based NGO IIED to find out what lessons can be learned for the region. At the non-governmental level, the Miombo Network is a regional network of scientists and researchers specialising in forestry. In 2000 a new non-governmental initiative, the Miombo Forum, has been launched at a regional conference on "Alternative trade and ecolabelling in Miombo woodlands" held in Kabompo, NW Zambia. The Miombo Forum was initiated by the Forest Management Foundation, a UK-based international NGO. Legislation The main forestry laws and regulations, either enacted or under development, are listed and shortly presented. Details are given on other significant legal instruments pertaining to sectors having a bear on forestry, such as agriculture and environment. A complete list of legal papers from the joint ECOLEX database is provided. Forestry legislation The new Forests Act (October, 1999) gave legal effect to the 1998 National Forest Policy and enabled the implementation of participatory forest management, especially for the preparation of village management plans. The communities are empowered to develop plans for the sustainable management of the natural resources under their influence and, once these have been approved by local and national authorities, are entitled to collect levies on forest produce and apply these in activities which improve the livelihood of community members. Although the Forests Act has introduced the principle of revenue sharing with communities, the actual percentages to be apportioned have not yet been agreed. The 1999 Act provides for the transformation of the Forest Department into a Statutory Body to be called the Zambia Forestry Commission (ZAFCOM) (Web01). Other relevant laws complementing the Forestry Act are the Environmental Protection and Pollution Control Act (1990); the Zambia Wildlife Act (Act No. 12 of 1998): the Timber Export Policy (Rules and Regulations, August 1996). 6

7 Other relevant legislation Other relevant legal instruments supporting the conservation of biological diversity in Zambia are the following: the Mining and Minerals Act (1995); the Fisheries Act; the National Heritage Conservation Commission Act; the Lands Act (1995 and 1999). The principal legal instrument for agricultural management is established by the Agricultural Lands Act. The Act establishes the Agricultural Lands Board, and provides for its functions which inter alia, includes keeping under review the use that is being made of leasehold land outside urban and peri-urban areas and to make appropriate recommendations. Other relevant pieces of legislation are the Town and Country Planning Act (1994) and the Water Act (2001). Web01. NATURAL RESOURCE ASPECTS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ZAMBIA. Based on Gov. of Zambia's submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, Web02. Johannesburg Summit 2002: Zambia Country Profile. UN 2002 Country profiles series on the implementation of Agenda Web03. FAO, Comments on Zambia forest policy (draft). Web04. GTZ/TWRP. Nfp Country Cases: Zambia Forestry Action Plan (ZFAP). Source: Henk Lette, in: Savenije, H., 2000: National Forest Programmes - From political concept to practical instrument in developing countries. Theme Studies Series 3, published by the Forests, Forestry and Biological Diversity Support Group, National Reference Centre for Nature Management (EC LNV), International Agricultural Centre (IAC), Expertisecentrum LNV, Wageningen, the Netherlands, May Web05. EFI/CIS Forest Products Certification - Country Reports: Zambia. Edited A. Alba April