Question

State any five barriers to successful community forestry.

Answer 1

There can be certain hindrances to success of community forestry programmes. These can be summarized as follows:

1. Land ownership dispute: The tribal and local people living in and around the forest for many generations may lack clear title to the forest and land and hence there is a dispute in their right to harvest the forest products.
2. Capital: Community will require capital and equipment to start up the forestry programme and there may be insufficient or delayed funds from government.
3. Technical knowledge: Although the local community may have traditional knowledge of the indigenous forest ecosystem they lack the technical knowledge and legal certification to manage the forest resources.
4. Market access: Rural and tribal settlements that are focus of community forestry have limited access to market due to its interior location, lack of transport and communication.
5. Economic returns: When the community does not get good profitability from the forest resources it loses interest in it.
6. Illegal harvesting: Illegal logging and harvesting of forest products degrades the forest or robs the community of the valuable forest products.