by
Ajit Kumar Banerjee
WORKING PAPER SERIES
Working Paper No: APFSOS/WP/21
ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRY TOWARDS 2010
Forestry Policy and Planning Division, Rome
Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok
October 1997
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation
The Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study is being undertaken under the auspices of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission. This report comes under Workplan Number E27.4(b). |
Note to Readers Questions of whether to decentralize or not or how to go about it are the subject of considerable controversy. Strong views are held by many of those involved in the dialogue. Similarly, the question of whether central forest administrations have failed or have been effective and have contributed in some measure to sustainable management or conservation of forests also generates heated debate. This paper addresses both topics and, in addition, its author proposes what some may consider drastic changes in policies and structures of government forestry administrations (particularly in Chapters 8 and 9). The report is being reproduced as prepared by the author in the interest of contributing to continuing dialogue. Publication does not in any way imply endorsement by FAO or by the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission of the views expressed by the author on any of the above subjects or on any other subject matters whatsoever. |
INFORMATION NOTE ON ASIA-PACIFIC FORESTRY SECTOR OUTLOOK STUDY
2. STATE OF ADMINISTRATIVE DECENTRALIZATION AND DEVOLUTION IN ASIA PACIFIC COUNTRIES
2.1 Bangladesh
2.2 India
2.3 Nepal
2.4 Sri Lanka
2.5 Philippines
3. HISTORY OF FOREST CONTROL AND FOREST POLICIES
3.1 Pre Colonial Times
3.2 Colonial Times
3.3 Post Colonial time
3.3.1 India
3.3.2 Indonesia
3.3.3 Thailand
3.3.4 Papua New Guinea
4. IMPACT OF FOREST POLICIES, RULES AND REGULATIONS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
4.1 Forest Land alienation
4.2 Commercial Over-exploitation of Forests
4.3 Over dependence of the Government on technocracy and policing
4.4 Behaviour of Forest Dependent Population
4.5 Rise of Environmentalists and Social Activists
4.6 Local Revolts for forest use rights and annihilation of forests by slow attrition
5. NEW INITIATIVES, THEIR SUCCESSES AND FAILURES
5.1 New Initiatives in India
5.2 New Initiatives in Indonesia
5.3 New Initiatives in Philippines
5.4 New Initiatives in Thailand
5.5 New Initiatives in Papua New Guinea
6.1.1 Lack of Political Will
6.1.2 Lack of clear policies and legislation about devolution in forestry
6.1.3 Lack of clear tenure statements
6.1.4 Lack of Technology
6.1.5 Lack of Institutional Restructuring
6.1.6 Bureaucratic Apathy6.2.1 Usurpation by local elites and power brokers
6.2.2 Failure of weaning the people away from forest dependency
6.2.3 Lack of incentives for Users
6.2.4 Neglect of Indigenous technology and local needs
6.2.5 Lack of Local participation
7. FOREST SCENARIO IN 2010 IF THE PRESENT FOREST MANAGEMENT SITUATION REMAINS UNCHANGED
7.1 India in 2010 without substantial policy changes
7.2 Indonesia in 2010 without substantial policy changes
7.3 Thailand in 2010 without substantial policy changes
8. CHANGES PROPOSED, METHODS OF IMPLEMENTATION, PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS
8.1 Proposals (see also Annex 3 for specific proposals for a few countries)
8.1.1 Development of Political Will
8.1.2 Change in policy and legislative rules and regulations
8.1.3 Structural Change of the Forest Department8.2 Problems of the Proposed Paradigm
8.3 Implementation of the Proposals
8.4 Prospects
ANNEX 1 - COMMUNITY BASED FOREST MANAGEMENT POLICIES IN THREE COUNTRIES OF ASIA PACIFIC REGION
ANNEX 2 - COMMUNITY BASED FOREST MANAGEMENT POLICIES IN INDIA
ANNEX 3 - PROPOSALS FOR SPECIFIC ACTIONS IN SOME COUNTRIES
India
Nepal
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
Indonesia, Malaysia
Philippines
Papua New Guinea