ANNEX IV: FORESTRY DATA COLLECTION PROCESS (Cont.)
Role of statistics in forest policy and planning
Though the roles of statistics in forest policy and planing are well appreciated at the various levels of forestry administration, data generation at the State and Local Government Forestry levels is very weak and infrequent. Forest management therefore is based on ad-hoc information, inadequate and inaccurate data. Most state departments hardly embark on forest projects monitoring and evaluation or forestry inventory to generate data. Forests are not managed based on management plans or working plans with the results that most of our forests are not being managed sustainably.
However, the role of forest statistics is seriously appreciated at the federal level. To help generate information at the national level, the FGN established the Forestry Monitoring and Evaluation Unit (FORMEU) under the World Bank forestry I Project in the early 1980s. This was later upgraded in the mid 1980s to FORMECU under forestry II. The role of FORMECU apart from generating data through project monitoring and evaluation also undertakes in its programmes institutions capacity building and manpower development for the three tiers of forestry services in the country
Due to the importance accorded to the role of statistics in forest policy and planning, the FDF undertook and indicative forest inventory in the high forest belt of the country in the mid 1970's. Realizing that the data collected through the exercise are already obsolete, it undertook between 1994 and 1998 a comprehensive forest resources study throughout the country financed by the African Development Bank (ADB). The study covered natural forests, plantations, non-forest timber products, forest industries, areas outside forests estates, etc. The FDF also carried out Environmental Forestry Project (EMP) with World Bank funding between 1992-1996 to revise our land use and vegetation maps through satellite imageries. We also carried out National Forestry Action Programme (NFAP) between 1991-1996. Arising from these projects, a Forest Information System (FIS) as been established as a national databank in the FDF located in FORMECU.
In addition to the FDF arrangements and initiatives, other national agencies that generate data and information for macro economic planning and policy formulation are the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Office of Statistics (FOS), the Natural Planing Commission, the Federal Ministry of Finance, etc. There are networking arrangements between various institutions and agencies though there are some gaps and overlaps in activities and mandates. Also, international agencies, such as the World Bank and FAO, have helped periodically to conduct forest resources sector reviews and the information has served as veritable sources of reliable data on our forestry sub-sector.
Potential and problems faced by the statistical units at the Federal States and Local Government levels:
Inadequate and untimely funding.
Lack of modern equipment and infrastructures (hardly any of the statistical units have computers).
Poor communication system.
Weak executive capacity in terms of qualitative and quantitative manpower.
Lack of incentives to staff of the statistical unit.
Frequent transfers of planning staff to other duties.
Lack of cooperation in data exchange between institutions bothering on fear and suspicions.
Lack of databanks at most levels.
Inadequate training facilities and opportunities at professional technical and vocational levels.
Inadequate forest research activities and funding leading to poor generation of data.
Lack of vehicles and other wherewithals to undertake data collection.
With the transfer of FDF to the new Federal Ministry of Environment a new avenue for development of the forestry sub-sector has been opened. Under the new arrangement, it is our hope to strengthen the national forestry institutional arrangements:
The possibility of upgrading the FORMECU into a national information centre of excellence will be explored.
Information centre of excellence will be explored.
Funding situation will be improved in terms of quantum and timeliness.
Gaps existing between forestry data generating units and other national agencies will be bridged and areas of overlap streamlined.
Essential infrastructure and equipment will be provided or upgraded.
Research will be given greater attention.
Institution capacity building and manpower development will receive greater attention to enhance executive capacity.
The Federal government will forge greater cooperation and collaboration with relevant international agencies like FAO, UNDP, the World Bank, ADB, IFAD, African Timber Organisation (ATO), African Academy of Sciences (AAS), etc to improve our data and information status and generally for institution capacity building and manpower development.
