An interview with Dr Leon Jorge Castaños Martinez
Dr Leon Jorge Castaños Martinez was Vice-President of the Organizing Committee of the Ninth World Forestry Congress and is the former Undersecretary of Agriculture and Water Resources in charge of forestry for the Government of Mexico. This interview took place on 5 July 1985 in the Medical Centre Congress Hall in Mexico City, site of the Ninth World Forestry Congress.
Unasylva: What actions, specifically, would you foresee occurring as a result of the Congress? There has been much publicity about it in the media. Do you think this will cause people to ask for strong action in forestry?
Dr Castaños: The forestry sector in Mexico has been very much left behind, and marginal. Despite the fact that we are a developing country with a significant rural population, we have a silvicultural potential that has not been realized. We are convinced that forestry activities can contribute to the country's economic, social and ecological development. We could increase our contribution to gross domestic product by four times, improve our trade balance and improve economic conditions for people living near the forests.
Can more money be raised for forestry development in Mexico? This is a very difficult moment for your economy: the price of oil is low and has been low for many years; the possibility exists that the peso could be devalued. On the other hand, Mexico signed a technical-assistance agreement this week with FAO. In your opinion, how can funding for forestry be increased, either internally or through international assistance?
The economic situation here is very difficult. I think people are beginning to be more aware that Mexico should, in all its undertakings, be more productive and more efficient. While we cannot expect that everything will be solved by more money, we also have reason to believe that when the government has a better awareness of forestry's importance, it will have to reconsider the allocation of its funding. In view of the long-term decline in the importance of oil, this is the moment to devote more attention to the renewable forestry resource.
Meanwhile, for the past two years, motivated by the Congress, we have been making an effort through the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank to finance the forestry sector. With the former we have spent nearly two years on analysis, studies and mission exchanges. With the World Bank we are, in this sense, just beginning. We think it is of great importance for Mexico to formulate a programme for forestry development, to have it ready. And if economic conditions became more favourable, we would have a better chance of obtaining financial support. Furthermore, at the end of this Congress, the President of Mexico will sign a decree offering financial incentives to forestry for the first time in history. To emphasize: there is a crisis, but with a greater awareness we would hope that we can devote a little more attention and interest to forestry, and perhaps more money.
Do you foresee more cooperation here in Latin America, particularly between Mexico and the rest of Central America, or do you expect that countries will concentrate on developing their own national policies?
Many countries, such as Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Brazil and others, are both forested countries and developing countries, with both social underdevelopment and an important forestry potential. With Central and Latin America we share many common problems: at the global level we have the most important tropical resource, and we have not adequately developed it. I do not think we have the experience, the external relations or the precedents for a common regional policy.
One of the themes most discussed at this Congress is people's participation, especially the involvement of rural people in the forestry sector. Obviously, non-governmental organizations are important in this effort. Can you comment on the future possibilities in Mexico for people's participation?
Traditionally, forestry administration in Mexico has been very centralized. It has not been decentralized in the direction of the states or municipalities or communities. The forester, in general terms, is a person very interested in trees and biology. As a result of this centralized administration and, in consequence, a very narrow vision, our forestry policies have not been effective. Over the last 15 years, things have begun to change. The new forestry policy in Mexico is very clear and indicates that only by involving rural people in production, protection and development can we resolve ecological problems.
As for the role of non-governmental bodies, I think the government needs independent organizations that can act as its critics and interlocutors since, at times, at the government level, there is not much self-criticism or objectivity. Recently, however, there has been an effort to consult the people and to seek their views.
One of the goals of social or community forestry is to provide subsistence, food and shelter for people in rural communities as well as, eventually, income and jobs. The hope is to provide a means for rural people to stay in rural areas and not be forced to migrate to cities. Mexico City, with a population of 16 or 17 million - perhaps even 25 million - may now be the largest city in the world. Is it the policy of the Mexican Government to encourage rural people to stay in rural areas and to stop urban migration? Is it possible for forestry to play a role in this effort?
The reason that Mexico City has 16 million people is basically that our development policies have favoured political, cultural and social centralization. We have forgotten and marginalized the rural areas. Within the rural environment - agriculture, livestock - the most forgotten components are the forests because they are in the highlands where roads do not reach and where neither industry nor services have been developed. Virtually all the people there lack jobs, and so they come to Mexico City.
In various regions of Mexico where forestry development has been supported, not only do people stay where they are but their relatives, their brothers, who live in Mexico City are beginning to return as well. Life in Mexico for the poor is very difficult. When there is tranquillity, employment and social peace, people stay where they are, I am convinced that forestry plays a very fundamental role in this. The important thing is that the government should show more awareness of the possibilities that forestry offers to the country by ensuring the means for communication; for credit policies supporting the forestry sector-which we now lack; for financial incentives to encourage reinvestment; and for a public administration that is in contact with the rural people, so that they have confidence in the government and administration. How? Through forest service people who are not in Mexico City but who are where the problems are.
What kind of follow-up action do you think should be implemented to ensure that this is not a Congress where people simply got together and talked without doing anything?
For us, the Congress has meant that over the past two years we have begun to dynamize the forestry sector. I would like to point out that on the day the Congress was inaugurated we achieved two very important things: one is the new paper mill which is going to make up 50 percent of our supply deficit, and the other is the creation of the first centre for the export of forest products - where industrialists will meet to take common action to promote exports. We hope to make known during the Congress the new decree on financial incentives for forestry. After the Congress, we will try to channel all of these possibilities and continue our efforts at communication and dissemination, at informing the public, and to obtain financing, incentives, support. I believe we will benefit from this event, and that it will give a strong push to forestry activity in Mexico.
FAO FORESTRY PAPERS
32 (1982) Classification and definitions of forest products
32 (1982)
Classification and definitions of forest products
Classification et definitions des produits forestiers
Clasificación y definiciones de los productos forestales
(in English, French, Spanish and Arabic)
38 (1982) Forest products prices
38 (1982) Forest products prices
Prix des produits forestiers
Precios de productos forestales
1962-1981
(in English, French and Spanish)
FAO FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
