5.1. Introduction
In the last chapter, the author analysed and discussed results of this study whose aim was to investigate the causes for poor public participation in the implementation of the FP in the case of the management of natural resources along the Likangala and Mulunguzi riverbanks. In this chapter, conclusions about the research findings have been drawn and subsequent recommendations designed to address the problem of continued poor public participation, even with the existence of a people-centred FP, have been made. The chapter is divided in two sections. In the first section, conclusions about the research findings have been drawn, while in the second section recommendations have been made.
5.2. Conclusions
Even though the concept of public participation was integrated in the FP, the initiative has failed to promote the concept during the implementation of the policy in as far as management of natural resources along the Likangala and Mulunguzi riverbanks are concerned. This is evidenced by the continued reduction in the vegetative cover along the riverbanks. Although members of the community are blaming government, this research established that both are responsible for the loss of the vegetative cover. The government is responsible for the seemingly uncontrolled issuance of permits to sawyers, while the community is responsible for the cutting down of trees, especially for use in building houses whose walls were hundred percent made of wooden poles. Much as the community did not view the cutting down of trees for building houses as something that has hugely contributed to the loss of vegetative cover, the Author considers this activity as the biggest contributing factor to the reduction of vegetative cover especially due to the ever-increasing human population. The increase in human population means more trees have been cut for the purpose of constructing additional houses to cater for
the increasing number of persons in the population. In addition, the ever-increasing human population has for a long time created a huge demand for agricultural land. Undoubtedly, this situation has prompted people to encroach into the previously protected land along the riverbanks. The fact that some members of the community depend on the encroached land for cultivation, makes them feel that, once trees planted on this land grow, government will reclaim the land a situation that will render them landless. As a way of protecting this land, people have resorted to uprooting tree seedlings planted in the encroached land.
Undoubtedly, it is also true that to a lesser extent, brick burning and charcoal making are some of the activities that have contributed to the loss of the vegetative cover along the riverbanks, otherwise members of the community would not have mentioned them during discussions with the author. Probably, members of the community are reluctant to attribute these activities to the reduction of the vegetative cover along the rivers, because they are mostly performed by them, unlike timber sawing that is done by outsiders.
The study also revealed that there is a possibility of collusion between Forestry Assistants and sawyers, to illegally cut down trees through the issuance of fake permits. It is therefore evident that, irrespective of who has contributed more or less to the creation of this problem, both the community and the government are responsible for the loss of vegetative cover along the riverbanks. However, faced with this situation, the study has revealed that due to a number of factors, the community is unwilling to participate in the implementation of the forestry policy, in this case by participating in the management of natural resources along the riverbanks. This situation can therefore be addressed if public participation in the implementation of the FA is promoted. In the Author’s view, public participation can be promoted if there is full, transparent and honest collaboration between government and the community, to set out and address all factors identified by this research to be causing poor public participation.
According to the reviewed literature, one would concluded that, the influence by those pressurissing governments to embrace good governance has resulted in the Malawi government revising its old FA, in order to formulate a new one that incorporates public participation as a key principle of good governance. This was done in an attempt to promote the concept, so as to achieve effective management of natural resources. However, even when the new FA integrated public participation in the management of natural resources, the communities along the banks of Likangala and Mulunguzi rivers have not responded as anticipated, that is by taking an active part in the management of natural resources, but this is in the authors opinion due to a number of factors revealed by this research. This therefore makes it inevitable for government and the community to collaborate and make sure that all revealed factors causing poor public participation are fully recognised and incorporated into this forestry policy.
As the study has revealed, the Malawi government neither involved the community along Likangala and Mulunguzi riverbanks during the policy review process nor took any deliberate effort to clarify community’s role and benefits of participating in the implementation of the FA. Much as members of the community have heard of the integration of public participation in the FA through radio programmes, the study has revealed that they do not thoroughly know their supposed roles and benefits of participating in the implementation of this policy. Apparently, if government had taken deliberate efforts to involve the community during the policy review process, it would have created full awareness on community’s expected roles and benefits of participating in the implementation of the FA among members of the community. Undoubtedly, this would have motivated the community, thereby promoting public participation in the implementation of the FA.
The poor public participation in the implementation of the FA in the case of the management of natural resources along the banks of Likangala and Mulunguzi rivers according to the research findings is due to a lack of trained members of community who would train their colleagues in forestry management, lack of
incentives to motivate members of the community to participate in the implementation of the forestry policy, a lack of knowledge on the ownership of trees planted by members of the community and the uprooting of planted tree seedlings by those that cultivate in the banks of the two rivers. Probably, these problems are arising because the government did not involve all stakeholders during the policy review process. This therefore means the new policy might not have been a product of a holistic approach. Presumably, if all stakeholders had been taken on board from the outset of the policy review process, through to implementation, then this poor public participation in the implementation of the FA would have been identified and addressed at an early stage. It is therefore imperative that government in collaboration with all key stakeholders, including the communities put in place deliberate efforts that will facilitate the designing and implementation of holistic NRM programmes that will identify and address all factors contributing to poor public participation in the implementation of the FA. The designing and implementation of holistic NRM projects will ensure that participation of all stakeholders is recognised and promoted. With this approach, the government will thus have put in place conducive policy framework(s) that would promote good governance.
5.3. Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations are made: 5.3.1. The government needs to commission a further investigation that would
inform itself about key issues that were missed out during the old forestry policy review process and the subsequent formulation of the current forestry policy. This is very important, because according to one of the findings of this study, the community as a key stakeholder whose participation was supposed to be promoted by the new forestry policy was not fully consulted during the review of the old policy a process that led to the formulation of the new forestry policy that was intended to integrate public participation. This
recommended investigation will prove very important, especially at this time when the government is revising the current forestry policy. If deliberate efforts are not taken to consult and seek input from all key stakeholders, in natural resource management, especially forestry management, then the status quo of poor public participation in the implementation of the forestry policy will be maintained by members of the community along the banks of Likangala and Mulunguzi rivers and elsewhere.
5.3.2. The government needs to carry out an ongoing awareness campaign especially in problem areas such as along the banks of Likangala and Mulunguzi rivers to create peoples’ awareness on their expected roles and benefits of participating in natural resource management. In the same vein, the government needs to formulate, institutionalise and implement a robust monitoring system that will track down progress being made and identify challenges being faced when implementing natural resource management project that involve members of the community.
5.3.3. The government needs to take an initiative to clarify issues that are inhibiting public participation in the implementation of the forestry policy due to community’s lack of correct information or simple misunderstandings. Some of these issues include: ownership of trees planted by members of the community and the status of the encroached land, which was previously protected and falls within the fifteen metres distance from the rivers. Presently, it is quite evident that members of the community lack correct information on who is to claim ownership of trees planted by members of the community, between government and themselves. Arguably, despite a lack of knowledge on their roles in as far as NRM along the riverbanks is concerned, members of the community would have been motivated to fully participate in some NRM activities, such as tree planting if they knew that they will claim ownership of the trees they have planted when they grow. Equally, if members of the community knew the status of the encroached
land along rivers, they would have known which position to take. If for example the land was taken back from encroachers, members of the community would have been motivated to take part in tree planting due to the fact that, the risk of having those tree seedlings uprooted by encroachers would have been eliminated.
5.3.4. The government also needs to revise the roles and responsibilities of the Forestry Assistant. This is very important especially due to the finding that, some community members feel government is still required in the management of natural resources, because of its expertise. Equally, the revision of the roles and responsibility should also aim at putting in place measures that will address the suspected corrupt acts involving FAs and sawyers. If for example FAs are not directly involved in the deliver of permits to sawyers, chances of them issuing fake permits to sawyers will be minimised or eradicated.
5.3.5. Government and development agencies need to formulate and implement NRM programmes or projects that will work towards empowering members of the community. This is important because it will ensure sustainability of the projects. For instance, this study has revealed that members of the local community are very much willing to fully participate in NRM projects that have material and monetary incentives as was demonstrated in the MASAF supported project. However, the participation of members of the local community has not been sustained due to the discontinuation of incentives. It is therefore highly recommended that government should consider formulating and implementing sustainable NRM projects. This will be achieved if the government and other organisations empower members of the community through training to identify, design and run self-sustaining natural resource management projects, for example those that have a component of income generation. For instance, the community can be trained to design and implement NRM project that generates income
through sales of excess tree seedlings. With this income, the community can address issues of poverty, while managing natural resources along the banks of Likangala and Mulunguzi rivers.
5.4 Reccommendation for further study
This study investigated causes of poor public participation in the implementation of the forestry policy along the banks of Likangala and Mulunguzi rivers. One of the recommendations of this research is to promote collaboration of all key stakeholders in the management of natural resources. The author would therefore recommend for a further study that will identify all key stakeholders and their perceived roles in the management of natural resources. This will ensure that all those having an interest in natural resource management and utilization are taken on board in future projects. This will in turn eliminate conflicts while improving effectiveness in the management of natural resources.
5.5. Summary
The continued loss of vegetative cover is an indication that even after the incorporation of public participation in the forestry policy, the communities along the banks of Likangala and Mulunguzi rivers are still not actively taking part in the management of natural resources along these riverbanks, because of a number of factors that have been revealed by this study. However, if the government and other stakeholders collaborate and address these factors, public participation in the management of natural resources along the riverbanks can be promoted. This will in turn enhance effective management of natural resources. The factors causing lack of public participation in the management of natural resources along the banks of these rivers and elsewhere with similar problems can be addressed if government and its stakeholders implement the recommendations outlined in this report.