4. POLICY, PLANNING AND INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM

4.1. National forest policy and legislation
4.2. Institutions involved in FGR

4.1. National forest policy and legislation

The pre-existing policy, and associated rules and legislation, is known as Forest and Wildlife Conservation and Development No. 192/1980. This was inherited from the Ethiopian administration. The intention of the current Government is that it is replaced by a revised proclamation, which had been in draft form since currently in draft since 1996.. This draft defines the following sub-sector objectives:

• produce fuel wood and construction poles;
• promote soil conservation through reforestation;
• restore the ecosystem through natural regeneration;
• promote the development of non - wood forest products; and
• protect the existing known populations of endangered wildlife while undertaking a national reconnaissance of remnant habitats and associated communities.

The last clause of government’s draft policy for the forestry and wildlife sub-sector has also been shaped by its ratification of international agreements for trade in endangered species (CITES, 1974), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (COB, 1992).

In pursuance of these objectives, the following elements of a draft strategy have been put forward:

• implement the international agreements relating to forestry and wildlife;
• establish national parks and other areas for the conservation and management of wildlife;
• conserve, protect and establish a system for sustainable use of the forests and wildlife of Eritrea;
• develop plans to protect current endangered wildlife and habitats in consultation with local land users;
• produce fuel wood and construction material in a sustainable fashion through private wood lots combined with increased royalties on existing forest lumber;
• protect catchments by permanent and temporary closure, augmented where necessary by reforestation;
• promote the use of multiple-use tree species and the development of agroforestry;
• encourage the introduction and adoption of alternative energy sources;
• promote participatory approaches for the protection and restoration of the environment;
• ensure the sustainable exploitation of wood and non-wood forest products;
• make tree seedling production financially self sustaining through charging for seedlings; and
• raise public awareness of and commitment to general conservation issues as they affect Eritrea.

One area of potential incompatibility between the productive and conservation roles of the Ministry of Agriculture is the impact of clearing of natural forest vegetation for agricultural development under concession agreements.

4.2. Institutions involved in FGR

Ministry

Within the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) there are 3 Departments, each with several divisions as follows:

Land Resources & Crop Production	Animal Resources	Research and Human Resources Development
- Crop production and Protection - Irrigation & Soil Conservation - Forestry & Wildlife Develop. - Survey & Design	- Animal Health & Protection - Animal Production - Range lands & Nutrition	- Agricultural Engineering - Crop Development - Forestry Development - Livestock Development - Human Resources - Agricultural Engineering

There is also an Administrative Division and supporting units directly under the Minister. Other institutions such as the Department of Environment from the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment and University of Asmara have direct relationship with the forestry sector of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Regional Administration

There are 6 Regions (Zoba) and 51 sub-regions (Sub-zoba). Although 8 of the sub-regions are cities, they are likely to have tree planting activities. The Ministry of Agriculture in the Regions still reports to the MOA Headquarters at Asmara, although under the existing arrangements more autonomy exists in the Regions than formerly. The administrative structure in the Regions is similar to that at HQ, although somewhat simplified. There are two Sub-Divisions; beneath each are listed their respective Units.

Land Resources & Crop Production	Animal Resources
- Crop production and Protection - Irrigation & Soil Conservation - Forestry & Wildlife - Survey & Design	- Animal Health & Protection - Animal Production - Rangelands & Nutrition

Planning and programming are to be conducted independently in the Regions, which will submit their own draft programmes and budgets annually to HQ. Licensing and control (including granting of agricultural concessions) is also entrusted to various degrees to the Regional level, where it comes directly under Senior Agricultural Officers.

Sub-Regional Administration

This is similar to the Regional set-up. Under the Head of the Agricultural Sub-Division are two units: Animal Resources and Land Resources & Crop Production. These operate mainly at the technical level, and report to the appropriate Regional Divisions.

Forestry and Wildlife reports are produced monthly, quarterly and annually at Sub-regional level, and are incorporated in the appropriate periodic report of the Agricultural Sub-Division before being sent to regional level. Here, they are amalgamated into the Regional periodic report for the various units that compose the Ministry of Agriculture. This is sent to the central MOA in Asmara, where the Annual Report for the Ministry is prepared by amalgamating the reports for the various Regions. The reports are produced to standard formats, and are accompanied by standard forms containing the requisite data on different aspects of forestry.