EC-FAO PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME (2000-2002)
Project GCP/RAS/173/EC
TOR for National Forest Policy Reviews
Country
Background
National focal points for the Programme are invited to provide an assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of the forest policies in their respective countries. The overall aim and objectives of the country forest policy studies is to investigate the current situation with respect of national forest policies in specific key areas. Specifically, the study is to:
identify the key national forest policy issues;
assess the process of forest policy formulation;
review the effectiveness of forest policy implementation in achieving its objectives;
identify the impediments to policy implementation;
describe efforts to overcome the impediments; and
provide suggestions on actions related to forest policy issues to achieve sustainable forest management.
These country studies will be presented to the Asia-Pacific Regional Forestry Commission (August 2002) and will form the basis for a regional overview paper on forest policies in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Task
National focal points are invited to submit on behalf of their country a report of maximum length 20 pages + annexes on the points requested enumerated in the detailed outline which follows. It is also recommended to provide a copy of the most important source documents.
The reports are recommended to be submitted in English by 31 May 2002. The EC-FAO Programme will provide lump sum of US$ 2,500 for each country study.
National focal points are invited to send one printed copy plus appendices of their report through their FAO Representation to Ms. Qiang Ma, FONS, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla – 00100 – ROME, ITALY. Additionally, please provide an electronic version (text in Microsoft Word and tables in Microsoft Excel) on disk or by e-mail attachment to be sent to Ms. Qiang Ma: [email protected] and Mr. Michael Martin: [email protected]
National Forest Policy Review
Recommended outline
Chapter 1: Current situation of forest resources and the forestry sector
Highlight in the text key indicators of change in forest resources, forest products and trade and the environmental, social and economic aspects of forestry such as (see table below):
|
Land, population, economy and forests |
Production, trade and consumption |
|
land area population (total) population density population growth rate percentage of rural people GNP per capita annual growth rate of GDP forest area (total and in percent of total land area) area under forest management plans (the area of forest which is managed in accordance with a formal, national management plan over five years or more) forest area per capita plantation area rate of deforestation percent land area protected |
industrial roundwood (production, imports, exports consumption) sawnwood (production, imports, exports consumption) wood-based panels (production, imports, exports consumption) pulp for paper paper and paperboard |
Chapter 2: Current and emerging issues, trends and critical problems
2.1 Identify and describe the most pressing current problems and emerging issues that are receiving the attention of the government, the specialised organisations, NGOs, the private sector and the rural communities.
Suggested sources of information: Among the sources of information for the identification of current issues are the activities and special programmes of the government agencies, the key policy research at the forestry research institutes and universities, and reports from consultants of national and international organisation. It is recommended also to search the newsgroup regarding the country in the Internet. The forestry national and operative programmes will provide evidences of the current and emerging issues. The evolution and impacts of other sectors depending on the goods and services of the forestry sector should also be reviewed.
2.2 Identify the main implications coming from international conventions and similar initiatives (e.g. IPF/IFF proposals for actions) for the national forest policies and the process of policy formulation.
Chapter 3: Current national forest policies
3.1 National statement or objective related to forests
Indicate if a national statement or objective related to forests exists in writing and in an easily identified document (constitution, special declaration, national development plans, main development programmes). Cite the document(s) and attach a photocopy of the substantive citation.
Please note where it has been published and if there have been initiatives to make it known to the population and other government institutions. Please indicate if there is clear evidence that the content and the objectives of the national forest policy is recognised by other institutions as evidenced by the citation or quotation of its content from government documents, publications and declarations.
3.2 Identify any specific forestry policies and thrust areas, e.g.:
- Forest resources and land-use change
- Forest management including timber harvesting
- Forest and biodiversity conservation
- Forest industries
- Non-wood forest products
- Trees outside forests
- Wood energy
- Investments in forestry and wood processing
- People’s participation including decentralization and devolution of forest management responsibilities
Role of forestry agencies in forest management
Forestry research, education and extension
Forest fires
Forest plantation
Climate change
Watershed management
etc.
Policy instruments of specific forest policies and implementation processes
Regulatory and administrative instruments tools, e.g. administrative orders, regulation by laws etc.
Voluntary tools, e.g. direct and indirect incentives and grants to production processes, taxes and tax concessions etc.
Complementary tools and social services, e.g. information, extension etc.
Provide quotations of the specific policies, where possible, and identify relevant documentation.
3.4 Specific non-forestry policies affecting management of forests and trees such as:
Agriculture and other land uses (e.g. mining)
Environment
Rural development
Industrial development
Infrastructure
Employment
Trade
Tourism
etc.
Chapter 4: Process, mechanisms of and institutional arrangements for forest policy formulation
4.1 Identify and describe the process of forest policy formation.
4.2 Identify and describe the responsible organisations, the ways in which the process is formalised and legitimised.
4.3 Describe how stakeholders are involved in forest policy formulation
4.4 Assess the country’s capacities for policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, reviewing the institutional arrangements related to forestry matters such as:
- Organisational framework for policy formulation and policy analysis
- Recent and current organisational and institutional reforms in the forestry sector
- Human resources
- Managerial capacities
Etc.
Chapter 5: Forestry policy implementation and impacts
5.1 Identify the institutional arrangements and actions carried out in achieving stated policy objectives and the activities related to monitoring and evaluation. Answer the question, how is forest policy implemented? Address the following questions:
How are broad policies translated into rules and regulations and enforced on the ground?
What are the major constraints in policy implementation?
5.2 Analyse the impacts and effectiveness of the forest policies in implementation and in achieving its objectives. In particular, examine the role of policy as a tool to achieve the objectives of the country’s national forest programme or broad objective for forests. Specifically, examine:
What are the monitoring and evaluation mechanisms?
How does information feed back into the policy formulation process, such as the emergence of the emerging issues described in Chapter 2?
Chapter 6: Conclusions and recommendations
Provide options for actions on forest policy issues for achieving sustainable forest management.
Considering:
policy assessment;
formulation;
implementation
Etc.
Chapter 7: Appendices
Supporting documentation such as lengthy tables and sections of other documents (e.g. laws and regulations) will be provided in the appendix of the report.
