FAO Forestry country profiles - forest management

Objectives

The Master Plan for the Forestry Sector has spelled out the following long-term objectives for the development of the forestry sector:

• to meet the basic needs of people for fuelwood, fodder, timber, and other forest products and to contribute to food production through effective interaction between forestry and farming practices;
• to protect the land against degradation by soil erosion, floods, landslides, desertification and other effects of ecological imbalance;
• to conserve ecosystems and genetic resources;
• to contribute to the growth of local and national economies by developing forest management and forest-based industries and creating opportunities for income generation and employment.

The medium term objectives of the Master Plan are to support decentralization and promote people's participation in forest resource development, management and conservation, and to develop the legal framework needed to enhance the contribution of individuals, communities, and institutions to forest resource development.