IMPACT OF JOINT FOREST MANAGEMENT ON RURAL LIVELIHOODS IN PAKISTAN: (CASE STUDIES OF KALAM AND SIRAN FOREST DIVISIONS) YAHYA SHEIKH Ph.D Scholar Research Supervisor: ASTT: PROF. DR. MUHAMMAD IBRAR DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR (SESSION 2011-12) IMPACT OF JOINT FOREST MANAGEMENT ON RURAL LIVELIHOODS IN PAKISTAN: (CASE STUDIES OF KALAM AND SIRAN FOREST DIVISIONS) YAHYA SHEIKH Ph.D Scholar A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH SUPERVISOR: ASTT: PROF. DR. MUHAMMAD IBRAR DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR (SESSION 2011-12) PLAGIARISM UNDERTAKING I solemnly declare that research work presented in the thesis titled “Impact of joint forest management on rural livelihoods in Pakistan: (Case studies of Kalam and Siran forest divisions)” is solely my research work with no significant contribution from any other person. Small contribution/help wherever taken has been duly acknowledged and that complete thesis has been written by me. I understand the zero tolerance policy of the HEC and University of Peshawar towards plagiarism. Therefore I as an author of the above titled thesis declare that no portion of my thesis has been plagiarized and any material used as reference is properly referred/cited. I undertake that if I am found guilty of any formal plagiarism in the above titled thesis even after award of Ph.D degree, the university reserves the rights to withdraw/revoke my Ph.D degree and that HEC and the university has the right to publish my name on the HEC/University website on which names of students are placed who submitted plagiarized thesis. Signature: _______________ Name: YAHYA SHEIKH AUTHOR’S DECLARATION I Yahya Sheikh hereby state that my Ph.D thesis titled “Impact of joint forest management on rural livelihoods in Pakistan: (Case studies of Kalam and Siran forest divisions)” is my own work and has not been submitted previously by me for taking any degree from this University of Peshawar or anywhere else in the country/world. At any time if my statement is found to be incorrect even after my graduate the university has the right to withdraw my Ph.D degree. YAHYA SHEIKH Date: ____/_____/_____ i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, my profound gratitude goes to Almighty God for guiding me through this incredible journey of academic studies. Many people have contributed to the realization of this thesis. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all those who have contributed in this research study. I am particularly thankful to my supervisor Dr. Muhammad Ibrar (Assistant Professor, Social Work Department, University of Peshawar) for his support, patience, thoughtful guidance and valuable comments throughout the process of this study without which it would have not been possible. I am grateful to all my teachers of Social Work Department, University of Peshawar for their academic support and encouragement. I express my gratitude to the personnel of KP Forest Department especially Mr. Niaz Ali Khan (Conservator of Forests) and all the staff of CDEGAD Directorate of KP Forest Department for their support and co-operation in the research study. I owe my thanks to all my friends particularly Muhammad Tariq Shamim Khan, Ihsan Ullah, Zia-ur Rehman, Sabir Ihsan, Dr. Muhammad Aurangzeb Khan for their help. I wish to extend my cordial thanks to Tariq Shamim Khan who accompanied me during my field visits to study sites and helped me in data collection. I also acknowledge the help of Hidayat Ullah for his expert guidance in SPSS Program with many thanks. Villagers/ local community of the study sites are greatly acknowledged for their time and sharing of information with me which make my field work possible. Enormous thanks goes to my Father, Mother, Wife, Brother and Sister for their priceless prayers, love, care and moral support. My sons Zikriya and Mustafa, daughter Sana I thank with my deepest love for all their patience with their studying father, who often had to say no when asked to play. YAHYA SHEIKH ii ABSTRACT In the past forest management policies in Pakistan were based on colonial/ conventional approach which did not allow participation of the local communities in the management of forest resources. The concept of Joint Forest Management was initiated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan in 1996 which emphasized the active involvement of local communities in forest management to achieve both the sustainable forest management and community livelihoods. The JFM was institutionalized through Forest Ordinance 2002 and JFM (Community Participation Rules) were framed by the forest department for its operating. Since then a number of Joint Forest Management Committees have been established for joint management of forests throughout the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The research study was conducted to analyze the impacts of JFM on rural livelihoods in Pakistan. The results of the study are based on the experience of JFM in 10 villages of Siran and Kalam Forest Divisions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan (selected as a case study for this research). The main objectives of research were to assess the impacts of JFM on the condition of forests and its role in livelihoods provision to the forest-adjacent communities, attitude of the concerned rural communities and forest department staff towards the approach of JFM, factors influencing local community involvement in joint management of forests and to identify issues/ problems in the JFM system and suggest improvement measures. The data was collected from the two primary stakeholders’ involved in the JFM i.e local community/ JFMC members & forest department personnel. A total of 150 No. of samples were selected from local community/ JFMCs through stratified random sampling technique whereas 20 No. of respondents were selected from forest department personnel on purposive basis. Thus the overall number of samples was 170. Interview schedules and focus group discussions were used as a tool to get the information from respondents. The results of the study revealed that the rural communities are dependent upon the forest resources for their livelihoods. The JFM has positive impacts on rural livelihoods through legal access of the local communities to the adjacent forests for satisfying their needs such as fuel wood, timber, fodder/ grasses. Further, the JFM has legally allowed the iii locals for collection and selling of NTFPs/ medicinal plants from the forest and for royalty/ community share in the sale of trees. The study results further showed that the JFM had played a role in generating the income earning opportunities through nursery raising and selling, daily wager opportunities in plantations, employment in forest enclosures, provision of free of cost fruit plants for orchards, seeds for kitchen gardening, capacity building/ skill development of the locals and social networking. The attitude of both the forest department personnel and local community towards the approach of JFM was found to be positive. The level of local community participation in JFM activities was high in majority of the study areas due to the above benefits of JFM. The JFM had contributed in development of forest resources through plantations on communal and private lands, nursery raising, NTFPs conservation and development, agro forestry, establishment of forest enclosures and range land improvement activities. The local community was also involved in forest protection measures such as community forest check posts, patrolling, and fire protection. The issues/ problems in the JFM explored by the study were lack of trust between locals and forest department staff, lack of clarity on JFM Rules, bureaucratic/ non-participatory approach of forest department, lack of decision making/ transfer of power to the local communities in JFM, conflicts within the local communities, and issues on distribution of monetary benefits. The study concludes that although problems exist in the JFM but it has played a role in both the livelihoods improvement and forest development. Based on the findings of the research study, the researcher offers some key recommendations for improvement, strengthening and effectiveness of the JFM. iv Table of Contents TITLE PAGE # Acknowledgements .......................................................................................... i Abstract………………………………………………………………….......... ii Table of Contents……………………………………………………………… iv List of Tables………………………………………………………………….. vii List of Abbreviations…………………………………………………………. ix CHAPTER -1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study 1 1.1.1 Emergence of Joint Forest Management 3 1.1.2 Joint Forest Management in Pakistan 5 1.2 Problem Statement 7 1.3 Research Questions 8 1.3 Objectives of the study 8 1.4 Significance of the study 9 1.5 Limitations of the Study 10 1.6 Thesis Structure 10 CHAPTER-2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Overview of World Forests 12 2.2 Forests & Livelihoods 13 2.3 The Concept of Joint Forest Management 17 2.4 Constraints of Joint Forest Management 20 2.5 Recipes for Successful Joint Forest Management 22 2.6 JFM & the Livelihoods assets available to rural communities 25 2.6.1 Natural Capital 25 2.6.2 Financial Capital 26 2.6.3 Human Capital 26 2.6.4 Physical capital 27 2.6.5 Social Capital 27 2.7 Joint Forest Management in Different Countries 28 v 2.7.1 JFM In India 28 2.7.2 JFM In Nepal 29 2.7.3 JFM In Tanzania 30 2.7.4 JFM In Zambia 31 2.8 Studies on Joint Forest Management/ Experiences of JFM 31