Community-Based Forestry Management Project Team Engages Beneficiaries

MONROVIA: A Team from UNDP and FDA has conducted a Joint monitoring mission to 3 (three) project communities in Gbarpolu, Lofa, and Grand Cape Mount Counties in the Northwest Landscape under the Community-Based Forestry and Protected Area Management (CBFM) project funded by the government of Sweden.

The team led by Dorsla Farcarthy, Pillar Head of UNDP’s Inclusive Green Growth Portfolio included Joseph Duolupeh from the FDA and the CBFM Project Manager Robert Sekungu.

The team toured project sites and interacted with project beneficiaries, forest governance structures, and the local leadership of forest-fringe communities in protected areas in Benduma and Varguaye in Grand Cape Mount County, Takpoima in Gbarpolu County, and Salayea in Lofa County.

The mission provided an opportunity for partners, beneficiaries, and service providers to better understand the project implementation status and challenges in the landscape and discuss issues while on the ground.

The CBFM project supports the governance structures of targeted communities to obtain authorized community forest status using the FDA’s nine-step criteria, supports alternative livelihoods identified by communities, and enables policy, governance framework, and institutional capacity.

Benduma and Varquaye communities have begun the cultivation of over 60 plots of swamp rice as part of one of their alternative projects. In Takpoima, the community has completed a preliminary survey of border points and demarcation which is part of step five out of the nine steps criteria of the FDA to reach community forest status.

“We are appealing to the FDA to fast-track the posting of demarcation/survey notices and results to allow us to move to the next steps,” said Commissioner Alfred Bah, anchored by citizens of Takpoima.

The Takpoima Community leadership is comprised of Mohammed Brown Forestry Officer, Commissioner Alfred Bah, Women Spokesperson Hawa Patrick, District Youth Representative Secretary Martu Gonda, and Youth Chair Augustine Twagbah.

The leadership told the monitoring team that they are still awaiting the FDA to post notices on the demarcation results but while they await the next steps, the women farmer cooperative has begun the production of cashews as an alternative source of income to reduce pressure on the forests. The local leadership also mentioned that sensitization on the need to avoid protected areas is ongoing calling for increased logistical support to enhance sensitization.

In Salayea which has completed the nine-step criteria and has been granted community forest status, the local leadership reported that they have reviewed and approved its draft management plan and forwarded it to the FDA.

It followed the elections of its leadership structure comprised of 23 members nine of whom are women. The Chief Officer of the Salayea Community Forest Management Body Yassah Mulbah said 4 out of 6 communities were identified to engage in vegetable and cocoa production, animal husbandry, poultry, beekeeping, etc. as part of their alternative livelihood projects.

Ms. Mulbah however complained of illegal mining still ongoing in protected areas and called for more support for Eco guards patrolling some of the forest communities.

“We need the intervention of the Ministry of Mines and Energy to stop illegal mining activities by unauthorized groups taking place in parts of our forest,” she emphasized.

The CBFM project provides support to promoting effective community-based management of Protected Areas (PAs) and Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) in the targeted landscapes; creates and strengthens resilient, low-emission land management, and equitable, non-timber forest product smallholder value chains through sustainable business development of forest and farm producers, their organizations, or cooperatives.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in partnership with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) Liberia are implementing the four-year project with funding from the government of Sweden.