Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 102507 |
| Journal | Forest policy and economics |
| Volume | 129 |
| Early online date | 24 May 2021 |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2021 |
Abstract
Participation of local communities in forest management decision-making has been promoted as a mechanism of improving livelihoods and forest conditions, yet the level of participation in many programs remains low. Using data from a cross-sectional survey of 924 forest-dependent households in Western Kenya, we examine the factors that support or constrain forest dependent people's participation in a Participatory Forest Management (PFM) program. We run a probit model to assess households' choice to join PFM and then compute a Participation Index (PI) for forest users' participation across different stages of the PFM program – planning, implementation and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). The determinants of participation are then analyzed using the fractional regression approach. Results show that over half (52%) of the respondents participated in PFM. While vulnerability to shocks, being in a farmers' group, a household's access to the forest within the previous 12 months and access to extension were associated with the likelihood of participating in PFM, the influence of the household head's age and education, access to credit and food insecurity had a negative influence. Our results reveal PIs of 41%, 49%, and 42% at the planning, implementation, and M&E stages respectively, indicating a moderate participation level. The fractional regression model shows that transaction costs associated with access to markets, gender (being male), household expenditure and expected forest benefits positively influence household participation in PFM, while the opportunity costs associated with off-farm income, distance to the forest and lack of extension have a negative influence on participation. These results point to the need to take the household context (gender, education, household expenditure and vulnerability) into consideration during planning and implementation of the forestry programs. The implication is that forest authorities should identify and implement mechanisms to enhance benefits from forests but also reduce costs of participation, especially for women.
Keywords
- Community forest associations, Forest decentralization policy, Fractional regression model, Household participation, PFM
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Forestry
- Social Sciences(all)
- Sociology and Political Science
- Economics, Econometrics and Finance(all)
- Economics and Econometrics
- Environmental Science(all)
- Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Forest policy and economics, Vol. 129, 102507, 08.2021.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding forest users' participation in participatory forest management (PFM)
T2 - Insights from Mt. Elgon forest ecosystem, Kenya
AU - Mbeche, Robert
AU - Ateka, Josiah
AU - Herrmann, Raoul
AU - Grote, Ulrike
N1 - Funding Information: This study was funded by Volkswagen Foundation, Germany under the program of Livelihood Reforms and Structural Transformation in Africa.
PY - 2021/8
Y1 - 2021/8
N2 - Participation of local communities in forest management decision-making has been promoted as a mechanism of improving livelihoods and forest conditions, yet the level of participation in many programs remains low. Using data from a cross-sectional survey of 924 forest-dependent households in Western Kenya, we examine the factors that support or constrain forest dependent people's participation in a Participatory Forest Management (PFM) program. We run a probit model to assess households' choice to join PFM and then compute a Participation Index (PI) for forest users' participation across different stages of the PFM program – planning, implementation and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). The determinants of participation are then analyzed using the fractional regression approach. Results show that over half (52%) of the respondents participated in PFM. While vulnerability to shocks, being in a farmers' group, a household's access to the forest within the previous 12 months and access to extension were associated with the likelihood of participating in PFM, the influence of the household head's age and education, access to credit and food insecurity had a negative influence. Our results reveal PIs of 41%, 49%, and 42% at the planning, implementation, and M&E stages respectively, indicating a moderate participation level. The fractional regression model shows that transaction costs associated with access to markets, gender (being male), household expenditure and expected forest benefits positively influence household participation in PFM, while the opportunity costs associated with off-farm income, distance to the forest and lack of extension have a negative influence on participation. These results point to the need to take the household context (gender, education, household expenditure and vulnerability) into consideration during planning and implementation of the forestry programs. The implication is that forest authorities should identify and implement mechanisms to enhance benefits from forests but also reduce costs of participation, especially for women.
AB - Participation of local communities in forest management decision-making has been promoted as a mechanism of improving livelihoods and forest conditions, yet the level of participation in many programs remains low. Using data from a cross-sectional survey of 924 forest-dependent households in Western Kenya, we examine the factors that support or constrain forest dependent people's participation in a Participatory Forest Management (PFM) program. We run a probit model to assess households' choice to join PFM and then compute a Participation Index (PI) for forest users' participation across different stages of the PFM program – planning, implementation and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). The determinants of participation are then analyzed using the fractional regression approach. Results show that over half (52%) of the respondents participated in PFM. While vulnerability to shocks, being in a farmers' group, a household's access to the forest within the previous 12 months and access to extension were associated with the likelihood of participating in PFM, the influence of the household head's age and education, access to credit and food insecurity had a negative influence. Our results reveal PIs of 41%, 49%, and 42% at the planning, implementation, and M&E stages respectively, indicating a moderate participation level. The fractional regression model shows that transaction costs associated with access to markets, gender (being male), household expenditure and expected forest benefits positively influence household participation in PFM, while the opportunity costs associated with off-farm income, distance to the forest and lack of extension have a negative influence on participation. These results point to the need to take the household context (gender, education, household expenditure and vulnerability) into consideration during planning and implementation of the forestry programs. The implication is that forest authorities should identify and implement mechanisms to enhance benefits from forests but also reduce costs of participation, especially for women.
KW - Community forest associations
KW - Forest decentralization policy
KW - Fractional regression model
KW - Household participation
KW - PFM
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106374895&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.forpol.2021.102507
DO - 10.1016/j.forpol.2021.102507
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85106374895
VL - 129
JO - Forest policy and economics
JF - Forest policy and economics
SN - 1389-9341
M1 - 102507
ER -