Empaform

About Empaform

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:45:31 +0000

EMPAFORM: Stands for “strengthening and Empowering civil societies for partiipatory forest management in East Africa”

Thick Forests

This was a programme aimed at strengthening civil society to demand an effective participation in Forest Management.
This programme of civil society strengthening has promoted a pro-poor approach to the management and conservation of natural forests in E. Africa. CBOs have been the primary target group.

By strengthening and empowering these organisations the programme will make the implementation of new forest policy more demand driven, and more equitable in addressing the interests and rights of poor men, women and children. Major areas of activity include access to information, advocacy, organizational strengthening, networking at local, national and regional levels, and demand-driven technical assistance.

The programme’s focus on CBOs will also give the rural poor, and particularly women and other marginalized groups, a stronger voice in policy development at national level. By influencing the underlying power relationships within communities, and between communities and the State, the programme will promote good governance both within and beyond the forest sector. This Partnership programme is being implemented as ajoint venture of national and international NGOs and Partners include:

Budongo Forest Community Development Organisation (BUCODO)
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
CARE International in Uganda
Forest Action Network (FAN)
Kenya Forestry Reserch Institute (KEFRI)
CARE International in Kenya
Tanzania Forest Conservation Group (TFCG)
CARE International in Tanzania
CARE Denmark

Our Staff


Kalubala Ibrahim	Anthony Ochino

Jack Omondi	Howard Akimala

Mwajuma Abdi	Jackson Njari

Empaform Objectives

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:17:44 +0000

The main objective has been to ensure that natural forests and woodlands in East Africa are sustainably managed and conserved with increased benefits to the poor in forest dependant communities. This is the goal to which EMPAFORM efforts are contributing – the issue that returns to communities can be enhanced while forests are conserved! Specifically, the project was to ensure that, Empowered civil society organisations have promoted a pro-poor approach to PFM that is more demand-driven and more equitable in addressing the interests and rights of the poor, and national networks established that will institutionalise this approach. The programme was adressing issues of advocacy, organisational strengthening as well as governance.

Overall Objectives

Natural forests and woodlands in East Africa are sustainably managed and conserved with increased benefits to the poor in forest dependant communities. This is the goal to which EMPAFORM efforts are contributing – the issue that returns to communities can be enhanced while forests are conserved! Specific objective: Empowered civil society organisations have promoted a pro-poor approach to PFM that is more demand-driven and more equitable in addressing the interests and rights of the poor, and national networks established that will institutionalise this approach.

(Now National Networks do exist in the three Countries: NACOFA in Kenya, UNETCOFA in Uganda and MJUMITA in Tanzania). EMPAFORM is targeting second level CBOs as the entry point for building civil society capacity. Seven themes are being targeted to deliver this capacity building within the programme four years: The following is a break down of the main themes engulfed with progressive results already:

Access to information – Provide the needed information to communities
Local/ National networking – Effective exchange of the information
Advocacy and Legal literacy – Communities to better understand: Land Policy, Forest Policy, PRSP processes, able to demand what is due to them. (Via workshops, articles, policy briefs, newsletters)
Organisational Strengthening – Governance, management, negotiation capacity, fundraising, and Networking skills strengthened in targeted second level CBOs.
Direct technical assistance – to respond to demands by communities to undertake PFM.
Regional networking – Regional meetings on emerging issues and case studies for PFM in the region.
Learning and Dissemination – Documentation and sharing with the wider public; learning from our own experience

Themes 1-5 are implemented at the National level and themes 6 and 7 are at the regional level.

EMPAFORM is a partnership programme that is being implemented as a joint venture of national and international NGOs, operational in 3 countries: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The partners include – FAN, KEFRI and CARE Kenya in Kenya, TFCG and CARE Tanzania in Tanzania, and BUCODO, ACODE and CARE Uganda in Uganda. The programme is funded through the EU Tropical Forest Budget Line. This 4-yr programme implementation started in April 2005 and ends in March 2009.

This civil society strengthening process is intended to promote a pro-poor approach to the management and conservation of natural forests in E. Africa. By strengthening and empowering CBOs involved in Collaborative Forest Management, EMPAFORM hopes to make the implementation of new forest policies in the three countries more demand driven, and more equitable in addressing the interests and rights of poor men, women and children.

Advocacy

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:13:03 +0000

Advocacy

Participatory Forest Management Advocacy Strategy Framework

Under advocacy, the intetion has been to encourage forest dependant communities to bagain for fair CFM agreements. “Sustainably managed and conserved while improving livelihoods of the poor men, women and children in forest dependent communities”

Key Advocacy Result

“Increased capacity of second level CBOs and national NGOs to analyse forest and land tenure policy, and PEAP programmes, to design, implement and monitor advocacy initiatives for PFM and decision-making, and main streaming PFM within the PEAP e.g. NAADS and NSCG”

PFM Advocacy Goal

“All natural forest and woodlands dependent communities are involved in PFM and forest based enterprises for livelihood improvement”

Envisaged Advocacy Approach

Facilitate the poor and marginalised natural forests and woodlands dependent communities to negotiate fair CFM deals without undermining sustainable forest management objectives

Steps taken in developing the Advocacy Strategy framework

Issues drawn from the field (CFRs and Forest Communities)- Consultancy
Issues prioritized (first advocacy Workshop of stakeholders)
People-centred approaches entrenched in issues processing (first advocacy workshop of stakeholders)
Research to clarify problem and formulate corresponding strategy (Baseline survey and consultations with lead agencies)
Strategy developed jointly with partners ( advocacy strategy working Group)
Strategy to be jointly implemented

Problem Statement

Forest management in Uganda is gradually changing from government “command and control” forest management approach to participatory forest management approaches. While government control forest management approach dates back to 1898, Participatory forest management approaches were only introduced about in 1998 (i.e. about 100years later) to promote community participation and sustainable management of forests.

Participatory Forest Management (PFM) is the forest management approach that involves cooperation between the State and local people to attain sustainable forest management. It involves working together as members of a community, neighboring a forest, in partnership with government and respecting each other as equal partners doing forest activities for the same purpose.

Opponents (people who will oppose us);

Some NFA officials
Some FID officials
some officials of MWLE
Some officials of NAADS secretariat
Some LGs Councilors and District Officials
Forest products Business community
Illegal pit sawyers

Envisaged Advocacy Challenges

Resources (especially financial)
Timeliness of interventions
Availability of information and willingness of those with it to pass it on
How far BUCODO/EMPAFORM is willing to take the campaign
No credit given after desired outcome
Difficulty in measuring impacts (evaluation)

“Getting peoples livelihoods into the equation of equitable sharing of costs and benefits of sustainable forest management

Welcome

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:10:09 +0000

This is a programme aimed at strengthening civil society to demand and effective participation in Forest Management. This programme of civil society strengthening promoted a pro-poor approach to the management and conservation of natural forests in E. Africa. CBOs were the primary target group.

By strengthening and empowering these organisations the programme made the implementation of new forest policy more demand driven, and more equitable in addressing the interests and rights of poor men, women and children. Major areas of activity include access to information, advocacy, organizational strengthening, networking at local, national and regional levels, and demand-driven technical assistance.

Introducation

admin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:19:07 +0000

Forest Management in Uganda has been characterized by state control without involvement of the local communities over the years . However institutions that have been tasked to manage forest resources on behalf of the state have not registered significant positive results due to lack of adequate financial and human resource to monitor the use of these forests.

This compelled government in the current forest policy to include Community Forestry Management as another viable option to manage Forestry resources.The Forestry Policy of 2001 advocates for participation of local communities in forest management on government, customary and private land . This policy advocates for a shift in perception of looking at communities as the main threat to forest conservation but allies that can promote efficient, effective and economic management of forest resources.

EMPAFORM- a regional program in East Africa implemented by CARE, BUCODO and ACODE in Uganda with an overall objective of “ensuring that Natural forests and woodlands in East Africa are sustainably managed and conserved with increased benefits to poor men, women and children in forest-dependent communities”, facilitated the formation of 6 area based (Forest) networks and Uganda Network for Collaborative Forest Associations (UNETCOFA) in Uganda.

UNETCOFA was formed in September, 2006 for and by Community Based Organizations (CBOs) participating in Collaborative Forest Management. The formation was a strategy to ‘join the dots’ of various CBOs implementing, negotiating or intending to start CFM process to enhance joint learning, information sharing and form a critical mass for lobbying and advocating for policies in relation to Collaborative Forest Management that address issues of especially the forest-adjacent and forest- dependent communities, and on the environmental, economic and social benefits of sustainable forest management.

About UNETCOFA

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:41:10 +0000

Bee hives

Underlying principles of UNETCOFA

Vision

A society with empowered forest communities meaningfully participating in sustainable collaborative forest management processes.

Mission

To improve livelihoods of forest communities through collaborative forestry management initiatives

Values

UNETCOFA has (5) five core values which include:

Environmental consciousnes
Unity
Equity
Participation
Accountability

UNETCOFA’s slogan is, ‘Voice for forest adjacent communities in development.’

UNETCOFA Objectives & Governance

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:38:40 +0000

Overall objective

The overall objective of UNETCOFA is to have a unique approach in demanding for the rights of the forest adjacent communities and improving their livelihoods. The uniqueness lies in the fact that the people demanding for policy amendment are the people who are directly concerned. Meaning we are better placed on the ground with clear understanding problem

UNETCOFA Meeting

Specific objectives of the network

To build the capacity of the stakeholders to lobby and advocate for Collaborative Forest Management
To lobby and advocate for policies that favour Collaborative Forest Management
To collect share and manage information related to Collaborative Forest Management
To create partnerships and network with the other NGOs to participate in issues relating to Collaborative Forest Management

Governance and Management of UNETCOFA

Commitee Meeting

The constitution is the major governance tool of the network. It was designed and adopted by all registered CBOs under CFM through a consultative and participatory approach. The general assembly which consists of four delegates from member CFM CBOs is the highest organ of UNETCOFA with powers to amend any part of the network’s constitution. The general assembly and National steering committee performs the overall management function of the network where as the secretariat implements projects and runs the day to day activities the network . At the moment there is no secretariat and therefore most activities of UNETCOFA are being implemented by the National steering committee (Annex 5.1for organisational chart of UNETCOFA

UNETCOFA steering committee

The national steering committee consists of 15 members out of whom 6 are Forest Level Coordinators of CBOs around 4 major Central Forest Reserves of Budongo, Mabira, Sango bay forests and Kasyoha-Kitomi in Uganda. The table below shows the members of the National steering committee of UNETCOFA as of present from the previous general Assembly and their respective Contacts

Table Shows members of National steering committee and their respective Contacts

Name	Portfolio	CBO	Contact
Mwebaze Brenda	UNETCOFA Chairperson	KMRDPS ( Kasyoha-Kitomi CFR)	0772452680
Ssebugwawo Denis	General Secretary-Unetcofa		0772431368
Akuguzibwe Robert	Secretary for Capacity building and Training	BUNCA (Budongo CFR)	0702/0782-208942
Tibetaho Dezz	Secretary for information	BUECA ( Kasyoha-Kitomi CFR)	0774510030/0703364500
Nakintu Mary	Secretary for gender	Sentumu-Katura CFM group ( Sango Bay CFR)	0775846420
Kabali Juliet	Secretary for Finance & Fundraising	MAFICO (Mabira CFR)	0772337964
Kato Joyce	Secretary for Advocacy	NACOPRA (Budongo CFR)	0774116877
Kisagala Vicent	Secretary for Youth	COFSDA (Mabira CFR)	0776321707
Rusiimwa Grace	Secretary for Technical support & enterprise	BUECA ( Kasyoha-Kitomi CFR)	???
Mugerwa Joseph	Coordinator Kyeb-Net	Mugamba-Mujanjabula ( Sango Bay CFR)	0392821821
Lubega Rogers	Coordinator KANETCOFA	Nkalwe CFM group ( Sango Bay CFR)	0772913358
Sabiti Venensio	Coordinator Bunetcofa	BUECA ( Kasyoha-Kitomi CFR)	0782411124
Ndiroraaho Hannan	Coordinator Nobu-net	NOBUFOCA (Budongo CFR)	0775644995
Akuguzibwe Robert	Coordinator Web-net	KICODA (Budongo CFR)	0702/0782-208942
Tabula John	Coordinator Mcd-net	COFSDA (Mabira CFR)	0782171480

UNETCOFA Achievements & Challenges

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:30:49 +0000

Forests & Water bodies

Achievements so far

UNETCOFA has done a lot of ground work on how to position itself in the National Forestry Agenda which has enabled it to come up with a Constitution.
A strategic work for UNETCOFA and each Forest level Network was developed in a participatory approach by the UNETCOFA executive members and the representatives of the Forest level networks.
UNETCOFA has also made a remarkable contribution in forestry activities at local level especially in the formation of lower level advocacy structures. These have enabled scaling up of signing of CFM agreements in the current area of operation of UNETCOFA.
During EMPAFORM, UNETCOFA has moved a step in lobbying for CFM groups eligibility for NAADS and PMA funds under PEAP program. This has been achieved through efforts of forest level networks like KANETCOFA & KYEBNET in Rakai district where tree planting has already been considered for NAADs Support.
With support from EMPAFORM programme, UNETCOFA participated in regional sharing events with its counter parts from Tanzania- MUJUMITA and Kenya- NACOFA where it has able to share a lot of lessons and experiences in Participatory Forest Management issues.
With support from EMPAFORM, UNETCOFA members were given legal literacy to understand more of the Uganda forestry regulatory framework- National Forestry Policy, National Forestry and tree planting Act & the National Forest Plan among its Member CBOs.
There has been also remarkable improvement in working relationship between NFA the responsible Body and UNETCOFA CFM CBO members.
With Support from EMPAFORM, an Annual General Meeting was organised on the 05th of June, 2009 and new national steering Committee was elected among other issues discussed.

Harvesting Honey

Challenges

Lack of commitment and common of CFM at various levels is also affecting the network’s activities negatively.
Explicit CFM benefits especially the economic aspect are still doubtful to the would be implementers.
Lack of institutional development and sustainability support mechanisms.
The nature of institutional development being dependent on idealistic facilitators in communities renders most of the CBOs to a danger of break down in the event of anything happening to the facilitator.
There also a challenge of high expectations of immediate benefits among members especially the youth.
Limited geographical of operation of UNETCOFA.
Political influence whereby politicians encourage forest reserve encroachment for political gains.

Way forward

There is a need to continuously build capacity for resource mobilisation and utilisation.
There is to scale up the geographical area of operation to include other central Forest Reserves with CFM to make a bigger voice especially during lobbying and advocacy.
There is need to identify and analyse relevant partners for the network and host institution.
More capacity building on advocacy and good governance skills.

UNETCOFA in terms of Moving

UNETCOFA is being supported by REPA II programme to increase her capacity to fundraise and membership recruitment. To this effect, a NSC meeting was called and a number of pertinent issues were discussed. One of the key issues that emerged in order to increase membership and reaching other CFR areas, was a MoU to be signed with NFA first. CODECA its secretariat was then left to arrange to negotiate and have a MoU with NFA signed. Processes to this effect are on Course.

Organisational Chart of UNETCOFA

UNETCOFA Membership

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:24:41 +0000

There are four different forms of membership within UNETCOFA. There is full members’ membership with voting rights and consist of primary beneficiaries from forest adjacent and forest-dependent communities organised as CBOs in Collaborative Forest Management under Forest level Networks. Other forms of membership where UNETCOFA has not registered any members as yet are Associate, Corporate and Honorary memberships.

Table shows Profiles of Forest level Networks under UNETCOFA

Name of Forest Level Network	District	Central Forest Reserve	Structure of Network	Remark(s)
Kyebe-Network for Collaborative Forest Associations ( Kyeb-Net)	Rakai	Sango-Bay	10 CFM CBOs, 5 members of Network steering committee out of 2 men & 3 women	2 CFM agreements signed and 8 negotiations
Kabira Network for Collaborative Forest Associations (Kanetcofa)	Rakai	Sango-Bay	4 CFM CBOs, 5 members of Network Steering Committee out of 4 men & 1 woman	1 CFM agreements signed and3 negotiations
Bushenyi Network for Collaborative forest Associations ( Bunetcofa)	Bushenyi	Kasyoha-Kitomi	14 CFM CBOs, 5 members of Network Steering Committee out of 4 men & 1 woman	6 CFM agreements signed, 2 negotiations and others are in initial stages of CFM process
North Budongo Network for Collaborative forest Associations (Nobu-net)	Masindi	Budongo	13 CFM CBOs, 5 members of Network Steering Committee out of 1 men & 4 woman	2 CFM agreements signed and1 negotiating
West Budongo Network for Collaborative forest Associations (web-net)	Masindi	Budongo	12 CFM CBOs, 5 members of Network Steering Committee out of 3 men & 2 woman	4 CFM agreements signed
Mabira Community Development Network (mcd-net)	Mukono	Mabira	8 CFM CBOs, 5 members of Network Steering Committee out of 3 men & 2 woman	2 CFM agreements signed, 3 under negotiations and in initial stages

Table showing Uganda’s CBOs in UNETCOFA Geographical Area of operation

Forest Reserve	Total Area (’000ha	Network	No. CBOs	No. Men	No. Women	No. Youth	Total No. People
Mabira	30	MCD-NET	11	522	878	684	2,084
Budongo	82.4	WEB-NET & NOB-NET	25	550	615	543	1,708
Kasyoha-Kitomi	39.5	BUNETCOFA	16	392	411	195	998
Sango Bay	20.432	KANETCOFA & KYEB-NET	9	72	85	60	217
Total	172.332		61	1,341	1,849	1,442	5007**

The direct beneficiaries are 5007 but taking an average of 7 people per household, beneficiaries may be up to about 35,000 people in the target villages

UNETCOFA Way Forward

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:41:27 +0000

Way forward

There is a need to continuously build capacity for resource mobilisation and utilisation
There is to scale up the geographical area of operation to include other central Forest Reserves with CFM to make a bigger voice especially during lobbying and advocacy.
There is need to identify and analyse relevant partners for the network and host institution
More capacity building on advocacy and good governance skills.

UNETCOFA in terms of Moving

Organisational Chart of UNETCOFA