Comparative study on decentralization and privatization of forest management in developing countries

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The objectives of this research project are to find the interactive relations between institutional aspects and local societies and to examine the effect of decentralization on forest resources. Following countries were selected as the cases : China with the centralized administration system, India with the concurrent forest administration system between the central and local governments, and Indonesia and Ghana as the cases in transition from the centralized to decentralized systems. Though each study under this project focused on diverse aspects and diffierent level of devolution, some findings could be obtained as a whole :1)China is quantitatively succeeding in natural forest conservation and creation of woodlots on farmland, which is derived from expansion of central government subsidies to the forestry sector and increasing working opportunities in non-agricultural sectors.2)Drastic change in the National Forest Policy lead to successive expansion of Joint Forest Management, but the achievement on the ground depends on the capacity of local governments. From a case of Kerala, importance of clearly demarcated forestland, trained foresters and NGOs as intermediaries is suggested.3)From the cases of Central Java, West Java, and West Kalimantan in Indonesia, it can be concluded that forests with economic values have been functioned as a business chance for those who have some capital or surplus labor farce, including local people. Though such a business can be started under local initiatives, it easily falls under the control of outsiders with larger power in accordance with the growth of outcomes. Empowerment of fragile local societies and capacity building of local governments are required instead of a mere flow of subsidies into the forestry sector.