Impacts of Community-Based Forest Management on Governance in Selela Village Forest Reserve, Monduli District, Tanzania

Abstract

This paper is based on the analysis of the impacts of Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) on forest governance in the western part of Monduli District in Tanzania. The objective was to assess the impacts of CBFM on accountability, transparency, power relations and equitability. Primary data collection involved use of PRA techniques, governance assessment and mapping, multi-stakeholder analysis, checklists, structured questionnaire, and participant observation. Secondary sources such as government reports were used. Microsoft excel and SPSS software were used to analyze quantitative data.  Content and Structural-Functional Analytical tools were applied on qualitative data. A logistic regression analysis model was developed to identify socio-economic factors, influencing performance of institutions in Selela Village Forest Reserve. Accountability, transparency, and equitability statistically (p<0.05), increased the odds of good governance by factors of 5.575, 0.325 and 3.036 respectively. The findings revealed poor transparency in revenue collection and administration, which is attributed to an “elite capture”, which is a formation of a new ‘’social class’’ of corrupt and irresponsible elites. Strategic, institutional and structural powers were observed in the study area. The study concluded that CBFM has negative impact on forest governance; and recommended periodic assessment of CBFM activities.