Download PDF

Abstract

Working with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) as key partners is part of the Livelihoods and Forestry Programme’s (LFP) multi-stakeholder approach to supporting and strengthening Forest User Groups (FUGs). Local NGOs work on district level coordination and support teams of community facilitators. They support FUGs to actively manage their forests and other resources in a sustainable and participatory way.

After many years of working in community forestry, LFP and its predecessor realised that working through local NGOs was essential for both reaching the poorest and most remote forest users and for long term sustainability. In a complementary arrangement to state forestry structures, LFP sought genuine partnership in working with local NGOs, beyond the common contractual arrangement. LFP and the NGOs jointly develop plans and implementation strategies, monitor and evaluate, and thus shift accountability towards the FUG members as beneficiaries.

A key element of the partnership is capacity building for long-term sustainability. Therefore LFP aims both to enhance capacity, equity and self reliance of a critical mass of FUGs and to strengthen the capacity of local organisations to work effectively in support of them. The focus is on bringing about social change in terms of inclusion but the NGOs facilitation teams have a wide task which ranges from social mobilisation to technical forest management, from establishing long-term coordination between district stakeholders to localising support programmes at FUG network level.

LFP developed a transparent, fair and rigorous selection process involving both self-reflection and capacity building. NGOs employ the teams of community facilitators while LFP staff support the NGOs strategically and with training and coaching. The teams of facilitators work closely with District Forest Office staff. FUGs are made aware of the roles and selection of NGOs and facilitators, both so that NGOs work effectively with the groups and so that FUGs feel a sense of ownership of their local facilitator.