THE Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate recently launched the Zimbabwe National Forest Policy Formulation process which is expected to give a guideline of how the country manages and utilises its forest resources.
The forest policy formulation process comes at an ideal time in that arresting deforestation is crucial in addressing the negative effects of climate change.
However, even with existing policies and legislation, the country has failed to guard against the wanton cutting down of trees which provide a wide range of forest products for the people.
Forests are important for human well-being, socio-economic development, poverty reduction, biodiversity conservation, watershed protection, carbon sequestration and environmental protection.
They provide a wide range of forest products and services for which rural and urban communities depend on for their livelihoods and subsistence.
The products include honey, mushrooms, fruits, medicines, wood fuel, construction poles, browse and fodder for livestock and wild animals.
Over 70 percent of Zimbabweans rely on forests and trees and these provide an important economic resource with trade in timber and other forest products contributing about four percent to the Gross Domestic Product.
Speaking during the launch, the Minister of Environment Saviour Kasukuwere said with the increase in production and trade in non-wood products, there is need to maintain a balance between demand and preservation of forests.
“There has been a growth of production and trade in non-wood forest products which has been driven by the growing popularity of ethnic foods, traditional medicines, natural and organic foods,” he said.
“However, the majority of small-scale forest-based enterprises in Zimbabwe operate in the informal sector and are therefore not reflected in the national accounts.
“In spite of all the innumerable benefits derived from forests, we have managed our forests without a formal forest policy document, depending mostly on a number of policy statements that were developed by the Forestry Commission guiding the management of the country’s forests in plantation, indigenous and community sectors.
“There is need to practise Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) which is the conservation and use of forests and forest lands in a way and at a rate that maintains their biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality and their potential to fulfill relevant ecological, economic and social functions at local, national and global levels.
“We should therefore strive to maintain a balance between society’s increasing demand for forest products and services and against the preservation of forest health and diversity.”
Once formulated the forest policy will need to be re-aligned to the new and emerging issues and concepts on sustainable management of forests such as the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
The country will also need to consider the existing policies and legislation on environment among them the National Environment Policy and Strategies and the Environment Management Act so as to effectively contribute to national development and environmental protection such as climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Speaking at the same event, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) sub-regional coordinator and representative in Zimbabwe Chimimba David Phiri said the participation of all stakeholders is crucial in achieving joint ownership.
“Participation of key stakeholders at national and sub-national levels throughout the process is important as is the joint ownership of the resulting policy and shared responsibility for policy implementation,” he said.
“Such scope requires a broad perspective of land use and natural resource management.
“It is imperative to ensure consistency and coherence at the outset between the forestry policy and other policies within the environment sector as well as policies in other related sectors.”
The Zimbabwe National Forest Policy formulation process is funded by FAO to the tune of US$93 000 with technical assistance and is in line with the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation on its Food Security and Nutrition and the Value Addition and Beneficiation cluster as well as the FAO Zimbabwe Country Programme Framework 2012-2015 agreed with Government.
These are policy frameworks which encourage sustainable agricultural productivity and competitiveness and disaster risk reduction and management.