Forest and land tenure policies: constraint to participatory tree domestication? Cases from forest zones in Cameroon P. 1Mbile, L. Z 1Tchoundjeu, C 2Njebet, P 3Pa

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Forest and land tenure policies constraint to
participatory tree domestication?Cases from
forest zones in CameroonP. 1Mbile, L. Z
1Tchoundjeu, C 2Njebet, P 3Paah, D 4Okon, O
5Mambo, R 6Oyono, A 1Degrande T 1sado

• World Congress of Agroforestry 2009
  Nairobi - Kenya, 23-28 August

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Participatory Tree domestication (PTD)

• Tree domestication can refer to continuous farmer
  selection and cultivation of trees over many
  years or via deliberate breeding and can occur at
  all stages of improvement from the wild to the
  genetically modified.
• Sustained supply of products from both planted
  trees and naturally growing stocks entering into
  markets legitimately (without harassment) and
  with secure, recognized chains of custody
  protected by statutory law,
• In ICRAFs West and Central Africa programme PTD
  remains an iterative process involving client
  preferences to bring diverse indigenous trees
  into wider cultivation, marketing and cultivation

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Understanding around tree-based systems in parts
of Cameroon has undergone 3 main dynamics

1. Minchon De Foresta, 1997 Minchon 1986, 1983
   Iskandar, 1980 Wersum, 1997, have attempted to
   conceive Agroforests based on multi-strata forest
   perspectives
2. Some analyses of cash crop systems, around
   rubber, oil palm and cashew Agroforestry, cocoa,
   coffee have been variously reported by (Duguma,
   1998, Gokowski et al, 2004, Sonwa, 2004, Mbile et
   al, 2006, etc), can be noted
3. More recently with participatory tree
   domestication (PTD), we note works by Leakey
   Tomich (1996), Leakey Izac (1996), Ladipo et
   al, (1996), J.C. Okafor (1992), Tchoundjeu et al.
   (2002), Simons Leakey (2004).

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Invariably, all these analyses make similar
assumptions for success..

• Key amongst these are that, Agroforest
  development requires.
• Unrestricted access to land to plant/mainatin
  trees with enforceable long-term ownership and
  management rights strong enough to exclude
  intruders and facilitate business agreements with
  choice partners
• A supporting policy environment sensitive to
  constraints in customary law, and to new
  proposals to strengthen local ownership,
  performance and continued protection for use and
  trade rights to diverse tree products

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There is however some mismatches between
customary perceptions and the modern State.
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Customary statutory law harmony presents some
challenges .
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Nationally gt2,638 villages exist within 4 km of
PFE Estimated Agroforestry zones around these
communities stands at 6.3 million hectares. By
end of 2008, 621,245 hectares of forests (9.8 of
AFZ) came under community forest titles
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Stakeholder engagements to influence policy
review now seems the only plausible course of
action to remedy the situation

• But we know that this requires participation
  incidentally, the Achilles heel of policy
• However, political science teaches us a few
  theories, some of which we are using in a
  coalition of research, conservation and civil
  society advocacy in Cameroon.

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The phases of resistance and acquiescence by
society/policy makers to scientific information
Confidence
Adapted from Bradshaw, GA and JG Borchers. 2000
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Linking scientific knowledge to policy action
via different scales
Functions/Actors
Decisions/actions
Information
Interpretation
Knowlegde
DECIOSION-MAKERS
MANAGERS
ANALYSTS
SCIENTISTS
Regional
National
Scale
Sub-national
Community
Household
Cash Moser, 2000
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Introductionforest zoning plan
laws
interests
needs
symbolisms
Constitution
agendas
forest policy
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2. Methods

• Data
• Interviews
• Documentation
• Com. Mapping
• GIS analyses
• Public events

Issues alliances 1National Parks (Korup, DJA,
Campo Maan. (..WWF, CED, FPP, PERAD) 2a Agro
industry (CDC, Socaplam) (MCP, NCI, CIL, CARPE,
CED, FPP) 2b BLCC, (BLCC, CDC) 3a Timber
concession, private sector, (CamEco,
Consultants) 3b Forest reserves, timber
concession and each other (CamEco, Consultants)
4abPygmy and Bantu people with national parks
and timber concessions and with each other (CED,
FPP, PERAD)
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2
3
4
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3 Conceptual framework

• Concentual framework focus  rule of law
• Constitution The broad principles of governance
• Policies The philosophical and methodological
  frameworks
• Laws The substantive element or fixed rules or
  by-laws
• to ensure the well-being of every citizen
  without discrimination raise living standards
  and uphold their right to development. Within the
  possibilities of her resources the State will
  provide conditions necessary for human
  development. (Constitution of the Republic of
  Cameroon, 1996)
• Dicey, (1982) substantive aspects of law (the
  rules) shape public behaviour (F. A. Hayek
  (1994)
• Shen (2000) fixed rules to be implemented as
  formal or procedural justice
• Schauer (1988) transparency, participation,
  fairness and procedure provides guarantees that
  fixed rules will possess the substantive
  element and shape public behaviour.

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3 Analyses../ case 1

• 1.Korup 100 park is customary, State attempts
  to resettle villages, fails. Park people. Persona
  non grata. Deadlock. Proposals being made to
  incorporate peoples needs in management plan.

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3 Analyses../ case 2

• 2a.Boa plains Peoplea lands intersect with CDC
  lands. Lands retro-ceded (people have a bad
  deals).

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3 Analyses../ case 3

• 2b.BLCC Case legitimacy validated by AU CHPR.
  Government challenges on procedure. AU CHPR
  advices on local, sovereign solution.

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3 Analyses../ case 4
3a.Ngonga-Kopongo Local peoples case strong.
Government concedes, promises encalves. Then
retracts following submission by private sector
company. Deadlock
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3 Analyses../ case 5
3b.Kienke local case strong, conflicts between
peoples, with state reserve. Government concedes
to timber concesssion, symbolically recognizes
peoples. legitimate needs. But seems to be
turning the other way in finding permanent
solution
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3 Analyses../ case 6

• 3c.Socapalm/Hevecam/Campo Racial minority
  rights acknowledged but none territorial
  occupancy of space presents problems. WWF
  incorporates these peoplesuse rights into park
  management with State blessing. Process is far
  from satisfactory.

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3 Analyses../ case 7

• 4ab. Southeast Mainly minority rights
  acknowledged by park management authorities.
  Peoples hunting zones built intomanagement plans
  in southeast. A temporary solution is found.

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SYNTHESES

• A clear patterns
• Achilles heel of Policy has always been peoples
  participation, so rule of law appropriately
  focusses on that.
• Partial solutions in all cases have involved
  grouping the problem to reduce the effect of
  disarray.
• Where authority has been conferred local
  solutions, though requiring moderation are sought
  and appear to work (Boa, Campo, Southeast,
  developing in Korup)
• Where there is a clash of powerful private or
  public sector interest the State seems
  ambivalent and confused (Kopongo, Boa, BLCC)
• The State performs badly when dealing directly
  with peoples problems (Korup, Kienke).
• The State is not creative enough in dealing with
  unusual challenges like integrating racially
  unique lifelstyles into popular processes (Campo,
  Dja, Southeast).
• The state avoids public embarrassement at all
  costs (BLCC)

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• Our coalition is currently involved in the
  process of the revision of the 1994 Forest ad
  Wildlife Laws of Cameroon
• Asante
• Thank you for your attention