THE TRAGEDY OF PRIVATE FORESTRY: Understanding Deforestation of Private Natural Forests in Kibaale District, Uganda

Christensen, Jakob ; Jensen, Stefan Steen

4. term

Development and International Relations, Master

2011

2011-12-19

90

Denne afhandling undersøger, hvorfor privatejede naturlige skove i Uganda bliver ryddet, selv om der findes en stærk politisk ramme, der skal beskytte dem. Private skove udgør omkring 70 % af landets samlede skovdække og forventes at forsvinde inden for 20 år, hvis udviklingen fortsætter. Undersøgelsen bygger på data fra husholdninger i Kibaale-distriktet i det vestlige Uganda samt interviews med repræsentanter fra forskellige niveauer i det offentlige, eksperter og andre interessenter. Vi analyserer materialet med en ramme, der deler årsagerne til skovrydning i tre sammenhængende kategorier: historiske drivkræfter, nære drivkræfter (de umiddelbare pres på skoven) og underliggende drivkræfter (dybere systemiske årsager). Historisk har arealanvendelsen ændret sig markant i kolonitiden i retning af en udnyttelsesdiskurs: landbruget blev kommercialiseret, og profit blev vægtet højere end naturbeskyttelse, til skade for private skove. I dag får kontantafgrøder – afgrøder dyrket til salg – ofte forrang frem for skovbevaring. På det nære niveau er tabet af skovdække direkte drevet af en stor efterspørgsel efter dyrkbar jord, som er drevet af udbredt fattigdom og kraftig befolkningstilvækst. Derimod spiller ofte nævnte forklaringer som træudvinding og udbygning af infrastruktur kun en mindre rolle i denne sammenhæng. Den underliggende drivkraft er, at relevante institutioner ikke er i stand til at gennemføre Ugandas ellers velformulerede politikker for bevaring af private naturlige skove. Fordi skovsektoren har lav prioritet hos internationale finansielle institutioner og hos centralregeringen, er skovmyndighederne underfinansierede og kan ikke opfylde deres mandat. Derfor tilbydes der ikke levedygtige alternative leveveje, som kan erstatte skadelig landbrugspraksis, og institutionerne formår ikke at modvirke de nære pres. Udfordringerne forstærkes af manglende vilje til at håndtere den stærke befolkningstilvækst og af den fortsatte fremme af kontantafgrøder. Afhandlingen afsluttes med to generelle anbefalinger om de tiltag, der er nødvendige for at sikre denne vitale ressource på længere sigt.

This thesis examines why privately owned natural forests in Uganda are being cleared, despite a strong policy framework intended to protect them. Private forests account for about 70% of the country’s forest cover and are projected to disappear within 20 years if current trends continue. The study draws on household-level data from Kibaale District in western Uganda and interviews with government representatives, experts, and other stakeholders. We analyze the evidence using a framework that groups the drivers of deforestation into three linked categories: historical drivers, proximate drivers (immediate pressures on forests), and underlying drivers (deeper systemic causes). Historically, land-use practices shifted during the colonial period toward a discourse of exploitation: agriculture became commercialized, and profit was valued over conservation, undermining private forests. Today, cash-cropping—growing crops for sale—often takes precedence over forest conservation. At the proximate level, the loss of forest cover is most directly driven by the high demand for arable land, itself fueled by widespread poverty and rapid population growth. In contrast, commonly cited factors such as wood extraction and infrastructure expansion play only a minor role in this setting. Finally, the underlying driver is the inability of relevant institutions to implement Uganda’s otherwise well-designed policies for conserving private natural forests. Because forestry is given low priority by international financial institutions and by the central government, forestry agencies lack resources and cannot carry out their mandates. As a result, viable alternative livelihoods that could replace harmful agricultural practices are not being offered, and institutions are unable to counter the proximate pressures. These challenges are intensified by reluctance to address population growth and by the continued promotion of cash cropping. The thesis concludes with two general recommendations on the actions needed to ensure the survival and long-term sustainability of this vital resource.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]

Uganda ; Forest ; Deforestation ; Kibaale ; DFS ; Forestry ; FSSD ; Conservation ; Private forests

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