The National Forestry Programme

This is the draft National Forestry Programme and as such is a working document and not a formal programme document. It should not be interpreted as an approved programme of the Government of Swaziland or the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives until it has been finally agreed and adopted.

1 BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose of the National Forestry Programme

The issues and policy statements defined in the National Forest Policy indicate a need for a National Forestry Programme. The main purpose of the National Forestry Programme is to identify the priority problems, the corresponding plans for action and the projected timing of starting and duration. The National Forestry Programme must include the following functions:

Define a Government strategy to implement the National Forest Policy.
Reflect the views of the common vision developed by Government and all stakeholders.
Indicate how the objectives of the National Forest Policy are to be met.
Provide strategic direction to all stakeholders of forestry and related institutions.
Provide guidance to all users of forests with regard to management.
Show flexibility in the design in order to absorb new views and solutions.

The formulation of the action plans of the National Forestry Programme necessitates the identification of institutions to manage the implementation. The Programme needs to evaluate the functions and services required from the Ministry responsible for forestry and other institutions in order to determine the necessary institutional changes.

1.2 Justification

The justification for the National Forestry Programme in Swaziland is the need to address serious problems of deforestation and degradation of the indigenous forests and woodlands as well as other constraints that exist in the development of industrial, community and urban forestry. The general recognition of the importance and value of forestry and utilisation of forest and woodland resources in Swaziland provides further support and justification.

World-wide, forestry has evolved tremendously over the past two decades and it will expand its functions even more in future. Traditionally, forestry has largely focused on industrial production, but today it is making a profound impact on social and environmental matters. The proper use and management of forest and woodland resources is essential to sustain the livelihoods of rural communities. Forestry today is an integral part of most land use systems, hence it must be considered in national planning as a priority in resource allocation. Cross-sectoral relations and integrated approach in forest planning are key elements in current holistic development strategies.

Also in Swaziland these development trends are clearly occurring, and they consequently enhance the importance and relevance of forestry, such as in the following areas of interest:

The role of forests in sustaining rural livelihoods by providing a vast range of wood and non-timber products, such as firewood, medicinal plants, edible plants and fruits.
The essential contribution to GDP and national accounts, not only from the formal plantation sector, but also the informal sector, such as from non-timber forest products.
Relevance of forestry in biodiversity conservation, an obligation of Swaziland to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Utilisation of forestry in combating desertification, an obligation of Swaziland to the Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD).
Importance of forestry in providing essential sources of energy.
Relevance of forestry to tourism development, in particular eco-tourism.
The role of urban and peri-urban forestry, to improve quality of life.
Co-operation and partnership between the industrial forestry sector, Government, rural communities and other relevant stakeholders.

1.3 The state of the forest sector

Swaziland has relatively high rainfall patterns and warm temperatures, which offer favourable climatic conditions for the growth of trees, both natural and planted. The forest inventory of 1999 indicates that Swaziland has 45 percent coverage of forests and woodlands, of which natural forests cover 2.2 percent, natural woodlands 22.0 percent, natural bushlands 13.4 percent, wattle forests 1.4 percent and plantation forests 6.4 percent. Forestry is not the only land use of these forests and woodlands. Other land utilisation includes extraction of a variety of forest products, grazing, agro-forestry, nature protection and tourism.

The large tree coverage indicates the importance of the forest resources of the country. There are, however, significant differences in management and condition of the various forest categories. The overall state of the natural forest and woodland shows poor management and degradation, whereas the plantation forests are generally well managed and in good condition.

The current deforestation and degradation of the natural forest and woodland areas is caused by a combination of factors such as conversion of land to agriculture and other land uses, uncontrolled extraction of forest products from communal land, large livestock populations and expanding infrastructure development. Forest degradation is further compounded by a number of underlying socio-economic conditions, caused by increasing population pressure, that counteract rational utilisation of forest and woodlands. The associated problems include poverty, hunger, access to land, lack of jobs and income-generating opportunities as well as growing economic demands for forest goods and services.

Notwithstanding aspects of degradation, the indigenous forest and woodlands of Swaziland are a major national asset, which importance is not yet fully recognised. Knowledge and documentation about the present utilisation and potential value, e.g. for cultural and medicinal purposes, remain incomplete. There are clear indications that systematic undervaluing of natural forest products has contributed to over-exploitation of the forest resources. Natural resource accounting has only recently been initiated in Swaziland. Preliminary results of studies indicate that natural forest and woodlands make a very substantial addition to rural household expenditure as well as a significant contribution to GDP. If all direct and indirect user values are taken into account, the contribution to GDP reaches the same level as industrial forestry, or even higher.

Swaziland has a large industrial forestry sector, as climatic conditions, particularly in the Highveld, are very suitable for commercial growing of a specific variety of trees. Trees for commercial production were first planted in 1949, and areas under plantation forest have since steadily expanded. There are two industrial forestry categories of which the first is the large-scale commercial plantation forestry based on pine and eucalyptus production with a high level of management. The other is the wattle (Acacia mearnsii) forestry, which started mainly as a small-scale commercial activity. Management and distribution of wattle forests have deteriorated over the past years, which has resulted in uncontrolled wattle growth and encroachment of surrounding areas.

The commercial forestry and related processing industry form a very successful and important part of the economy of Swaziland, contributing approximately 15 percent to GDP, mainly through exports. The forestry sector, including the secondary processing sector, provides employment to approximately 8 000 people, which is 8 percent of total formal employment in Swaziland. Commercial forestry in Swaziland is entirely run by private companies, of which Sappi-Usutu, Mondi Forest and Shiselweni Forestry Company are the largest. These three companies, together with some smaller ones, manage a total area of about 130 000 ha covered by forest plantations. Of this total area, about 25 000 ha (twenty percent) is non-planted and used for infrastructure and for the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems.

The commercially grown plantation species are pine (predominantly Pinus patula, but also P. radiata, P. taeda and P. elliottii) and eucalyptus (mainly Eucalyptus salinga and E. grandis), covering about 80 and 20 percent respectively of the planted area. The productivity is relatively high, about 15-20 cubic metres/ha per annum for pine. Overall annual yield is approximately 1.2 million cubic metres of wood with a total value of about E650 million, which is largely exported as pulp, logs and timber.

1.4 Vision of the National Forestry Programme

In the past Government has tended to focus on industrial forest resources. However, since the adoption of the Principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests originating from the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), the world view of what constitutes forestry has been dramatically widened. This changed view is also reflected by the new approach of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) towards forestry development as expressed by the objectives, guiding principles and forest management arrangements of the SADC Forest Protocol.

All policies in Swaziland should be relevant to the Mission of the Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland. The current mission statement is "to provide a climate and infrastructure that will progressively maximise the quality and security of life of the people of Swaziland and make the best use of the country’s natural and human resources".

The vision of the National Forest Policy should also be contributory to the vision of the National Development Strategy (NDS). The NDS vision is that "by the year 2022, the Kingdom of Swaziland will be in the top 10% of the medium human development group of countries founded on sustainable economic development, social justice and political stability".

The draft National Land Policy (NLP) and the draft National Environmental Policy (NEP) are the links between the NDS and the National Forest Policy. The vision of the NLP is "to maximise benefits to the entire society from land on a sustainable basis". The main goal of the NEP is "to promote the enhancement, protection and conservation of the environment and the attainment of sustainable development in Swaziland".

Taking the above statements into account, the guiding vision for the National Forest Policy and the National Forestry Programme is:

To contribute to the sustainable development of the forest sector in Swaziland by providing adequate and integrated legal, technical and extension services to all stakeholders utilising trees as a means to improve livelihood, and by conserving forest resources and life supporting ecosystems.

1.5 Mission statement and mandate

The mission and mandate of the institution responsible for managing the implementation of the National Forestry Programme falls under the Ministry responsible for forestry. The mission statement of the envisaged Department responsible for forestry is as follows:

The mandate of the envisaged Department of Forestry is to provide the following functions:

Take the overall lead in the maintenance of a coherent and contemporary forest policy and legal framework, with due consideration to the cross-sectoral nature of forestry.
Maintain a comprehensive national forest inventory, with an adequate planning capability and technical forest management capacity.
Extend government forest policies and disseminate technical knowledge on forest management, markets and organisational aspects to communities, individuals, companies and other institutions for the economic, social and environmental benefit of Swaziland.

1.6 National Forestry Programme objectives

The forest policy objectives defined in the National Forest Policy are equally applicable to the National Forestry Programme. The objectives identified not only cover the industrial forest sector but also the development of community and urban forestry as well as the sustainable management of natural forests and woodlands.

The policy objectives of the National Forestry Programme relate to objectives as defined for other national policies and strategies, in particular the National Development Strategy, the National Land Policy (draft), the National Environmental Policy (draft) and the National Biodiversity Strategy (draft).

The joint policy objectives of the National Forestry Programme and National Forest Policy are the following:
To improve the access to land for the utilisation and development of forest resources, and secure the tenure of forest and trees.
To promote the rational and sustainable use of land, and achieve a sustainable balance between forestry and other uses of the land and water resources.
To improve the forest productivity, and ensure sustainable supply of multiple forest products and services by maintaining the forest areas.
To improve income and living conditions, and alleviate poverty.
To conserve the biodiversity of the forest resources, encourage its sustainable use and ensure that benefits accrued are shared equitably.
To promote the integration of forestry into urban development.
To enhance the national capacity to manage and develop the forestry sector in collaboration with other stakeholders.

The objectives will be pursued through the sustainable management of four strategic forestry areas, namely natural forest and woodland management, community forestry, urban forestry and industrial forestry (chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5). These four action programme areas incorporate important trans-sectoral areas of interest, including biodiversity protection, tourism development, energy consumption and watershed management.

1.7 National Forestry Programme principles

The National Forest Policy is based upon a number of principles, which principles are also relevant to the National Forestry Programme. The following principles are distinguished:

Forests should be treated as a national asset, forming part of the scarce land and water resources.
Access to forest resources should be secured for basic needs and requirements.
Land and tree tenure should be guaranteed by the Constitution.
The forest resources should be efficiently managed for optimal sustainable economic production based on stakeholder responsibilities.
The high capacity for soil and water conservation of forestland should be recognised, in particular the water retaining properties and the global water recycling potential.
The forest and woodland reserves should be conserved and their biodiversity components sustained by maintaining ecosystem and habitat diversity and stability.
The close link should be recognised between the biodiversity of the forest resources and the Swazi cultural and spiritual needs and rights.
Community participation, accountability and transparency should be secured in the administration and management of forests and trees.
Equitable sharing and distribution of benefits from forest resources should be recognised, including investment and employment opportunities.
Gender should be applied in the management and utilisation of forest resources.

1.8 Development of the National Forestry Programme

Previous work on forest policy and legislation has culminated in the production of the final draft National Forest Policy and the draft Forest Legislation. The National Forestry Programme intends to depart from the National Forest Policy, Forest Legislation and other documents prepared during the earlier phases of the policy formulation process, including the Green Paper and submissions of Chiefs and communities and other stakeholders. The National Forestry Programme will translate the priorities and goals from the National Forest Policy into action programmes.

The National Forest Programme has been formulated through consultation with all stakeholders. In the first part of the procedure a drafting committee composed by carefully selected stakeholders has formulated a draft National Forestry Programme. During the formulation process other parties have been consulted when considered necessary. In the second part of the procedure the large stakeholder forum through national workshops and other avenues has decided the consensus of the programme. Although Government has still the prerogative on issues of national concern, the National Forestry Programme has been achieved trough a participatory process with balanced viewpoints.

1.9 Structure of the National Forestry Programme

The actual National Forestry Programme is described in the following chapters. Chapters 2 to 5 cover the four Main Forest Sectors, namely Natural Forest and Woodlands, Community Forestry, Urban Forestry, and Industrial Forestry. The actions from these four Chapters that are considered most urgent are summarised in the Immediate Action Programme in Chapter 10. Chapters 6 and 7 cover supporting parts of the National Forestry Programme, namely Information and Data Management and Research. Chapters 8, 9 and 11 cover important sections relevant to Human Resource Development and Education, Institutional Framework and Staff Requirement, and Monitoring and Evaluation.

1.9.1 Organisational structure of the National Forestry Programme

The structure and presentation of the actual National Forestry Programme is based on a number of practical decisions and approaches. All policy elements, which were considered sufficiently important to be included in the National Forest Policy, are consequently also incorporated in the National Forestry Programme.

Subdivision into strategic groupings

For each of the Main Forest Sectors subdivision into two or more strategic groups of action is made. These groups have a common strategic approach and consist of a number of related policy elements. Each strategic group has a standard description that consists of the following elements: Summary of Key Issues, Strategy and Priority Action Programme.

The Summary of Key Issues presents a condensed list of the issues most relevant to the particular group of action. The issues are described in more detail in the National Forest Policy. The outlined Strategy relates to a concise strategic approach required to complete the group of action. The combined total of Strategies aims to achieve the Development Objectives as described in Section 1.6.

Programme presentation in tables

The Priority Action Programme is presented in the form of a table with the following columns: Action (and Activities), Priority, Timing (subdivided into Start and Period), Responsibility and Capacity Building Requirements.

Each of the Actions is referenced with the original Policy Statement in the National Forest Policy. Every action should in the end lead to an output with a similar description. Each of the Actions is further described through a number of Activities. The Priority of each Action is determined following a set of criteria (see below).

Timing of actions and activities

The overall Timing of each Action is given as Short-term (3-5 years), Medium-term (5-10 years) and Long-term (10-20 years), indicating the total time span of the Action. The Timing of the Action is independent of the priority given. Timing is subdivided into start and period, with respectively an estimate of the anticipated year of starting the activity and an indication of the period of time required for completion of the activity. The minimal period given is one year, which does not necessarily mean that a full year is required, but only that the activity will be completed within one year, whether taking one or twelve months. If a period of 20 years is indicated, it means that the activity will be continuous.

Responsibility and capacity building requirements

The Responsibility lists the institutions, bodies or persons that are responsible for completion of the Action and Activity. The responsibility for each of the Activities should be defined as precisely as possible, e.g. naming a government institutions rather than just Government.

The Capacity Building Requirements relate to capacity or capability that is required for the completion of the Action. If the capacity at the present moment is not or not fully available, a semi-quantitative estimate is given of the overall lack of capacity. The classes distinguished have the following meaning: (x) lacking some capacity, and (xx) substantially lacking capacity. A brief description of the nature of the lack of capacity is given, e.g. funding, expertise, human resources.

1.9.2 Criteria to determine the priority of the Actions of the Programme

The general policy views as presented in this Chapter form the basis for the identification of criteria to determine the priority within the National Forestry Programme. From the respective missions, vision, policy objectives and policy principles the goals or criteria as listed below can be extracted. For each Action of the National Forestry Programme one can estimate whether the completion of that particular action will contribute or enhance one or more of these goals. These goals, which serve as criteria, are grouped into three categories.

The Actions qualifying for the criteria of the first group - related to the people - should generally receive very high priority, the second group – related to the environment – high priority, and the third group – related to management – medium priority. However, exceptions from this rule are possible, as long there is justification for up- or downgrading.

Goal & criteria directly related to the people of Swaziland
- Improved quality and security of life, through job creation, income generation and poverty alleviation.
- Improved access and tenure of land and trees through adequate regulations.
- Equitable sharing of forests resources and benefits from forest products.
Goals & criteria related to sustainable use of resources and protection of the environment
- Sustainable use of natural and human resources.
- Protection and conservation of the environment, in particular the biologic diversity and plant and animal genetic resources.
- Rational use of land, with a focus on integration of forestry and rehabilitation of land.
Goals & criteria related to management and economic performance
- Economic growth and revenue generation.
- Improved forest productivity and forest management capacity.
- Support to other programmes of national importance.

This page was last updated on 27 October 2004