Assessing implementation of Zanzibar Forest Policy (1999) on major reforestation challenges in North “A” District: A case of Jongowe and Mkokotoni Shehias

Abstract

The study was designed to assess the implementation of the National Forest Policy for Zanzibar (1999). The focus was to assess major reforestation challenges in North “A” district – Zanzibar including the community‟s support of tree planting, other socio-economic effects on the program, the availability of seedlings, and perception about the program. Data were collected from a sample of 90 community members and 1 Forest District Officer, 1 Assistant Planning Officer and 2 Shehas from the selected village in the district. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, charts and tables were used. The key finding of the study shows that the community was supported in some areas on tree planting but that this was not enough. Also, people have positive perceptions of tree planting but there was poor community participation in tree planting meetings and programmes, a shortage of land for planting trees, difficulty in obtaining tree seedlings and a shortage of extension services. The study concluded that the tree planting campaigns will not be successful to the extent that people may not participate in those campaigns; more support is needed to enable the community to plant more trees; the efforts made to promote sustainable forest-related community activities were not effectively implemented; the size of land owned by the community in the study area was small; and it was difficult to obtain tree seedlings for the community. Policy implications are that there is the need, first, to have policy interventions to enable the community to access enough land for tree planting; second, to provide adequate support to the community; third, to obtain relevant information concerning tree planting; and, fourth, to have laws and regulations that enable the community to access land for forestation and to have knowledge and skills on the production of tree seedlings and of forest in general.