Factors Affecting People?�?s Participation In Participatory Forest Management:The Case Of Hora Forest Of Agarfa Woreda, Bale Zone Of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

Research on factors affecting people’s participation in participatory forest management was carried out from October 2016 to August 2017 in Agarfa district, Bale zone, Oromia regional state. A Participatory Forest Management (PFM) project run by Farm Africa and SOS Sahel Ethiopia in Bale Zone is operational since 2006. Galema Hebenno and Mekonna Chefe Participatory forest management was established in 2014. Although, there was establishment of PFM, it doesn’t address or solve the problem of deforestation. Thus, deforestation problem is continuing across Hora forest. The objective of this study was to investigate the factors that affect people’s participation in participatory forest management of Hora forest of Galema Hebeno and Mokonna Chefe kebeles of Agarfa district. The PFM associations of these two kebeles were at first stage of participatory forest management. Institutional influences limited the participatory forest management activities in Hora Forest. Data were collected from 90 Household respondents as well as from focus group discussion of different groups and secondary data. Data were analyzed by SPSS. The study result showed that the attitude of community towards PFM was positive. The study has shown that there are different factors that affect local people’s participations in forest management during the first stage of PFM. The factors that affect participation in PFM were reluctance to take measure on illegal users, lack of awareness, poverty, lack of follow up and lack of commitment. The Galema Hebenno and Mekonna Chefe PFM has weak achievements. In order to achieve this community based forest management institutional actors have to devolve their responsibilities. Stakeholders and other concerned bodies should work together to manage this natural forest to use it in sustainable ways.