Enhancing public-private sector collaboration: A case of the Uganda Timber Growers Association affiliated tree growers and public actors building a sustainable commercial forestry industry
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Uganda’s forests are a treasured natural asset contributing 8.7% to the national economy (NEMA 2011). However, Uganda has been losing its forest cover alarmingly, from 24% in 1990 to 9% in 2015. In Uganda, Forestry is coordinated by the Ministry of Water and Environment through the Forest Sector Support Department. Government through the National Forestry Authority has provided land in degraded Central Forest Reserves (CFRs) to private investors under license. Nearly 70% of planted forests are in CFRs. Additionally; Government initiatives like the Sawlog Production Grant Scheme project is providing financial and technical support based on a set of national Forestry standards. Finally, Government has created a conducive
environment for the commercial forest sector to grow at an unprecedented rate of 7000 ha per year. Since 2004, the private sector in Uganda has been exemplary, on building a private sector-led commercial forestry industry. Most of the investors (99.8%) are small to medium scale (1000 ha and below). The private sector is coordinated by the Uganda Timber Growers Association (UTGA), the umbrella body of tree growers that does advocacy, networking, information sharing, collective procurement, marketing and extension.
The private sector is growing over 85% (over 80,000 ha) of Uganda’s forest resource. UTGA has promoted the certification of plantations and chain of custody with area up to 42,000 ha, the largest in East Africa and two organizations certified in chain of custody. Plans are underway for the establishment of an apex body for carpenters, timber traders and wood processors.
The strong collaboration between Government and private sector actors has yielded remarkable results for Uganda’s forestry. The public private partnerships have provided solutions to challenges of illegality, poor governance, forest degradation and deforestation by providing a platform for individuals, companies and communities to grow trees while protecting gazetted forest land.
Keywords: Planted Forests, private sector, CFRs
ID: 3487300