EVALUATION OF THE FARMERS' WOODLOT COMPONENT OF THE PARTICIPATORY FORESTRY PROJECT IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

The farmers' woodlot component of the Participatory Forest Project in Sri Lanka has a duel concern:environmental rehabilitation by creating woodlots in marginal state lands with the participation oflocal people, and socio-economic upliftmcnt of the rural poor. Based on the mixed performance ofthe project during the last few years, this study tried to examine the level of rural participation in theproject, and the effect of major conditions and their determinant factors on successful establishmentof the woodlots.

The lie ld study was carried out in the central part of Sri Lanka, during the period from July toSeptember 1997. Two successful and two unsuccessful project sites were selected in the Budullaand Kundy districts based on the seedling survival rate as the main criteria for evaluating success.Data collection was mainly based on series of discussions and semi-structured interviews carried outwith project participants, non-participants, key informants, and project officials. In additionsupporting secondary data was collected by reviewing the project related reports and documents, andinfonnal interviews with project officials.

The study reveals that the majority of initial decisions related to the project such as, initial decisionon a woodlot project, selection of project's location, land distribution, planting design are primarilytakcn by the project officials, Local people are involved with decisions related to thc selection ofl"lrt icip.uus and species. The majority of ongoing dccixions such as, weeding and maintenanceregimlO, application of fcrt iliscrs , arc also imposed by the project, All decisions related tointcrcropping are taken by the local people.

Among the resources required fur implementation, land, technical knowledge, and material inputssuch as, tree seedlings, Iertilisers. are provided by the project. whereas participants contributelabour, indigenous knowledge, and inputs for intercroppings. A food aid incentive has been used tocompensate the labour investment of part icipants. Local peoples' involvement in administration andcoordination of the project at village level is limited.

Three conditions for the success of woodlots arc considered in detail. The first concerns the sitecharacteristics, of which, site arability, proximity and accessibility, and tenurial status are the threeimportant determinant factors for success. Among them, site arability appeared to he the mostimportant factor.

Among the different plantation establishment techniques used in the project, selection of the mostxuitnblc tree species for the project's location, planting design and spacing based on participant'spreference for intercropping, location specific weeding and maintenance regime, adequate measuresfor protection, are determinant factors for the success.

Four types of incentives used in the project appeared to be crucial for the success. TIley are, issue offree tree seedlings, food aid coupons. lease agreements, and the provision of technical assistance.The issue of fcrt iliscrs was not a condition for success as it was not based on site specific needs.