Abstract:
A study was carried out to investigate the role of Communication, Education and Public
Awareness raising (CEPA) on community participation in forest management in Mufindi
District. The specific objectives were: To identify existing CEPA materials/channels and
assess level of awareness on community participation in forest management, to determine
the influence of CEPA and socio-economic factors on community participation in forest
management, to compare community participation in forest management between
government-facilitated villages and those facilitated by TFCG an NGO. A total of 120
households were randomly selected from four villages implementing CBFM namely
Tambalang’ombe, Igombavanu, Ihanu and Mtwango. Primary data were collected using
household questionnaires, checklist for key informants, participant observation, PRA
techniques and field observations. Secondary data were collected through literature search.
Data collected using PRA was analyzed by involving group discussion with local
communities. Qualitative data and information from key informants was analysed using
content and structural-functional techniques. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(SPSS) software was used to analyze quantitative data. Multiple regression model was
used to explore the relationship between community participation in forest management
and CEPA and socio-economic factors. Results showed that existing CEPA
materials/channels in the study villages were posters, meetings, seminars, video shows and
radios. CEPA showed statistically significant (P<0.05) and positive influence on
community participation in forest management and socio-economic factors like education
level of respondents had positive and statistically significant (P<0.001) while household
annual income was negatively statistically significant (P<0.01). Socio-economic factors i.e.
duration of residence, household land ownership and availability of extension agents were
positive but statistically insignificant on community participation in forest management.
ii
The study concluded that CEPA had positive significant role on promoting community
participation in forest management and recommended that in order for any intervention on
community participation to be successful, CEPA and socio-economic factors should be
considered.
