The influence of certified forest management on community socioeconomics: implication for REDD+ safeguard standards implementation in Tanzania

Abstract

Forest certification has been promoted as means to contribute to individual and community livelihoods condition. However, it has been evaluated very little to this effect. By using economic valuation methods and governance indicators, the study assesses the influence of forest certification approach to forest management on individual and community livelihoods in Kilwa, Tanzania by comparing livelihoods condition in communities with certified forests under community based forest management (CBFM) to those village forests without CBFM and certification. Results reveal that certified communities (FSC) offer a higher forest income US$106/annum and US$86/m3/annum per household and village, respectively and more incomes to people in the community than non-certified communities with US$43/annum and US$10/m3/annum per household and village, respectively. The difference of livelihoods condition between the certified CBFM and communities without CBFM and certification is statistically significant (p = 3.128e-05 < 0.05). The actors from certified forest communities exhibit lower income inequity (G = 0.3986) than NoFSC forests (G = 0.5883) and the difference is statistically significant. This highlights positive influence of certified CBFM on livelihoods condition as an incentive for communities to responsibly manage their forests, including REDD+ projects more effectively, efficiently and sustainably. The policy implication from this is that incorporation of forest certification standards into REDD+ social and environmental safeguard standards implementation would motivate communities to participate effectively in REDD+.