NFA doesn’t regulate forestry sector
Jul 16, 2008
EDITOR—In the story, July 4 story, “Tree-planting big business – expertâ€, it is rightly noted that development of commercial tree plantations has huge potential for investors.
EDITOR—In the story, July 4 story, “Tree-planting big business – expertâ€, it is rightly noted that development of commercial tree plantations has huge potential for investors.
The story is derived from the proceedings of a workshop moderated by the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) to explore ways of boosting investment in the forestry sector.
In the story, however, it is reported that “one of the issues the stakeholders raised was the unclear policies used by the National Forestry Authority (NFA) to regulate the sectorâ€. NFA would like to clarify that it is not a regulatory entity for the forestry sector.
Established under Section 52 of the National Forestry and Tree Planting Act (NFTPA), 2003, the NFA is mandated to manage Central Forest Reserves (CFRs) on a sustainable basis and to supply high quality forestry related products and services to government, local communities and the private sector.
Accordingly, NFA manages CFRs (forest reserves owned by the Central Government) and supplies high quality forestry products and services but does not regulate the forestry sector. There are 506 CFRs in Uganda representing 15% of the forest cover in the country.
NFA supports institutions and individuals to invest in commercial tree plantations through provision of quality tree seeds, seedlings, contractual planting, training in tree-nursery management, development of management plans and technical advisory services.
Under pre-agreed forest management plans, NFA has issued tree-planting licences to private planters in CFRs totalling to 120,000 hectares.
The process involves advertising the available land, evaluating the applications and allocating land according to the demonstrated planting capacity.
The duration of the licence depends a lot on the gestation period of tree species one intends to plant. An investor intending to plant pine would for instance need a licence of up to 25 years—the period within which the species matures for harvesting.
To improve incomes of communities neighbouring CFRs, NFA sets aside at least 5% of the available land for allocation to them for tree-planting. A substantial number of private planters in CFRs are beneficiaries of the European Union-funded Saw Log Production Grant Scheme (SPGS).
While some have occasionally been encumbered by the challenge of encroachment on CFRs, majority appreciate NFA’s support. The unprecedented construction boom in Uganda coupled with declining supplies of forestry produce point towards bright prospects for investment in the forestry sector.
It is commendable that Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) is encouraging investors to venture into this lucrative sector. NFA is proud to avail seeds, seedlings and the relevant technical support to investors in forestry development – on contractual basis.
However, NFA’s support to such investors excludes regulation because the law (NFTPA) as it is gives this role to the Minister for Water and Environment who has a technical Department of Forest Sector Support.
Together with NFA in managing (not regulating) the forest sector is the District Forest Service (DFS) where each district manages local and private forests under its jurisdiction.
Moses W. Watasa
Public Relations Manager
National Forestry Authority
The story is derived from the proceedings of a workshop moderated by the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) to explore ways of boosting investment in the forestry sector.
In the story, however, it is reported that “one of the issues the stakeholders raised was the unclear policies used by the National Forestry Authority (NFA) to regulate the sectorâ€. NFA would like to clarify that it is not a regulatory entity for the forestry sector.
Established under Section 52 of the National Forestry and Tree Planting Act (NFTPA), 2003, the NFA is mandated to manage Central Forest Reserves (CFRs) on a sustainable basis and to supply high quality forestry related products and services to government, local communities and the private sector.
Accordingly, NFA manages CFRs (forest reserves owned by the Central Government) and supplies high quality forestry products and services but does not regulate the forestry sector. There are 506 CFRs in Uganda representing 15% of the forest cover in the country.
NFA supports institutions and individuals to invest in commercial tree plantations through provision of quality tree seeds, seedlings, contractual planting, training in tree-nursery management, development of management plans and technical advisory services.
Under pre-agreed forest management plans, NFA has issued tree-planting licences to private planters in CFRs totalling to 120,000 hectares.
The process involves advertising the available land, evaluating the applications and allocating land according to the demonstrated planting capacity.
The duration of the licence depends a lot on the gestation period of tree species one intends to plant. An investor intending to plant pine would for instance need a licence of up to 25 years—the period within which the species matures for harvesting.
To improve incomes of communities neighbouring CFRs, NFA sets aside at least 5% of the available land for allocation to them for tree-planting. A substantial number of private planters in CFRs are beneficiaries of the European Union-funded Saw Log Production Grant Scheme (SPGS).
While some have occasionally been encumbered by the challenge of encroachment on CFRs, majority appreciate NFA’s support. The unprecedented construction boom in Uganda coupled with declining supplies of forestry produce point towards bright prospects for investment in the forestry sector.
It is commendable that Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) is encouraging investors to venture into this lucrative sector. NFA is proud to avail seeds, seedlings and the relevant technical support to investors in forestry development – on contractual basis.
However, NFA’s support to such investors excludes regulation because the law (NFTPA) as it is gives this role to the Minister for Water and Environment who has a technical Department of Forest Sector Support.
Together with NFA in managing (not regulating) the forest sector is the District Forest Service (DFS) where each district manages local and private forests under its jurisdiction.
Moses W. Watasa
Public Relations Manager
National Forestry Authority