The “Slippage” Implementation of the Forest Policy by
Local Officials: A Case Study of the Protected Areas of Savannakhet
Province, Laos
HYAKUMURA Kimihiko
Forest Management
Research Associate
Forest Conservation Project
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies
Japan
Abstract:
Recently, the concept of decentralization has been introduced lots of Southeast
Asian Countries. In the forestry section of Laos, it has been also shown not
only the re-organization of the administration system such as power transfer of
lower authority, but also policy re-forming such as land and forest allocation
program.
An important and progressive part of the forest policy regime in Laos is its
land and forest allocation program started in 1996, which contains critical
elements that delegate the rights of land and forest use to local people. This
study aims to analyze the gap between the initial concept of the program and its
actual implementation by local forestry officials and discuss several issues
with the program that need addressing in order for it to function more
effectively.
A case study was done by conducting interviews, gathering data, and doing field
observation in the protected areas of Savannakhet Province, which is in the
southern part of the country.
After introduction of the land and forest allocation program in the study
village, it appears that several non-fulfillments by local people, i.e. land-use
management designations, recognition of boundaries between villages and the
conversion of land use from swidden fields to paddy fields can be seen. Local
officials have not control these affirmatively. It was shown that the lack of
man-power, insufficient budget for implementation and lack of capacity building
by local officials may lead to them. By changing the viewpoint, however, it
appears that local forestry officials carry out the “slippage” way for keeping
the livelihood of local people. Although local people do not follow the
regulation, land-use pressures on the land and forests in the study area are
still relatively small because of the local people’s sustainable land- and
forest-use practices as well as enough land for cultivation. Therefore, local
official do not need to control them all.
National policies such as land and forest allocation program should been fixed
strictly. However, the real land and forest use in village have various ways.
Therefore, implementation of the policy by local officials should need the
flexibility, which includes “slippage” way.