FORESTRY RESEARCH: PROBLEMS AND POTENTIALS PROGRAMME FOR FUTURE ACTION

Abstract

A Forestry Research Mission prepared, in November..December 1987, programme/project cooperation for joint Ethiopian/Swedish financing according to terms of reference agreed upon during the annual 1987 sector review. The Mission - reviewed forestry sector research needs in Ethiopia on the basis of national policy; available information on the needs, production and use of forestry sector products and services; and the views of Government decision-makers, * studied the type and adequacy of the institutional structure of forestry research and its activities, facilities and staff; and constraints to effective research, and - prepared work prnfriraimmfts. and budgets or cost estimates, for the use of the 1987/88 SIDA allocation, and for forestry research development in the following five years. The Mission found that - while the Forestry Research Centre is presently a weak organization, it can be built up to efficiently carry out and coordinate national sectoral research, and can have a major national development impact, - this would require support from SIDA and SAREC to the tune of SEK 5 million in the third and consecutive years, with SEK 3.5..4.5 million inputs in the first two Project years, - the 1987/88 SIDA allocation can be effectively used for strengthening the institutional foundation of FRC, for starting a research data bank and information file, and for selected^ baseline studies for research planning, should be given more economic, socialv management and utilization content to better serve ^tional development, | fr&dis - support from other donors would be welcome .^through parallel financed complementary projects, to speed up and strengthen research and development, and that - success in development will very much depend on long term commitment to institutional development cooperation, such as the twinning arrangement planned between the Forestry Research Centre and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. This is especially important in view of the long time required for staff training and development, and for the maturation of the required institutional and research programmes. The Mission recommends that - the role of forestry research in Ethiopia is redefined, and the scope of the national forestry research programme widened to cover the social, economic, ecological, management and utilization aspects, in addition to silviculture, - a strong coordinating body for forestry research is created, and an efficient division of labour between forestry research institutions, academic establishments and forestry executive agencies is established, - a national forestry data base and information service is set up, - a long term plan for the development of forestry research competence is worked out, and made to match research priorities, - the necessary material resources are made available to forestry research, and - arrangements are made to secure continued, sufficient funding ■ from both national and donor agencies.