Objectives, methodology and programme of the workshop and presentation of participants, delivered by Antoine Kalinganire, ICRAF

1. West and Central Africa
Sahelian regional workshop on “Moving
beyond Forestry laws” through
collective learning and action
Bamako 4-8 May 2009
Introduction & Programme
Antoine Kalinganire & Thomas Yatich

2. Why Forestry laws and Collective Action?
West and Central Africa
• Disconnects between what the law says and practice
exist
• Affect access, use and management of local tree species
yet are main sources of livelihood
• Legal provisions have caused more harm that balancing
socio-economic and ecological objectives
• There have been successful experiences (isolated) of
involving communities in the Sahel, but not well
replicated
• Question is why? Answer could lie in the lack of
knowledge sharing, no framework for sharing knowledge
across Sahelian countries, lack of political will,
Governments are not being aware of this situation and
science results have not been used to change our
policies
• Workshop will explore all these issues with the aim to
promote collective learning and action at different levels

3. What do we aim to achieve?
West and Central Africa
Goal of the workshop:
• Provide a platform to build case for and explore
approaches for moving beyond forestry laws
through using research results to review forestry
laws and adopt co-management for improved
natural resource management; and
• To forge a broader collaborative framework for
promoting collective learning and action.

4. Specific objectives
West and Central Africa
• Provide a forum for Sahelian governments with
partners to share knowledge, lessons and experiences
based on research in the state of forestry governance
across different Sahelian countries
• Start off processes for reviewing or building on
ongoing review initiatives of the forestry laws through
enhancing dialogue and negotiations between local
communities and foresters
• Identify best practices, methodologies and
approaches to enhance evolution, recognition,
formulation, adoption and integration of bylaws and/or
local conventions into statutory texts for improved
management of forests and agroforests

5. Specific objectives (cont’d)
West and Central Africa
• Share experiences on how to integrate community
rights, including gender, with decentralization in
Sahelian countries
• Work towards the development of a knowledge
network for sharing lessons and experiences among
communities and foresters across Sahelian countries
• Develop broader collaborative research in the regional
as a follow-up of the workshop

6. Expected outputs
West and Central Africa
• Tools and approaches for forestry laws review
(synthesized from the presentations and group
discussions)
• A roadmap for reviews of the forestry laws and
collective action among Sahelian countries
• A framework for broader collaborative research work
among Sahelian countries and research institutes
and/or organizations; and
• A concept note to follow-up on the broader
collaborative research work as well as advance the
workshop decisions
• Workshop proceedings and a special issue of a
journal or a book
• A policy brief for circulation among policy shapers
and decision makers

7. Topics to be discussed
West and Central Africa
• State of forestry governance, gender,
community rights and decentralization
• Negotiation support system
• Knowledge to action
• Formulation and integration of bylaws
• Community of practice

8. Topics to be discussed
(Cont’d) West and Central Africa
• Have we captured your expectations?
• Any issues you would like covered?

9. The Programme
• The Approach West and Central Africa
– Presentations on different themes (Sessions 5)
– Questions and answers on specific topics presented
– Working Group Sessions
– Plenary Discussions
– Film presentations
– Field trip
– Synthesis and restitution in the plenary (Day 5)
• Roles and responsibilities
– Presentations: Session Chair & Rapporteur (key messages from
presentations to be shared with the Working Group Chair for session
report)
– Questions-based Group Discussions Chair & Rapporteur (Feed-back from
Group discussions
– Working Groups Sessions Chair & Rapporteur (Key points from
presentations & plenary discussions; recap next day)
– Workshop Committee Report (daily)
– Synthesis and restitution (small group)
• Please help setting up key rules and procedures for the
workshop?

10. Workshop Rules
• Be on-time (08:30), 500Fcfa fine for late comers! and Central Africa
West
• Mobile phones on ‘Silent Mode’
• Active participation and mutual respect
• Share your experiences on different workshop themes
• Warning: Please drink enough water -45°C!
• Key people to contact:
– Ibrahim (IT)
– Rokia (Secretariat, visas, flights etc)
– Sory & Yacine (Finance, hotel payments etc)
– Emergency call: (223) 7603 6370
To all, thank you, for finding time out of your busy
schedules to attend

11. Participants presentation
West and Central Africa
Personal details
Professional details: formation, experiences, functions,
institution.
Workshop expectations -one key idea (read out from a
card for filled handed during participants’ registration)

12. West and Central Africa
Thank you!