Africa-Press – Liberia. Salayea Authorized Forest Community has, through its Community Forest Management Body (CFMB), recommended five sustainable livelihood programs they believe can help them preserve their 8,270 hectares of forest land.
The five sustainable livelihood options recommended by the community are poultry, cocoa, cattle, village savings loan, and trade school for women.
The community made the disclosure recently during a six county tour of forest communities by the Liberia Forest Media Watch (LFMW). CFMB Chief Officer, Yassah Mulbah told this reporter that the community is contemplating engaging in conservation, but wants livelihood support that can substitute forest products currently being used by members of the community to sustain themselves.
“We can only have a successful conservation program when we have other means through which we can sustain ourselves without the forest,” Yassah Mulbah emphasized.
The Salayea community forest has a size of 8,270 hectares of forest land. Six towns, Salayea, Yarpuoi, Gorlu, Ganglota, Telemu, and Beyan, combined to form the Salayea community forest, which was established in 2013. In 2019, residents of the Salayea community entered into an agreement with the Forestry Development Authority to operate the community forest.
Authorities of the CFMB who seem hopeful of a successful conservation program are encouraging government, civil society organizations and international partners to direct future support to the community, towards the provision of alternative livelihood programs for forest dependents.
“Our community forest being the only source of income for us, it will be good to substitute such incomes with other livelihood initiatives for the upkeep of community members, while the leadership of the community works with NGOs/CSOs to preserve our forest,” said Madam Mulbah.
Currently, the Liberia Multi-Stakeholder Forest Governance and Accountability program (MFGAP) is providing some support to the Salayea community forest. Community members say MFGAP has pledged to fund the forest management process in part. “MFGAP promised us that they would transfer monies to us and that they would not only give the cash, but would also oversee the usage of the money,” the CFMB Chief Officer said.
Chief Officer Yassah Mulbah disclosed that MFGAP has provided some training for the community leadership, with the aim to build their capacity in manage their forest. With awareness from the training, the Salayea CFMB Chief Officer noted that the 28-member forest committee is yet to enter into concession agreement with any Company, and would not love to engage into logging concession provided there is alternative livelihood program which, according to her, is an assurance for sustainable forest conservation program.
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