Abstract:
Participatory forest management (PFM) is atypical forest management approach that critically
requires the active participation of the local community for the wise exploitation of forest
products while protecting the forest from any unplanned intervention.Previous studies on
participatory forest management have focused on protection, planting and rehabilitation of
degraded areas.The main objective of this study was to assess the impacts of PFM on rural
livelihood. Specifically, the study aimed as assessing the main challenges to implement PFM in
the study area, to identify the current status of PFM in study, to identify stakeholder’s roles IGAs
and finally analyzes the impacts of participatory forest management implementation on
livelihood. Primary data were collected through questionnaire distributed to 163 sample
respondents and focus group decision with Development Agents, forest supervisors of the
woreda, and local administrators. Information was also gathered woreda, and agriculture office.
Purposive stratified sampling technique was employed to select sample respondents based on
Kothari’s formula was employed. The study findings were presented as tables, piecharts and bar
graphs. The findings showed that PFM in the study area has positive impacts on the livelihoods
of communities. From the findings, there is a positive relationship between community’s
participation community local structure and PFM. From the results 70% of the study area
communities were involved in participatory forest management. Many products obtained from
the forest by the communities are, fire wood collection, grazing, bee colonies. The Income
Generating Activities that community was involved in bee-keeping, Eco-tourism and tree nursery
.The main challenges to participatory forest management were increased dependency on forest
resources, fire forest, slow progress in institutionalizing PFM, low commitment, weak law
enforcement .The community of the study areas required training and capacity building on
development, needs alternative energy supply, to avoid gaps between demand and supply for fuel
wood are increasing with time. The result of the study contribute fruitful findings to students,
researchers, experts and others in the study area to understand status of impacts PFM, there by
implementing appropriate participatory forest managements.
