The Twelve Northern States that attended a 5-day training on value chain development for non-timber forest products (NTFPs) organised by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO UN) have developed work plans on how to implement the process.
Participants for the training were drawn from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara states, comprising ACReSAL PCs and FAO Desk Officers, two community interest groups, and two focal NGOs under the ACReSAL operations.
The participants made their presentations highlighting the various non-timber forest products in there and how to harness them to serve as sources of income and employment generation for the people.
Dr Andrew Ilo, FAO Technical Expert who facilitated the presentations, thanked the participants for their useful contributions during the course of the training, assuring them the FAO UN will, in collaboration with ACReSAL, look into the work plan for its implementation by the various state governments.
He stressed that the challenges in monitoring and evaluation for NTFPs include common challenges of data collection difficulties in remote areas, limited resources and technical capacity, as well as ensuring stakeholder participation.
He then disclosed that some of the solutions include using technology for remote data collection, building local capacity through training, and engaging stakeholders throughout the M&E process.
Andrew Ilo then recommended that sustainable harvesting practices should be encouraged by involving grassroots communities, while strict laws should be enforced as well as awareness of in-situ and ex-situ conservation.
Other recommendations are Initiation of research, domestication and cultivation. development, Regular monitoring and evaluation should be done to stop illegal trading, stressing that NTFPs Action Plan is needed on major/vulnerable species.
According to him, the Best Practices in M&E for NTFPs involve Regular and systematic data collection, Engaging local communities and stakeholders, Transparent reporting and sharing of findings, adaptive management based on M&E results, and continuous capacity building for M&E teams.
The FAO Technical Expert pointed out that social impacts include community benefits as M&E assesses the social impact of NTFP initiatives on local communities, ensuring that benefits are equitably distributed and that community livelihoods are improved.
Stakeholder engagement facilitates better communication and involvement of stakeholders by providing transparent and accountable project reporting.
Policy development involved informed decision-making as M&E generates data that informs policy decisions, ensuring that policies are based on accurate and current information.
On risk management, he emphasised identifying risks, as M&E helps identify potential risks and threats to NTFP projects, allowing for timely mitigation measures.
On mitigating negative impacts, continuous evaluation helps in implementing strategies to mitigate any negative impacts on both the environment and local communities.
While speaking on the Importance of M&E for NTFPs, he said that it involves Sustainability Assessment of Resource management, which helps track the availability and health of NTFPs, ensuring that harvesting practices do not lead to resource depletion and that ecosystems remain balanced.
Economic efficiency includes market analysis, which provides valuable data on market trends and demands, helping to optimise production and marketing strategies to enhance profitability.
The Project Performance include Goal achievement, which tracks the progress of NTFP projects against their set goals and objectives, ensuring that project activities align with desired outcomes.
Adaptive Management ensures that by identifying challenges and successes, M&E allows for adaptive management practices, making it possible to adjust strategies to improve project performance
The Social Impact include Community Benefits as M&E assesses the social impact of NTFP initiatives on local communities, ensuring that benefits are equitably distributed and that community livelihoods are improved.
For Stakeholder Engagement, it facilitates better communication and involvement of stakeholders by providing transparent and accountable project reporting
Some of the participants at the training who spoke to journalists expressed commendation to FAO UN and ACReSAL for organising the training, which they said had exposed them to the development processes of harnessing non-timber forest products for employment generations and revenue generation.
They, however, urged FAO and ACReSAL to make a convincing presentation to the various state governments in order to enable them to key into the various work plans developed for the good of the people of the states.
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