Forestry Decentralization Policies and Community-based Forest Enterprises in Tanzania: A Literature Review

Forestry decentralization policies follow an inherent logic that centralized governance of forest resources cannot address the multifaceted nature of forest-related problems. It is through a diverse range of institutions and a combination of multiple partners consisting of state, non-state actors and rural communities, that such problems can be efficiently addressed. Central to decentralization policies is the argument that it envisions a triple win involving improved natural resource governance, improved rural livelihoods and improved biophysical conditions. However, an important and often overlooked consequence of these policies is that they also enable a growing commercialization of forests. In this context, increasing profits are constitutive for the governing logic. Based on a review of the state of knowledge on forestry decentralization and its impacts, and drawing on insights from Tanzania’s forestry sector, this literature review discusses the background of decentralization policies in Tanzania and how they have led to a proliferation of community-based forest enterprises with potentially adverse effects on both the sustainability of the forest and local livelihoods.