Optimizing State Forest Institutions for Forest People: A Case Study on Social Sustainability from Tunisia

Abstract

In Tunisia the livelihoods of nearly 750,000 “forest people” strongly depend on state forests. State forest institutions that manage more than 90% of forests have a special responsibility for the social sustainability of these people’s situation. Thus, it is important to evaluate the performance of these institutions, as such evaluations represent an option to help formulate sustainable development strategies for forest people. This study evaluates the performance of state forest institutions in regard to forest people based on a comprehensive three-layer model. The data were collected in 2016 and 2017 from documents, observations and interviews. The results partly supported the first hypothesis that “state forest institutions employ different market, non-market and political instruments to influence the use and the protection of forests”, with an exception for market instruments. The second hypothesis stating that “the outcomes of these instruments for forest people differ from those for the general forest sector” was supported by empirical evidence. The evaluation revealed practices in Tunisia that provide a basis for organizational reforms supporting forest people. Adapted technologies that fit the traditional know-how of forest people and a better representation are required. Furthermore, the strengthening of state forest institutions against the influence of foreign donors would contribute to elaborating a development strategy for forest people.