Are community forest leaders downwardly Accountable? Evidence from cameroon.
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| Title: | Are community forest leaders downwardly Accountable? Evidence from cameroon. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Mbane, Joseph O.1,2 (AUTHOR) kmbane09@gmail.com, Foundjem-Tita, Divine2 (AUTHOR) D.Foundjem@cifor-icraf.org, Mutune, Jane M.1 (AUTHOR) janemm@uonbi.ac.ke, Muthama, Nzioka J.1 (AUTHOR) jmuthama@uonbi.ac.ke |
| Source: | Environment, Development & Sustainability. Nov2025, Vol. 27 Issue 11, p27997-28017. 21p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Community forestry, *Leadership, *Sustainability, *Capacity building, *Contract theory, *Government accountability, *Forest management |
| Geographic Terms: | Cameroon |
| Abstract: | With the failure of centralized system of forest governance in the 1980's, Participatory Forest Management (PFM) was presented as a panacea that could bring about proper management of forest resources while enhancing forest dwellers' livelihood. Previous studies, however, have reported mixed results from PFM in Cameroun, and elite capture has been said to be a major contributor. Principal - Agent theory highlights the importance of the principal's (community) capacity to keep the agents (leaders) accountable as the best approach for controlling elite capture and produce expected results. This study assesses level of leadership accountability in community forestry in Cameroon. Using cross sectional research design, data was collected through administration of semi structured questionnaire to 204 community forest (CF) members selected on basis of willingness and availability, 31 key informant interviews, and documents review. Results indicate a low level of downward accountability of CF leaders, due to inadequate capacity of community members to provide incentive to CF leaders for effective downward accountability. This poor downward accountability was further aggravated by the total exclusion of traditional authorities from CF legal arrangement. Hence, sustainable community forestry in Cameroon requires for forestry stakeholders and the government to make more effort in enhancing community capacity to demand for accountability by ensuring that all elements of accountability mechanism (answerability and enforcement) are effectively implemented. Government institutions have a key role to play in making sure community decisions against poor leadership is strengthened and enforced; therefore, the importance of synergy between community voice and public authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Database: | Energy & Power Source |
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| Header | DbId: enr DbLabel: Energy & Power Source An: 189634202 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Are community forest leaders downwardly Accountable? Evidence from cameroon. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mbane%2C+Joseph+O%2E%22">Mbane, Joseph O.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> kmbane09@gmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Foundjem-Tita%2C+Divine%22">Foundjem-Tita, Divine</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> D.Foundjem@cifor-icraf.org</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mutune%2C+Jane+M%2E%22">Mutune, Jane M.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> janemm@uonbi.ac.ke</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Muthama%2C+Nzioka+J%2E%22">Muthama, Nzioka J.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> jmuthama@uonbi.ac.ke</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Environment%2C+Development+%26+Sustainability%22">Environment, Development & Sustainability</searchLink>. Nov2025, Vol. 27 Issue 11, p27997-28017. 21p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+forestry%22">Community forestry</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leadership%22">Leadership</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sustainability%22">Sustainability</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Capacity+building%22">Capacity building</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Contract+theory%22">Contract theory</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Government+accountability%22">Government accountability</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Forest+management%22">Forest management</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cameroon%22">Cameroon</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: With the failure of centralized system of forest governance in the 1980's, Participatory Forest Management (PFM) was presented as a panacea that could bring about proper management of forest resources while enhancing forest dwellers' livelihood. Previous studies, however, have reported mixed results from PFM in Cameroun, and elite capture has been said to be a major contributor. Principal - Agent theory highlights the importance of the principal's (community) capacity to keep the agents (leaders) accountable as the best approach for controlling elite capture and produce expected results. This study assesses level of leadership accountability in community forestry in Cameroon. Using cross sectional research design, data was collected through administration of semi structured questionnaire to 204 community forest (CF) members selected on basis of willingness and availability, 31 key informant interviews, and documents review. Results indicate a low level of downward accountability of CF leaders, due to inadequate capacity of community members to provide incentive to CF leaders for effective downward accountability. This poor downward accountability was further aggravated by the total exclusion of traditional authorities from CF legal arrangement. Hence, sustainable community forestry in Cameroon requires for forestry stakeholders and the government to make more effort in enhancing community capacity to demand for accountability by ensuring that all elements of accountability mechanism (answerability and enforcement) are effectively implemented. Government institutions have a key role to play in making sure community decisions against poor leadership is strengthened and enforced; therefore, the importance of synergy between community voice and public authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=enr&AN=189634202 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s10668-024-04873-2 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 21 StartPage: 27997 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Community forestry Type: general – SubjectFull: Leadership Type: general – SubjectFull: Sustainability Type: general – SubjectFull: Capacity building Type: general – SubjectFull: Contract theory Type: general – SubjectFull: Government accountability Type: general – SubjectFull: Forest management Type: general – SubjectFull: Cameroon Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Are community forest leaders downwardly Accountable? Evidence from cameroon. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mbane, Joseph O. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Foundjem-Tita, Divine – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mutune, Jane M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Muthama, Nzioka J. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 11 Text: Nov2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 1387585X Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 27 – Type: issue Value: 11 Titles: – TitleFull: Environment, Development & Sustainability Type: main |
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