The Role Of Formal And Informal Institutions In Implementing Redd+ At Local Level In Rungwe District, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

This study was aimed at examining the role of formal and informal institutions in implementing REDD+ at local level in a REDD+ pilot project, Rungwe District, Tanzania. The study was conducted in four villages adjacent to Rungwe forest reserve, namely Ipuguso, Kandete, Kibisi and Ndala. Household questionnaire and PRA techniques were used in data collection. Content analysis technique was used for qualitative data while quantitative data were analyzed by using SPSS software version 16.0 whereby measures of central tendency such as mean, median and standard deviation were computed. Logistic regression analysis model was employed to assess socio-economic factors enabling or constraining performance of both formal and informal institutions. The study revealed the existence of both formal and informal institutions and their roles in the management of the forests. Formal institutions were very acceptable, relatively accountable and based on equity and fairness regarding management of forest resources however inefficiency of formal institutions led to non-compliance. Informal institutions were fair, rather acceptable and efficient but perceived to be unreliable and weak. Education level, residence duration and income level of households enhanced the performance of formal institutions underlying implementation of REDD+ at the local level while age, sex of respondents, household size and marital status constrained the performance of formal institutions. The results also showed that age, sex and education level of respondents enhanced performance of informal institutions while residence duration and household size constrained the performance of informal institutions underlying the implementation of REDD+ at the local level. The study conclude that both formal and informal institutions have active roles in conserving forests and proved to be effective tools in implementing REDD+. It is iii recommended that formal and informal institutions should supplement each other in implementing REDD+ initiative at the local level.