Changes Needed in U.S. Assistance To Deter Deforestation in Developing Countries

GAO reviewed the problem of deforestation in developing countries and evaluated whether forestry, agricultural, and rural development projects have been promoting improved and self-sustained forestry and natural resource conservation.

The forests of most developing countries are not regenerating themselves quickly enough to sustain an adequate natural resource base for supporting the growing populations. The forestry projects approved by the Agency for International Development (AID) and other donors are experiencing delays, because host-government forest service organizations have been unable to obtain the necessary financial and political commitments from their governments. Economic, political, and social problems limit the ability of developing countries to ease the pressures exerted by their agrarian populations on the mountains, hillsides, and other marginal lands not suited to intense cultivation and grazing. GAO questioned the allocation of much of the AID forestry project assistance for building fledgling forest service organizations which neither have the necessary support of their governments nor the extension service capability to focus immediately on subsistence farmers, the principal cause of deforestation. Coordination and cooperation among international donors at the country level is infrequent and is not encouraged by host governments. Because of the complexities surrounding forest destruction and the financial resources needed to reverse this accelerating trend, the Secretaries of State and the Treasury should request that, in designing their projects, the international organizations give greater consideration to subsistence farmers residing in and around forested and watershed areas.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Joseph E. Kelley Team: General Accounting Office: International Division Phone: (202) 275-5790