PINPEP law offers incentives to smallholders for sustainable forestry

Antonio Ordoñez

Following lobbying by community forestry groups, the Guatemalan Congress passed a much-needed law in November 2010, which formalised the Forest Smallholders Incentives Program. This programme offers smallholders the opportunity to exploit their land in a sustainable way, even if they do not have legal registration of ownership.

The passing of the PINPEP law (Ley del Programa de Incentivos para Pequeños Poseedores(as) de Tierras de Vocación Forestal o Agroforestal – PINPEP) is an exemplary story, not only because its main goal is to offer an opportunity to obtain extra income for people with low resources but also because of the organisation and mobilisation of Community Forestry Organisations (Organizaciones Forestales Comunitarias – OFCs) which succeeded in convincing the Guatemalan Congress to pass the law. Armindo Tomás, National Coordinator of PINPEP, says that the process by which the PINPEP law was achieved is a triumph for the Community Forestry Organisations who took peaceful action to influence the legislators to pass the bill.

[Read more in full article attached below]

The ‘Forest voices’ series aims, through the work of local journalists, to provide insight into the forestry context in each of these countries and illustrate how locally controlled forestry and partnerships are working in practice on the ground.