Factors that have Contributed to Successful Policies

Abstract

Success of a forest policy for the purposes of this chapter is considered as being achieved when the broad aims and objectives of the policy have been realised within the time frame expected by the policy. This does not necessarily mean that the policy was correct, or that the policy was the best that could have been adopted. We are concerned here with the factors that have influenced the measures used to translate the policy into actions and the changes that they have brought about so that things are done in the direction intended by the policy. It is already clear from earlier sections, that a policy on its own is not enough. The previous Chapter showed that policies can fail to deliver the desired results for a wide variety of reasons. These mostly boil down to the lack of a strategy for implementing the policy, supported by measures such as laws and regulations, institution development, training, research, a regime of incentives or disincentives and other such measures designed to promote action by stakeholders in line with the policy.