Dry forests, livelihoods and poverty alleviation: understanding current trends

Djoudi, Houria; Vergles, E.; Blackie, R.; Koame, C. Koffi; Gautier, Denis

doi:10.1505/146554815815834868

Cited by 43 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 166 publications

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“…The cash is reinvested to buy food, pay children's school fees or buy diesel for a pump to practice irrigated farming. This dependence on NTFPs as "safety nets" contributing to food security is in line with other research findings (Angelsen and Wunder 2003;Chidumayo and Gumbo 2010;Dewees 2013;Djoudi et al 2015).…”

Section: Seasonality Of Use: a Coping Strategysupporting

confidence: 90%

Dependence of riparian communities on ecosystem services in northern Ghana

Mul¹,

Pettinotti²,

Amonoo³

et al. 2017

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Working PapersThe publications in this series record the work and thinking of IWMI researchers, and knowledge that the Institute's scientific management feels is worthy of documenting. This series will ensure that scientific data and other information gathered or prepared as a part of the research work of the Institute are recorded and referenced. Working Papers could include project reports, case studies, conference or workshop proceedings, discussion papers or reports on progress of research, country-specific research reports, monographs, etc. Working Papers may be copublished, by IWMI and partner organizations.Although most of the reports are published by IWMI staff and their collaborators, we welcome contributions from others. Each report is reviewed internally by IWMI staff. The reports are published and distributed both in hard copy and electronically (www.iwmi.org) and where possible all data and analyses will be available as separate downloadable files. Reports may be copied freely and cited with due acknowledgment. About IWMIIWMI's mission is to provide evidence-based solutions to sustainably manage water and land resources for food security, people's livelihoods and the environment. IWMI works in partnership with governments, civil society and the private sector to develop scalable agricultural water management solutions that have a tangible impact on poverty reduction, food security and ecosystem health. IWMI Working Paper 179 Dependence of Riparian Communities on Ecosystem Services in Northern Ghana SummaryNatural infrastructure supports large parts of the rural communities in northern Ghana through the generation of ecosystem services that it provides. The provisioning of ecosystem services is a function of the seasonal nature of the climate in northern Ghana. Natural infrastructure enables food provision, which translates into food security and generates income through the year while providing an important safety net during the dry season. Rainfall is concentrated in the period from May to September followed by a long dry season. The river, responding to the climate, shows similar seasonality, flooding large parts of land during the rainy season and drying up during the dry season. Natural water infrastructure supporting riparian communities, such as headwater catchments, wetlands and seasonal floodplains, is affected by water resource development decisions. This study investigated the dependence of three riparian communities on ecosystem services in northern Ghana. In particular, the role of natural water infrastructure in supporting these ecosystem services. Participatory mapping and ranking exercises in gender-segregated groups were used to elicit information on the communities' livelihoods. The riparian communities are dependent on five types of natural infrastructure: forest reserves, shrubs and woodlands, riparian ponds, the White Volta River and floodplains. Different ecosystem services are derived from natural infrastructure and these enable livelihood activities. The most important activ...

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Section: Seasonality Of Use: a Coping Strategysupporting

confidence: 90%

Dependence of riparian communities on ecosystem services in northern Ghana

Mul¹,

Pettinotti²,

Amonoo³

et al. 2017

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“…Others have critically reflected on the question of whether forest conservation can occur through the commercialization of NTFPs [36,38,39,64,65]. Several reviews have investigated the contributions of NTFPs, and more generally, of forest or environmental incomes on livelihoods and poverty alleviation (e.g., [1,14,[66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74]). However, these typically do not specifically focus on commercialized NTFPs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Processing of Non-Timber Forest Products through Small and Medium Enterprises—A Review of Enabling and Constraining Factors

Meinhold

Darr

2019

Forests

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Research Highlights: This study reviews the available literature on processed non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in order to comprehensively identify relevant factors enabling or constraining their potential to contribute to rural development. Background and Objectives: NTFPs, such as wild foods, medicinal plants, and raw materials for handicrafts, make significant contributions to rural livelihoods. NTFPs can help fulfil households' subsistence and consumption needs, serve as a safety-net in times of crises, and provide cash income. In particular, the processing of NTFPs has often been suggested to positively influence sustainable economic development in rural areas. However, despite rising interest and recognition of the potential contributions of such industries as key sources of employment and their strategic role in overall growth strategies of developing countries, many NTFP processing enterprises remain in the informal sector and an in-depth understanding of the underlying factors is lacking. This review aims to identify enabling and constraining factors affecting NTFP processing enterprises. Materials and Methods: Using systematic review methodology, studies investigating commercialized, processed NTFPs and their economic impacts have been identified and the current evidence base with regard to NTFP processing and small and medium sized enterprise (SME) development synthesized. Results: Despite the diverse nature of NTFPs, a number of constraining and enabling factors affecting NTFP processing and commercialization were identified. The former includes aspects such as the lack of resource access (finances, skills, technologies, etc.), market information, and basic infrastructure; the latter, amongst others, the role of key entrepreneurs; and cooperation across the value chain, amongst producers, and among members of the institutional environment or an abundant resource base. Moving from small-scale NTFP commercialization in local markets to more mature NTFP value chains reaching export markets, the increasing role of cooperation and having a supportive institutional framework in place, becomes apparent. Conclusions: Overall, successful NTFP processing strongly depends on the socio-economic and environmental context in question, requiring a holistic approach tailored to the respective context and value chain.

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“…The importance of forest resources for rural livelihoods has increasingly been recognized during the last three decades (Djoudi et al 2015;Ndoye and Tieguhong 2004;Shackleton and Shackleton 2004;Shackleton et al 2007;Vedeld et al 2007;Wunder 2001). Forests are important for crops (Verchot et al 2007;Garrity et al 2010); they provide food, fuel, fodder and facilitate income generation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Landscape diversity and associated coping strategies during food shortage periods: evidence from the Sudano-Sahelian region of Burkina Faso

2016

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The importance of forest resources for rural communities' livelihoods has increasingly been recognized over the last three decades. Forests provide food, generate incomes, provide supporting (nutrient cycling, pollination), and regulating (climate, diseases, water regulation and purification) services for agriculture, in addition to their aesthetic, cultural and spiritual role. However, most of the studies on forest resource use do not focus on the role of landscape organization in addressing the impact of climate variability and the risk of food insecurity. This study aims to examine the contribution of woodlands and trees towards decreasing the risk of food insecurity and the importance of landscape structure and composition in coping with food shortages. It took place in two villages in Burkina Faso, on both ends of the woodlands and tree-cover spectrum. We demonstrate that in both landscapes, ecosystem goods, such as shea nuts and fuelwood, represent a safety net for households during food shortage periods. We demonstrate that households shape their adaptive strategies differently depending on the resources available and the structure of the landscape. People living in a landscape with a savannah matrix (Sorobouly) rely on fuelwood trade to purchase cereals, while those living in a landscape with a parkland matrix (Kalembouly) rely on shea nuts. Agricultural, environmental and climate change policies that reinforce the rights of the most vulnerable to access key resources provided by these landscapes and development programs which assure their sustainable use will simultaneously enhance food security and increase their adaptive capacity in the face of climate change and variability.

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Dry forests, livelihoods and poverty alleviation: understanding current trends

Abstract: Miombo woodland is the most extensive tropical seasonal woodland and dry forest formation in

Cited by 43 publications

References 166 publications

Dependence of riparian communities on ecosystem services in northern Ghana

Dependence of riparian communities on ecosystem services in northern Ghana

The Processing of Non-Timber Forest Products through Small and Medium Enterprises—A Review of Enabling and Constraining Factors

Landscape diversity and associated coping strategies during food shortage periods: evidence from the Sudano-Sahelian region of Burkina Faso

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