Investigation of non-timber forest products and their contribution to poverty alleviation of rural communities in northern Zagros Forests (Field force analysis of issues and problems)

Document Type : Scientific article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

2 Prof., Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Iran

3 Environment Graduated, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

Abstract

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) play an important role in supporting rural livelihoods and food security. Due to a shortage of productive and arable lands and the resulting poverty, many rural households in northern Zagros forests follow a livelihood strategy which is highly dependent on forest products. This study was conducted to 1) investigate challenges and conflicts of NTFPs utilization, which were tested by participatory appraisal of natural resources in three forested villages in Baneh, Kurdistan province. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data. Field force analysis was used as a theoretical framework. Interviews, questionnaires, brainstorming and group discussion techniques were used. Value of tree fodder was evaluated by Replacement cost method, whereas direct-cost pricing method was used for other products. Results showed that the main product of harvesting across the study area include oak tree fodder, firewood, Gazou, acorn and Mazooj Gaal.  NTFP income of the households’ was estimated to be 8510000 IRR.  Moreover, more than 50% of collected NTFPs-related household income was shown to be used for subsistence, and the rest was gained by selling the products. More subsistence income for the villagers comes from tree fodder and firewood. The most important problems with NTFPs harvesting were insufficient rules and administrative facilities, deforestation, overgrazing, drought and weakness of market network. Eventually, the main solutions to those problems towards a framework of an ‘integrated’ approach towards the natural resource management were identified as strengthening the cooperative society, development of market network and marketing service, organizing NTFPs harvesting plans and establishing the small scale agro-food industries in this area. 

Keywords

References

- Belcher, B., Ruiz-Pérez, M. and Achdiawan, R., 2005. Global patterns and trends in the use and management of commercial NTFPs: Implications for livelihoods and conservation. World Development, 33(9): 1435-1452.
- CIFOR, 2012. Forests and water: What policymakers should know. Factsheet, No. 6, Center for International Forestry Research, 80p.
- Cocksedge, W., 2006. Incorporating Non-timber Forest Products into Sustainable Forest Management: An Overview for Forest Managers. Royal Roads University, Victoria, 320p.
- Daily, G.C., 1997. Nature’s Services: Societal Dependence on Natural Ecosystems. Island Press, Washington DC., 392p.
- Delang, C.O., 2006. Not just minor forest products: the economic rationale for consumption of wild plants by subsistence farmers. Ecological Economics, 59(1): 64-73.
- FAO, 2003. State of the World’s Forests. Rome, Italy, 170p.
- FAO, 2010. Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010– Key Findings. Rome, Italy, 60p.
- FRWO, 2010. National Plan of Restoration, Development and Utilization of Industrial and Medical Plants. Project Number: 41044R128337, 387p (In Persian).
- Ghanbari, S., Zobeiri, M., Heshmatol Vaezin S.M. and Shamekhi, T., 2010. Estimation of fruit production of Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) and Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) in Arasbaran forests. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 18(4):609-620 (In Persian).
- Ghazanfari, H., Namiranian, M., Sobhani, H. and Marvi Mohajer, M.R., 2004. Traditional forest management and its application to encourage public participation for sustainable forest management in the northern Zagros Mountains of Kurdistan Province, Iran. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 19(4): 65-71.
- Henareh Khalyani, J., Namiranian, M., Heshmatolvaezin, S.M. and Feghhi J., 2012. Development and evaluation of local communities incentive programs for improving the traditional forest management: A case study of Northern Zagros forests, Iran. Journal Forestry Research, 25(1): 205-210.
- Heshmatol Vaezin, S.M., Ghanbari, S. and Tavili, A., 2010. Income of errmurs (Ertmurus olgae) and forage production in the Khazangah rangeland of Makoo. Iranian Journal of Natural Resources, 63(2): 195-206 (In Persian).
- Jahanbazi, H., Iranmanesh, Y. and Talebi, M., 2006. Seed production potential of pistachio forests of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province and its economical effects on dwellers welfare. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 14(2): 159-167 (In Persian).
- Jamshidiyan, S., 2003. Report of conventional ownerships. Project of traditional forest management in Havarehkhol. Joint project of Daumoon (local NGO) with UNDP-GEF/SGP, the Project Number: IRA-2002- 018, 22p.
- Jazirei, M.H. and Ebrahimi Rostaghi, M., 2003. Silviculture of Zagros. University of Tehran Press, Tehran, 560p (In Persian).
- Kalantari, Kh., 2003. Data process and analysis in socio-economic researches. Tehran, Sharif press, 392p, (In Persian).
- Kumar, S., 2001. Force field analysis: Applications in PRA. PLA Notes, London, IIED, 199(36): 17-23.
- Mahdavi, A., Sobhani, H., Shamekhi, T. and Fattahi, M., 2008. Investigation on non-wood forest products and the utilization methods in Kamyaran forests. Iranian Journal of Forest and Poplar Research, 16(4): 507-520 (In Persian).
- Marvi Mohajer, R., 2013. Silviculture. University of Tehran Press, 387p (In Persian).
- Monique, N., 2005. Power in practice: A force field approach to natural resource management. The Journal of Tran disciplinary Environmental Studies, 4(2): 1-14.
- Peres, C.A., Baider, C., Zuidema, P.A., Wadt, L.O.H., Kainer, K.A., Gomes-Silva, D.A.P., Salomao, R.P., Simoes, L.L., Franciosi, E.R.N., Valverde, F.C., Gribel, R., Shepard, J.R.G.H., Kanashiro, M., Coventry, P., Yu, D.W., Watkinson, A.R. and Freckleton, R.P., 2003. Demographic threats to the sustainability of Brazil nut exploitation. Science, 302(3): 2112-2114.
- Probst, K., Jürgen, H., Fernandez, M. and Jacqueline, A., 2003. Understanding participatory research in the context of natural resource. Agricultural Research and Extension Network, 130(2):14-17.
- Ravi, P.C., Mahadevaiah, G.S. and Muthamma, M.D., 2006. Livelihood dependence on non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Abstracts of the International Association of Agricultural Economists Conference, old Coast, Australia, August 12-18, 2006: 178-182.
- Sayer, J.A. and Campbell, B., 2001. Research to integrate productivity enhancement, environmental protection, and human development. Conservation Ecology, 5(2): 1-11.
- Scherr, S., White, A. and Kaimowitz, D., 2004. A new agenda for forest conservation and poverty reduction: Making markets work for low-income producers. Washington, 99p.
- Sheil, D. and Wunder, S., 2002. The value of tropical forest to local communities: Complications, caveats and cautions. Conservation Ecology, 6(2): 2- 9.
- Soltani, A., Angelsen A., Eid, T., Noori Naieni, M. and Shamekhi, T., 2012. Poverty, sustainability and household livelihood strategies in Zagros, Iran. Ecological Economics, 79(2): 60-70.
- Soltani, A., Shamekhi, T., Noori Naieni, M.S. and Arabmazar, A., 2011. Effects of forest resources on income distribution and poverty (Case study: watershed of Tang Tamoradi), Journal of Forest and Wood Products (Iranian journal of Natural Resources), 63(4): 369-385 (In Persian).
- Sultan, M., 2009. The role of non-timber forest products to rural livelihoods and forest conservation: A case study at Harana Bulluk District Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia. MSc Thesis. Wondo Genet: Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resource, Hawassa University, 146p.
- Taye, B. and Wirtu, O., 2004. Marketing study of NTFPs in South Western Ethiopia. Southwest Ethiopia: NTFP Research and Development.
- Veisi, H. and Rezvanfar, A., 2006. Developing appropriate strategies for the comanagement natural resources: Field force analysis of issues and problems of natural resources – A case study of Razavar subbasin in Kurdistan Province. Environmental Science, 4(13):11-22 (In Persian).

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics