Use of a Bayesian belief network to predict the impacts of commercializing non-timber forest products on livelihoods

Commercialization of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) has been widely promoted as a means of sustainably developing tropical forest resources, in a way that promotes forest conservation while supporting rural livelihoods. However, in practice, NTFP commercialization has often failed to deliver the expected benefits. Progress in analyzing the causes of such failure has been hindered by the lack of a suitable framework for the analysis of NTFP case studies, and by the lack of predictive theory. We address these needs by developing a probabilistic model based on a livelihood framework, enabling the impact of NTFP commercialization on livelihoods to be predicted. The framework considers five types of capital asset needed to support livelihoods: natural, human, social, physical, and financial. Commercialization of NTFPs is represented in the model as the conversion of one form of capital asset into another, which is influenced by a variety of socio-economic, environmental, and political factors. Impacts on livelihoods are determined by the availability of the five types of assets following commercialization. The model, implemented as a Bayesian Belief Network, was tested using data from participatory research into 19 NTFP case studies undertaken in Mexico and Bolivia. The model provides a novel tool for diagnosing the causes of success and failure in NTFP commercialization, and can be used to explore the potential impacts of policy options and other interventions on livelihoods. The potential value of this approach for the development of NTFP theory is discussed

Who runs this place? The external enabling environment for value chain development

Chapter 10 in book on Markets and Rural Poverty, dealing with the enabling environment in natural resource product value chain

Commercialisation of non-timber forest products: A reality check

This article challenges the pervasive view that commercialisation of non-timber forest products can (easily) achieve ecosystem and species conservation as well as improving livelihoods. Following a brief review of who and what is involved, it focuses on the main ecological and livelihood risks of unconsidered promotion of NTFP commercialisation, drawing on a wide range of case studies from around the world. It concludes with some recommendations, emphasising the lack of 'magic-bullet' products, and the importance - among other things - of not ignoring national policy, taking an integrated view of the value chain, considering the implications of different production options, and improving both quality and quantity.<br/

Institutional approaches for carbon financing in the forest sector: learning lessons for REDD+ from forest carbon projects in Uganda

With momentum building around the implementation of REDD+ programmes and projects, questions surrounding the appropriate structuring of institutions are becoming increasingly important. We examine how the variations in the institutional arrangements related to the carbon finance aspects of projects affect the opportunities for poor rural producers involved, or those living in the vicinity of projects. Evidence is drawn from a review of three forest carbon projects in Uganda, based on qualitative stakeholder interviews and supported by policy documents and literature. Three aspects of project institutions are discussed; actors, rules and links to existing external institutions. The findings suggest that supporting such projects with carbon finance can have some positive impacts on opportunities through improved monitoring, but that considerable progress needs to be made in balancing the interests of project financers with those of the communities involved and improving policy coordination with existing institutions external to projects. We suggest that these lessons are particularly transferable to the growing number of REDD+ approaches that are strongly performance based or funded through carbon markets, and implemented through direct payment systems between buyers and local producer groups or individuals.<br/

Fruit products for profit

Book targeted at extension workers primarily in developing countries to provide information on how to support farmers in integrating fruit trees in their livelihoods portfolio.Growing fruit as an enterprise requires only a very small plot of land, commonly a home garden, some labour and minimal capital. The fruit enterprise can provide a plethora of products: fresh fruit, jams, juices, chutneys and pickles. By-products can be used for fermented products such as fruit wines, fruit waste can be used for animal feed, while fruit seeds and nuts can be pressed for oil. Fruit provides a number of benefits, with important nutritional elements that contribute to improve diets, help support family food security and are an important source of income when sold fresh and/or processed. Fruit trees provide also numerous benefits to the natural environment and to the sustainability of other farm-based livelihood enterprises. Encouraging and promoting fruit trees as a viable enterprise to small-scale farmers can only but enhance livelihoods. It is hoped that policy-makers and development personnel recognize the numerous opportunities that producing and marketing fruit can bring to small-scale farmer

Fruit products for profit

"The focus of this booklet is on fruit trees for small-scale farmers grown in home gardens and small-sale orchards, rather than on species such as oil palm that are predominantly cultivated in industrial-scale plantations. The booklet is intended to raise awareness and provide information to people and organizations, public and private, who are working with local communities to promote sustainable livelihood diversification for small-scale farmers. The booklet outlines the potential benefits of a fruit enterprise deriving from increased incomes, but also considers improved diets and food security for the farm family. It outlines the base requirements for cultivating fruit trees, marketing fruit and also processing fruit as well as drawing attention to some of the challenges. Even though harvesting of wild fruit trees is not considered in this booklet, processing, packaging and marketing of fruit produce is similar for both cultivated and wild harvested frui

Ecosystem services for human wellbeing: trade-offs and governance

Following the publication of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in 2005, the Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) research programme was developed to address outstanding research and policy questions concerning how ecosystem services could contribute to sustainable poverty alleviation. Ecosystem functions and processes directly and indirectly underpin people's health and wellbeing, and are called ecosystem services. Considerations of the many linkages involved have highlighted the overall complexity across scales of both ecosystems and relevant governance systems, interdependencies and complex interactions between people and ecosystems and the significant governance challenges that are implicit in the Sustainable Development Goal framework. Referring back to the original ESPA framework, it is clear that while much work has focused on unpacking the central core of 'wellbeing', relatively little dealt with the surrounding 'ecosystems' circle. Provisioning services tend to dominate ecosystem decisions, commonly driven by markets that are not accessible to local communities

Examining equity: a multidimensional framework for assessing equity in payments for ecosystem services

Concern over social equity dominates current debates about payments for ecosystem services and reduced deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+). Yet, despite the apprehension that these initiatives may undermine equity, the term is generally left undefined. This paper presents a systematic framework for the analysis of equity that can be used to examine how local equity is affected as the global value of ecosystem services changes. Our framework identifies three dimensions that form the content (the what) of equity. The first, distributive equity, addresses the distribution of benefits and costs. The second, procedural equity, refers to decision-making. These are linked by the third dimension, contextual equity, which incorporates the pre-existing conditions that limit or facilitate people's access to decision-making procedures, resources and, thereby, benefits. The framework then asks how these dimensions are shaped by the scale and target group of concern (who), the framing of goals with respect to equity (why), and, crucially, how the decisions about the content, target and aims of equity are taken. By spurring debate around the fundamental ethical values at stake, this framework can guide analysts, policymakers and planners towards more open and inclusive processes for defining equity, along with affirmative efforts to engage marginalised people