Contribution of timber and honey on livelihood of communities adjacent to Village Land Forest Reserves in Songea and Liwale Districts, Tanzania
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Date
2024-05
Authors
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
Village Land Forest Reserves are recognized as important base for
rural community development. Forest products obtained from these
forests are essential for improving livelihoods of communities
residing close to these forests. This study assessed timber and
honey products from two village land forest reserves located in
Liwale and Songea Districts to understand at what extent does these
products contribute to the improvement of livelihood assets of
people living adjacent to these forests and how these products
contribute towards improvement of the condition of these forests.
The study was guided by the assumption that harvesting of these
products from these forests is guided by the presence of robust
management plan which indicate the allowable quantity of wood to
be harvested, where to be harvested, who should be involved and
how the revenue accrued from selling of these products should be
ploughed back to reinforce the management of these forests. With
regards to honey production it is assumed that local communities
have been trained to properly use the forests for beekeeping
activities and have been supplied with important facilities to enable
them properly harvest and process their honey to meet the market
standards of this product. It was important to assess the contribution
of forest products on livelihood assets in order to understand the
interaction between the livelihood assets to bring the livelihood
improvement.
Data were collected using household structured questionnaires and
focused group discussion. A total of 71 timber dealers’ households
(38 in Songea and 33 in Liwale District) and 37 honey dealers’
households (23 in Songea and 14 in Liwale District) were
interviewed in this study. Inferential statistical using the binary
logistic model and descriptive statistics such as frequency and
percentage and also inferential statistics were used to report the
results of this study.
Results show that there is gain in livelihood assets which have
contributed to the livelihood improvement. It was revealed that, physical capital indicators including better education, better health
care and food security had significant influence on livelihood of
timber and honey dealer as the p-value (p<0.05). Also, savings as
an indicator of financial capital had significant influence on the
livelihood of honey and timber dealers similarly, training as an
indicator in human capital had significant contribution on livelihood of
honey and timber dealers, membership status had significant
influence on livelihood contribution p<0.05. Factors that contributed
to this trend include poor transportation facilities in the forest, lack of
market and insufficient modern harvesting and processing tools.
Therefore, VLFRs through timber and honey products, have
contributed to livelihood improvement of the communities adjacent to
forests but more support to the communities adjacent the Village
Land Forest Reserves on timber and honey production should be
provided so as to build their strong foundation for their livelihood
improvement. Policymakers and stakeholders can use these findings
to develop interventions for sustainable livelihoods and community
development.
Description
MSc Dissertation
Keywords
Livelihoods, timber, honey, adjacent communities, Village Land Forest Reserves, Tanzania