Assessing livelihood dependency on forestry products during COVID-19 period
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61511/jbkl.v2i1.2024.960Keywords:
forest dependency, covid-19 impact, household income, forest products, zomba plateau forest reserveAbstract
Background: The importance of forest in improving human welfare is recognized worldwide. Both natural and artificial forests provide basic needs such as fuel wood, timber, industrial wood and non-timber products. They also provide employment, income and foreign exchange hence contributing to social and economic development. Equally important are the environmental benefits of forest. But as covid 19 came people lost their job, their movement was restricted as a result an increase dependency on forest products for survival increases in developing countries. Therefore, the main aim of the study was to unearth impacts of COVID-19 has on the forest products of people living around zomba plateau forest reserve. The general objective of the study is to assess livelihood dependency on forest product during COVID-19 period. Method: Specifically, the study will identify and assess which forest products were frequently accessed during COVID-19 and analyze the contribution of forest products on household income during the pandemic period. Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used to collect data. The target population for the study consisted of residents of Mtendere village. The sample size was 59. Data were collected using self- administered questionnaire and interviews. Qualitative and quantitative data was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) and excel package respectively. Result: The results of the study indicate that there was an increase dependency of forest products during COVID-19 period and such that the contribution the contribution of forest products to household income dwindles during this period. Conclusion: The study further recommends to build the resilience of forest- dependent communities to future shocks and crises. This can be achieved through the implementation of social safety nets, or savings and credit programs. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on community dependence on forest products and finds changes in forest resource use patterns during the pandemic. It provides new insights into the resilience of forest-dependent communities in the face of global crises. It offers practical recommendations for building community resilience through social safety nets and credit savings programs.
References
Africa CDC. (2020). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). African Union: African forests and the COVID-19 pandemic; Addis Ababa; African Union. https://africacdc.org/covid-19/
Attah, A. N. (2021). Initial assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on sustainable forest management: African States. United Nations Forum on Forests Secretariat. https://www.un.org/esa/forests/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Covid-19-SFM-impact-Africa.pdf
Babulo, B., Muys, B., Nega, F., Tollens, E., Nyssen, J., Deckers, J., & Mathijs, E. (2008). Household livelihood strategies and forest dependence in the highlands of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Agricultural systems, 98(2), 147-155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2008.06.001
Cavendish, W. (2000). Empirical regularities in the poverty-environment relationship of rural households: Evidence from Zimbabwe. World development, 28(11), 1979-2003. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(00)00066-8
Chilongo, T. (2014). Livelihood strategies and forest reliance in Malawi. Forests, Trees and Livelihoods, 23(3), 188-210. https://doi.org/10.1080/14728028.2014.922449
Coomes, O. T., Takasaki, Y., Abizaid, C., & Arroyo-Mora, J. P. (2016). Environmental and market determinants of economic orientation among rain forest communities: Evidence from a large-scale survey in western Amazonia. Ecological Economics, 129, 260-271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.06.001
Giri, K. (2021). Initial assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on sustainable forest management: Asia-Pacific States (A case study on Thailand and Nepal). United Nations Forum on Forests Secretariat. https://www.un.org/esa/forests/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Covid-19-SFM-impact-AsiaPacific.pdf
Jumbe, C. B. L., & Angelsen, A. (2006). Do the poor benefit from devolution policies? Evidence from Malawi’s forest co-management program. Land Economics, 82(4), 562-581. https://doi.org/10.3368/le.82.4.562
Jumbe, C. B., & Angelsen, A. (2007). Forest dependence and participation in CPR management: Empirical evidence from forest co-management in Malawi. Ecological Economics, 62(3-4), 661-672. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2006.08.008
Kamanga, P., Vedeld, P., & Sjaastad, E. (2009). Forest incomes and rural livelihoods in Chiradzulu District, Malawi. Ecological Economics, 68(3), 613-624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2008.08.018
Khundi, F., Jagger, P., Shively, G., & Sserunkuuma, D. (2011). Income, poverty and charcoal production in Uganda. Forest Policy and Economics, 13(3), 199-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2010.11.002
Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research methodology: Methods and techniques. New Age International.
Mamo, G., Sjaastad, E., & Vedeld, P. (2007). Economic dependence on forest resources: A case from Dendi District, Ethiopia. Forest policy and Economics, 9(8), 916-927. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2006.08.001
Montes, M. T., Herranz-Rubia, N., Ferrero, A., Flórez, A., Quiroga, A., Gómez, A., & Jiménez, T. (2020). Neonatal nursing in the COVID-19 pandemic: can we improve the future?. Journal of Neonatal Nursing, 26(5), 247-251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnn.2020.07.005
Oksanen, T., Pajari, B., & Tuomasjukka, T. (Eds.). (2003). Forests in poverty reduction strategies: Capturing the potential. European Forest Institute Proceedings No. 47.
UNDESA. (2020). Rural poverty report 2020: The challenge of ending rural poverty. Oxford University Press. https://library.fes.de/libalt/journals/swetsfulltext/12093127.pdf
Vines, A. (2020, December 10). China’s southern Africa debt deals reveal a wider plan. Chatham House. https://www.chathamhouse.org/2020/12/chinas-southern-africa-debt-deals-reveal-wider-plan
WHO. (2020). Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). WHO.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Festus Chiotha
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
