From Within and Without: Gender, Agency and Sustainable Management of Non-Timber Forest Products in Two Indian States

Author:

Jalonen RiinaORCID,Ziegert Rafaella Ferraz,Lamers Hugo A. H.,Hegde Narasimha

Abstract

AbstractNon-timber forest products (NTFP) from trees are often collected using unsustainable practices, which contributes to the species’ decline and affects the livelihoods and wellbeing of the most forest-dependent groups, such as women, ethnic minorities and the landless. Here we assess opportunities to improve the sustainability of NTFP collection practices across two landscapes in India, using an agency perspective where male and female NTFP collectors themselves identified and evaluated practices and potential interventions for species of their choice. We developed a framework for identifying community-based solutions for NTFP management and carried out participatory exercises in gender-segregated groups in ten rural communities across two states. Unsustainable collection practices such as cutting branches to collect fruits were somewhat more common among women than men, and more common in the more degraded landscape with weaker forest management institutions. Participants described ecological and economic impacts of collection practices in detail, including impacts on future yields, regeneration and product prices. Proposed solutions to improve NTFP management in the less degraded landscape were focused on incentivising sustainable use and working through village institutions, external actors, or both in collaboration. In the more degraded landscape, participants emphasised sanctions and did not frequently propose the existing village institutions to take action. Women proposed collaboration with external actors less often than men. The results indicate that agency perspectives are useful in stimulating discussion about locally relevant NTFP management options, but that social and gender norms and poor relationships with forestry authorities constrain the agency of vulnerable groups in identifying opportunities for change.

Funder

USAID India Programme

CGIAR Fund Donors

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Subject

Forestry

Reference76 articles.

1. Agarwal B (2010) Does women’s proportional strength affect their participation? Governing local forests in South Asia. World Dev 38(1):98–112

2. Agarwal B, Anthwal P, Mahesh M (2021) How many and which women own land in India? Inter-gender and intra-gender gaps. J Dev Stud 57(11):1807–1829

3. Agarwal B (2017) The hidden side of group behaviour: A gender analysis of community forestry in South Asia. In: Colfer CJ, Elias M, Sijapati Bassnet B, Stevens Hummel S (eds) Gender and Forests. Routledge, New York, pp 123–151

4. ASA (2011) Ethical Guidelines for good research practice. Association of the Social Anthropologists of the UK and the Commonwealth. Retrieved from: https://www.theasa.org/downloads/ASA%20ethics%20guidelines%202011.pdf

5. Baldauf C, Maes Dos Santos AE (2013) Ethnobotany, traditional knowledge, and diachronic changes in non–timber forest products management: A case study of Himatanthus drasticus (Apocynaceae) in the Brazilian savanna. Econ Bot 67(2):110–120

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3