A roof of one's own: choice and access in global thatch sustainability

Abstract

This paper examines global patterns of human-plant relationships related to the provisioning of roof thatch for human housing, encouraging greater understanding of the basic material and social conditions needed to support human well-being. I identify 205 species used for roof thatch in 60 countries around the world, with an additional 27 taxa identified to genus level. Grass-like species are by far the most common roof thatch material globally, followed by palm-like species (particularly in South America). However, this review was hindered by a persistent lack of attention to specific plant identities and their biological and ecological characteristics. Roof thatch is both a subsistence and commercial product, and is often considered an ecosystem service of secondary importance. As such, thatch has played a hidden role in the global economy to this point, and its cultural importance has been obscured. Mischaracterizing all subsistence use of thatch as poverty, without careful attention to human preferences for particular plant characteristics, is an over-simplification that ignores the complexity and dignity of land-based livelihoods. National and international markets, wealth, land ownership, skilled knowledge (both material and spiritual), skilled labor (both human and nonhuman), and new technologies all influence peoples’ equitable and sustainable access to roof thatch. This review demonstrates that access to preferred roof thatch is a critical aspect of human well-being, inextricably linked to the identities and sovereignty of rural and Indigenous communities. Long-term, place-based transdisciplinary work that seeks to understand and foster human-thatch relationships in specific contexts holds great potential for promoting future roof thatch sustainability in equitable ways.