Importance of Forest and Non-forest Environmental Resources to Sustainable Rural Livelihoods: Insights from a Case Study in Nepal

Abstract

Poor people living in developing countries are reliant on forest resources for their livelihoods, which is influenced by the extent of the use in supporting the socio-ecological system. Though the forest is recognized as one of the important resources, particularly for the rural poor, how and to what extent forest resources are utilized and translated to generate cash and subsistence incomes to sustain and/or improve forest-based livelihoods has not yet been well explored. Forest-derived income can particularly be important for the poor in meeting their subsistence needs, bridging the seasonal gaps, providing a more diversified livelihood base, and reducing and spreading agricultural risks over space and time. Moreover, community institutions played a prominent role in sustaining the livelihoods. Building on forest-based livelihood perspectives and socio-ecological resiliency, this chapter analyses the importance of forest and environmental resources to the income of rural livelihoods. An analysis is based on the data collected from 276 randomly selected households, using a structured forest income survey questionnaire. Forest-based livelihood is linked with forest dependence, meaning that the households who derive a greater share of their income from forests and related activities are relatively more dependent on forests than others. Results show that fodder/grasses, firewood, timber, soil and stones, forestry wages and other non-timber forest products constitute the main sources of forest and environmental income. Most of them support current consumption and constitute an average of approximately 22% of total household income, ranging from 16 to 37% to the lower- to higher-income quartile households. Forest and environmental incomes decrease with increasing household income and serve as an important source for daily livelihood activities. The study concludes that forests and environmental income remain one of the dominant sources of income among the poor and marginalized households who do not have alternative source of income and, therefore, their customary rights need to be protected along with developing appropriate institutional mechanism for ensuring their equitable access to forest resources for ensuring their socio-ecological resiliency.KeywordsForest and environmental resourcesForest dependenceIncomeHouseholdPoorNepal