Assessing the Impacts of Afforestation/Reforestation on the Livelihoods of Local People: The Case of Humbo Woreda, Wolaita zone
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Date
2014-12
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The emergence of markets for ecosystem services and the implementation of A/R CDM
projects across the developing world in recent time have changed the nature of dependence
of rural people on forest resources. It is, therefore, timely to investigate the livelihood
impacts of carbon forestry activities that are implemented on communal forest land. The
main objective of this study was to disclose the impacts of Humbo A/R CDM project on the
livelihoods of local people. The study employed mixed methods research. Three out of seven
Forest Development and Protection Cooperatives (FDPCs) were purposively selected. 132
households were selected from three FDPCs for household survey using systematic random
sampling technique. In addition, four key informant interviews and three focus group
discussions were conducted to investigate community level impacts of the project. Findings
indicate that the project caused a significant reduction in the households’ dependence on the
forest land for fuel-wood, fodder and grazing area which in turn forced 24.2% of the
households to purchase fuel-wood, 39.4 % to purchase fodder and 62.9 % to reduce their
livestock possessions. Although 68.9 % of the respondents reported to have benefited from
the created job opportunities, and 37.1 % received skill trainings in income generating
activities, only 22% of the respondents attributed the improvement of their households’
income to benefits associated with the project. The protection of the forest land came up with
negative livelihood outcomes particularly for households which previously highly depended
on the forestland and for those living in close proximity of the protected forest due to its
discouraging effect on crop and livestock production. At community level, the project
achieved positive outcomes such as formation of FDPCs and strengthening their institutional
capacity, building physical assets though some were not in line with priority needs of the
communities, improved microclimatic conditions and increased savings of FDPCs. Whereas,
weakening of informal institutions for joint ownership of livestock (Kottaa), share breeding
of livestock (Ulo Kotta) and exchange of draught oxen (Booraa Gatuwaa) were worth
mentioning negative outcomes. Finally, with regard to the attitude of the respondents
towards the protected forest, among several variables, only educational status, size of
farmland and the distance of the households from the forestland were found to statistically
significantly predict the attitude of the respondents towards the forest. As sustainability of the
forest depends on the positive valuation of the forest by surrounding inhabitants, fencing the
forest area to reduce human-wildlife conflict; developing frameworks for access to
microcredit services in each FDPCs and letting the community decide over the utilization of
carbon revenue are, therefore, recommended measures to achieve positive livelihood impact
at household level and thereby to ensure the sustainability of the forest management
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Keywords
Afforestation/reforestation;Clean Development Mechanism; coping strategies; Ethiopia; Humb; livelihood; local people; protected forest