The Livelihood of the Forest Dependent Populations: A Case Study of the Women FuelWood Carriers in Woreda 1 of the Gulele Sub City in Northern Addis Ababa.
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Date
2011-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The present study is aimed at assessing the living conditions and the socioeconomic situation oj
Women Fuelwood Carriers and their interaction with the Jorest resources, and the effect on the
Jorest as well, due to filelwood harvesting, as a result oj the great demand Jor energy supply. The
cumulative effect oj the illegal activity carried out by the WFCs on the reserved Jorest, as the
major or sole means oj their livelihood, has filrther repercussions. It contributes to increase
depletion oj the plantations, destroys the sustainable supply oj filelwood and ultimately puts at
stake, not only the very survival oj WFCs themselves, but also the household energy needs oj
end-users at large. Without education or training, or other way oj supporting themselves and
their Jamilies, these women subsist on filelwood carrying and trading, as their primary source oj
income, at a considerable cost both to their own health and personal saJety, and to the sound
management oj the Jorest resources. The general objective oJ the research is to assess the
livelihood conditions oj the women filelwood carriers in northern Addis Ababa as well as their
activities within the Jorest, in order to determine ways and means to make it sustainable and
environmentally Jriendly. To do so, the researcher had to employ both quantitative and
qualitative research methods to gather the necessary data Jor conducting the study. These
included descriptive surveys using structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and
FGDs with inJormants by employing interview guidelines and/or checklists, observations and
documentary analyses to generate pertinent primary and secondary data Fom primary and
secondary sources, with a view to ensuring the quality oj data. To this end, a total oJ92 sample
respondents were selected out oJ2000 target population, using systematic sampling techniques.
This study Jound out that the socio-demographic and economic characteristics oj the surveyed
population depict exactly the state oj poverty these WFCs are living in. They are essentially
young adults and married migrants Jrom different parts oj the country and they are illiterate;
having no significant assets to make a positive impact in their lives, although some oj them claim
to have assets oj some sort back home. Their perception about the Jorests and its importance is,
thereJore, limited. Living in groups in tiny housing units and filthy environment, without any
meaningfiti alternative income-generating activities, these Orthodox people, by religion, take all
risks to gain a loft oj bread out oj the Jorests. The existing Jorests protection enJorcement
mechanisms and policies are inefficient to keep then at bay and inadequate to ensure good Jorest
conservation practices in the study area. This is very often due to inadequate number oj
personnel to patrol the Jorest, lack oj smooth communication, lack oj clear guidelines and oj coordination
among the Government local authorities responsible Jor making it happen.
Consequently, awareness creation is needed at all levels on the importance oj a sound Jorest
conservation system; and provision should be made oj an adequate number oJJorest security
guards in the study area with encouraging incentives in order to guaranty an effective Jorest
protection. Local authorities and relevant stakeholders should commit themselves not only to
provide WFCs with access to schools to acquire new life skills and alternative generating
income, but also with decent housing units to allow them fit in the society in dignifYing manner.
Given the Jact that effective management oJJorests is oj paramount importance, there is a need
Jor all parties concerned to pursue collective participatolY Jorest management initiatives in such
a way as to saJeguard the interest oj all, the environment and, particularly oj the poor, who are
the most reliant on the continued access to resources Jor filelwood supplies.
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Keywords
Forest Dependent Populations