I would like to thank the contributors to the discussion last week. The discussion covered a lot of interesting issues. Most of you focused on the first two questions. Here is a summary of some of your contributions:
The impacts of forest policy and programs on risks and vulnerability
Forests provide productive benefits like wood, non-timber forest products, medicinal plants, environmental protection through air purification and habitats for animas, environmental and climate regulation through water purification and aspects like photosynthesis
Forests are places of entertainment and tourism
Forests provide protection against soil erosion.
Forests have capital value as growing stock
They prevent climate change and biodiversity loss
They prevent indoor diseases for women and children
Forest products alleviate hunger and economic benefits reduce poverty
The impacts of forests and forest policies are mediated by taxes, terms of forest concessions, relative market prices between agricultural and wood products and fossil and forest fuels , controlled transportation of forest goods, land and tree tenure insecurity, income inequality, tariff and non-tariff barriers to international trade, international environmental agreements, investment incentives, market infrastructure, agricultural sector strategies and macro-economic policies
The major sources of vulnerability for forest dependent people
Increased population pressure on forests
Forest degradation from agriculture, human settlement and infrastructural development
Tragedy of the commons leading to overexploitation
Used as a risk coping strategy or informal insurance such that they are sold or degraded in response to risks and vulnerability
Poverty and climate change
Policy considerations
Long term planning of policies while considering the needs of forest dependent people e.g. wellbeing, culture, their assets, displacement
Enforce tree protection laws
Incorporate more technology into forest management and raise awareness among forest dependent people
Raise awareness and engage citizens for forest protection e,g, village groups, modern cooking fuels for women.
Consider forest dependent people as experts in forest management, medicinal plants
Dear participants
I would like to thank the contributors to the discussion last week. The discussion covered a lot of interesting issues. Most of you focused on the first two questions. Here is a summary of some of your contributions:
The impacts of forest policy and programs on risks and vulnerability
The major sources of vulnerability for forest dependent people
Policy considerations