Opportunities for Enhancing Poor Women's Socioeconomic Empowerment in the Value Chains of Three African Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs)

International Forestry Review 13(2):136-151. 2011 
https://doi.org/10.1505/146554811797406642

Opportunités et contraintes pour renforcer la prise de puissance économique des femmes dans les chaînes de valeur de trois produits forestiers autres que le bois de forêt africaine sèche
Oportunidades y restricciones para la mejora del empoderamiento económico de la mujer en las cadenas de valor de tres productos forestales no maderables (NTFPs) del bosque seco africano

Author

S. Shackleton

, 

F. Paumgarten

, 

H. Kassa

, 

M. Husselman

 and 

M. Zida

[-] Author & Article Info

Author Affiliations

S. Shackleton

Department of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa and Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia Email: s.shackleton@ru.ac.za and fi.paumgarten@gmail.com

F. Paumgarten

Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), P.O. Box 0113 BOCBD, Bogor 16000, Indonesia The School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3 Wits 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa Email: s.shackleton@ru.ac.za and fi.paumgarten@gmail.com

H. Kassa

Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), P.O. Box 0113 BOCBD, Bogor 16000, Indonesia Email: s.shackleton@ru.ac.za and fi.paumgarten@gmail.com

M. Husselman

Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), P.O. Box 0113 BOCBD, Bogor 16000, Indonesia Email: s.shackleton@ru.ac.za and fi.paumgarten@gmail.com

M. Zida

Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), P.O. Box 0113 BOCBD, Bogor 16000, Indonesia Email: s.shackleton@ru.ac.za and fi.paumgarten@gmail.com

SUMMARY

The value chains of three internationally important dry forest NTFPs, namely gum arabic, gum olibanum (frankincense) and honey from Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Zambia respectively, were assessed in terms of the roles played by women and the benefits they obtain from their involvement. Women perform a variety of functions at different stages in the value chains, but their roles tend to be poorly visible and inadequately acknowledged, largely because they are either operating in the informal sector, are part-time employees, or carry out their activities at home between family responsibilities. Where women's roles are more prominent, this is primarily due to gender orientated interventions by external agencies. Several constraints to fostering women's empowerment were identified, with some easier to overcome than others. Particularly difficult to address are gender based, social-cultural barriers. Suggestions for enhancing women's benefits include: greater recognition of informal markets, the opportunities and constraints associated with them, and their position relative to export markets; improved support for collective action where this can provide women with greater voice, negotiating power, and help with economies of scale; more targeted training that addresses areas identified by women as useful and important to them; time-saving technologies and support systems such as child care; and creating greater gender awareness amongst stakeholders.

Les chaînes de valeurs de trois NTFPs de forêt sèche internationellement importants, la gomme arabique, la gomme olibarum (encens) et le miel, en provenance respective du Burkina Faso, d'Ethiopie et de Zambie, ont été évaluées en termes des rôles joués par les femmes et des bénéfices qu'elles dérivent de leur participation. Les femmes occupent une variété de fonctions dans toutes les chaînes de valeur, mais leur rôle a tendance à n' être ni visible, ni reconnu, principalement du fait qu'elles s'activent dans le secteur informel, qu'elles sont employés à temps partiel ou qu'elles poursuivent leurs activités chez elles, d'épaule avec leurs responsabilités familiales. Une prééminence plus grande de leur rôle n'est principalement que le résultat d'une intervention d'agents extérieurs favorables à la prise de plus de pouvoir par les femmes. Plusieurs freins à l'encouragement du développement de la prise de pouvoir des femmes ont été identifés, certains étant plus aisés à surmonter que d'autres. L'opposition particulièrement tenace est les barrières socio-culturelles basées sur le sexe. Des suggestions pour accroître les bénéfices des femmes comprennent une reconnaissance plus grande des marchés informels, la construction d'une initiative collective, une formation ciblée et efficace, des technologies permettant d'économiser du temps et des systèmes de soutien, ainsi que la création d'une prise de conscience du rôle des sexes chez les parties prenantes.

Se evaluaron las cadenas de valor de tres NTFPs (siglas en inglés) de bosque seco con importancia international: la goma arábiga, el olíbano (franquincienso) y la miel de Burkina Faso, Etiopía y Zambia respectivamente, en términos del rol que ocupa la mujer y los beneficios que esta obtiene de su participación. La mujer realiza una variedad de funciones en todas las cadenas de valor, pero la apreciación y reconocimiento tienden a ser escasas, principalmente porque operan en el sector de manera informal, están empleadas a tiempo partial, o realizan su labor en casa junto con otras responsabilidades familiares. En los casos en que el rol de la mujer es más prominente, la causa principal ha sido la intervention con enfoque de género por parte de agencias externas. Se identificaron varios factores limitantes al fomente del empoderamiento de la mujer, siendo algunos más fáciles de superar que otros. Las barreras socio-culturales basadas en el género son particularmente difíciles de abordar. Algunas sugerencias para mejorar los beneficios para la mujer incluyen un mayor reconocimiento de los mercados informales, el desarrollo de iniciativas colectivas, la capacitación selectiva y relevante, tecnologías que ahorren tiempo y sistemas de apoyo, y la concienciación de género entre las partes interesadas.

REFERENCES

Adedayo, A.G., Oyun, M.B. and Kadeba, O. 2010. Access of rural women to forest resources and its impact on rural household welfare in North Central Nigeria. Forest Policy and Economics 12: 439–450. Crossref

Brown, K. and Lapuyade, S. 2001. A livelihood from the forest: gendered visions of social, economic and environmental change in Southern Cameroon. Journal of International Development 13(8): 1131–1149.Crossref

Carr, M. 2008. Gender and non-timber forest products: Promoting food security and economic empowerment.International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Italy.

Chabala, C. 2004. Forest management in Zambia: A focus on women's access to forest resources management in Chief Chiwala's area, Masaiti District. Masters thesis, Southern African Regional Centre for Women's Law, University of Zimbabwe, Harare.

DFID. 2000. Poverty alleviation and the empowerment of women. DFID, London.

Elias, M and Carney, J. 2007. African Shea butter: A feminised subsidy from nature. Africa 77(1): 37–62.Crossref

Elmhirst, R and Resurreccion, B.P. 2008. Gender, environment and natural resource management: New dimensions, new debates. In: Resurreccion, B.P. and Elmhirst, R. (eds.) Gender and natural resource management: Livelihoods, mobility and interventions. Earthscan, London, Sterling, VA.

Esplen, E. and Brody, A. 2007. Putting Gender Back in the Picture: Rethinking Women's Economic Empowerment. BRIDGE (development — gender), University of Sussex, Brighton.

FAO. Undated a. Assessing the value of non-timber forest products to local people. FAO corporate document repository. Available at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/t9450e/t9450e09.htm.

FAO. Undated b. Men and women in forest activities: Differences and complementarities. FAO corporate document repository. Available at: http://www.fao.org/docrep/w6206e/w6206e02.htm.

Gausset, Q., Yago-Ouattara, E.L. and Belem, B. 2005. Gender and trees in Péni, South-Western Burkina Faso. Women's needs, strategies and challenges. Danish Journal of Geography 105(1): 67–76. Crossref

Hasalkar, S. and Jadhav, V. 2004. Role of women in the use of non-timber forest produce: A review. Journal of Social Science 8(3): 203–206.

Hecht, S.B. 2007. Factories, Forests, Fields and Family: Gender and Neoliberalism in Extractive Reserves.Journal of Agrarian Change 7(3): 316–347. Crossref

ILO. 2006. A guide for value chain analysis and upgrading. International Labour Organisation (ILO), Geneva.

Jones, N., Holmes, R. and Espey, J. 2008. Gender and the MDGs. Briefing paper 42, September 2008. Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London.

Kalu, C. and Rachael, E. 2006. Women in Processing and Marketing of Non-timber Forest Products: Case Study of Benin City, Nigeria. Journal of Agronomy 5(2): 326–331. Crossref

Kaplinsky, R., and Morris, M. 2000. A handbook for value chain research: IDRC, Ottowa.

Kassa, H., B. Tefera and G. Fitwi. 2011. Preliminary value chain analysis of gums and resins marketing in Ethiopia: Issues for policy and research. Policy Brief. CIFOR. Bogor. Indonesia.

Lemenih, M., Abebe, T. and Olsson, M. 2003. Gumresins from some Acacia, Boswellia and Commiphora species and their economic contributions in Liban zone, Ethiopia. Journal of Arid Environment 55: 465–482. Crossref

Lemenih, M. and Kassa, H. 2010b. Socio-economic and environmental significance of dry land resources of Ethiopia and their development challenges. Journal of Agriculture and Development: 71–91.

Lemenih, M. and Kassa, H. 2010a. Opportunities and challenges for the production and marketing of gums and resins in Ethiopia., Working Paper, CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia. 88 p.

Mickels-Kokwe, G. 2006. Small-scale woodland-based enterprises with outstanding economic potential: the case of honey in Zambia. CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia, 82 p.

Mulenga, A.M. and Chizhuka, F. 2003. Industry profile of honey in Zambia. Lusaka (mimeograph).

Neumann, R.P. and Hirsch, E. 2000. Commercialisation of Non-Timber Forest Products: Review and Analysis of Research. Center for International Forestry and Research, Bogor, Indonesia.

Schreckenberg, K. and Marshall, E. 2006. Women and NTFPs: Improving income and status? In: Marshall, E., Schreckenberg, K. and Newton, A.C. (eds.) Commercialization of non-timber forest products: Factors influencing success. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge. 136 p. Available at: http://quin.unep-wcmc.org/forest/ntfp/gender.cfm?displang=eng.

SEWA. 2000. The gum collectors: Struggling to survive in the dry areas of Banaskantha. SEWA, Ahmedabad, India.

Shackleton, C.M. and Shackleton, 2004. The importance of non-timber forest products in rural livelihood security and as safety nets: A review of evidence from South Africa. South African Journal of Science: 658–664.

Shackleton, S.E. and Shackleton, C.M. 2005. The contribution of marula (Sclerocarya birrea) fruit and fruit products to rural livelihoods in the Bushbuckridge district, South Africa: Balancing domestic needs and commercialisation. Forests, Trees and Livelihoods 15(1): 3–24. Crossref

Shackleton, S.E. and Shackleton, C.M. 2010. Exploring the role of wild natural resources in poverty alleviation with an emphasis on South Africa. In: Hebinck, P. and Shackleton, C.M. (eds). Reforming land and resource use in South Africa: impact on livelihoods. Routledge.

Shackleton, S.E., Shanley, P. and Ndoye, O. 2007. Viable but invisible: Recognising local markets for non-timber forest products. International Forestry Review 9(3): 697–712. Link

Shackleton, S.E., Campbell, B., Lotz-Sisitka, H. and Shackleton, C.M. 2008. Links between the local trade in natural products, livelihoods and poverty alleviation in a semi-arid region of South Africa. World Development 36(3): 505–526. Crossref

Shillington, L.J. 2002. Non-timber Forest Products, Gender, and Households in Nicaragua: A Commodity Chain Analysis. M.Sc. thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia. 103 p.

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC). 2009. Available at: http://quin.unep-wcmc.org/forest/ntfp/gender.cfm?displan.

Williams. P.J. Undated. NGOS, women and forestry activities in Africa. Unaslyva, 171. FAO, Rome. Available from: http://www.fao.org/docrep/u7760e/u7760e08.htm.

World Bank. 2007–10. World Bank's gender and equity plan. World Bank, Washington DC.

Wynberg, R., Laird, S., Shackleton, S., Mander, M., Shackleton, C., Du Plessis, P., Den Adel, S., Leakey, R.R.B., Botelle, A., Lombard, C., Sullivan, C., Cunningham, T. and O'Regan, D. 2003. Marula commercialisation for sustainable and equitable livelihoods. Forests, Trees and Livelihoods 13(3): 203–215. Crossref

NTFPs are biological products harvested from natural forests and human modified landscapes that are used for household consumption or trade in either a raw or processed form (Shackleton et al. 2011).

Gum pickers receive about 0.33 to 0.44 USD/kg from middle men (who can earn up to.0.67 to 0.89 USD/kg from exporters). The amount of gum that one person can pick generally varies from less than 1 kg/day to 2 kg/day depending on the productivity of the gum trees, the distance to the gum stands, and the level of involvement in the activity (picking as set task or on an ad hoc basis). There are about 90 picking days per year as a maximum.

This is being implemented in the Amhara and Tigrai regions, but raw products from southern Ethiopia and from Benishangul Gumuz State are still transported to major cities for cleaning and grading.

Cited by

L. Westholm. (2016) Fruits from the Forest and the Fields: Forest Conservation Policies and Intersecting Social Inequalities in Burkina Faso's REDD+ Program. International Forestry Review 18:4, 511-521.
Online publication date: 4-Jan-2017.

Abstract & References : Full Text : PDF (103 KB) : Rights & Permissions 

O. Sylvester , A. García Segura and I. Davidson-Hunt . (2016) Complex Relationships Among Gender and Forest Food Harvesting: Insights from the Bribri Indigenous Territory, Costa Rica. International Forestry Review 18:2, 247-260.
Online publication date: 20-Jun-2016.

Abstract & References : Full Text : PDF (402 KB) : Rights & Permissions 

C.J.P. Colfer, M. Elias and R. Jamnadass. (2015) Women and Men in Tropical Dry Forests: A Preliminary Review. International Forestry Review 17:S2, 70-90.
Online publication date: 11-Sep-2015.

Abstract & References : Full Text : PDF (266 KB) : Rights & Permissions 

A.M. Larson, T. Dokken, A.E. Duchelle, S. Atmadja, I.A.P. Resosudarmo, P. Cronkleton, M. Cromberg, W. Sunderlin, A. Awono and G. Selaya. (2015) The Role of Women in Early REDD+ Implementation: Lessons for Future Engagement. International Forestry Review 17:1, 43-65.
Online publication date: 7-Apr-2015.

Abstract & References : Full Text : PDF (1016 KB) : Rights & Permissions 

LJ. Keča, N. Keča and M. Rekola. (2013) Value Chains of Serbian Non-Wood Forest Products. International Forestry Review 15:3, 315-335.
Online publication date: 25-Sep-2013.

Abstract & References : Full Text : PDF (310 KB) : Rights & Permissions 

For further detail slog on website :
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1505/146554811797406642