Tropical Dry Forest

Oil palm expansion without enclosure: smallholders and environmental narratives

Background

Oil palm expansion has been shown to cause deforestation and reduce land and resource availability for communities located near plantations. It has also been shown to have mixed impacts on local livelihoods. Some studies point to socially different impacts, with small and marginal farmers less likely to benefit from oil palm expansion while others find significant increases in incomes. This paper seeks to understand the factors that make smallholder farmers participate in oil palm expansion, and outline the varied narratives that are used by the proponents of oil palm expansion.

Available with subscription or purchase

Inverting the moral economy: the case of land acquisitions for forest plantations in Tanzania

Background

Available with subscription or purchase

Jatropha plantations for biodiesel in Tamil Nadu, India: Viability, livelihood trade-offs, and latent conflict

Background

Available with subscription or purchase

Carbon colonialism and the new land grab: Plantation forestry in Uganda and its livelihood impact

Background

There has been a global increase in private sector investments towards activities plantations for clean fuel or climate change mitigation that are justified on the basis of their environmentally beneficial outcomes. This paper examines the discourses and mechanisms that enable the greater privatization of land and other resources using green development as a justification.

Available with subscription or purchase

Forest plantations and climate change discourses: New powers of ‘green’ grabbing in Cambodia

Background

Forestry-based emissions reduction programs are increasingly being presented as a solution to climate change. Technical experts argue that keeping existing forests standing and creating new forests can help remove carbon emissions. However, several researchers point to a gap between the stated objectives of these programs and their biophysical and unintended socioeconomic outcomes. For example, some negative socioeconomic outcomes may include the displacement of local communities or the loss of customary common land. This paper studies the socioeconomic impacts of Cambodia’s first large scale reforestation project for climate change mitigation.

Available with subscription or purchase

Devolution of forest rights and sustainable forest management (Volume 1): A review of policies and programs in 16 developing countries

Background

A significant amount of global forest area is publicly owned and managed, but in recent years several governments have implemented or proposed policies to devolve rights to forest-based communities. This paper examines the policies and practices that are related to the devolution of forest management in 16 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Open access copy available

Tenure rights and access to forests: A training manual for research, Part I. A guide to key issues

Background

This training manual outlines major contemporary issues surrounding forest tenure rights, and provides guidance on how to incorporate information about tenure into research. While there is a significant amount of research on tenure rights, the author assets that, it is important to revisit this work since tenure rights to forests are changing. There are mutliple processes underway, leading to seemingly more rights for people who live in forests as well as a greater privatization of forests. Understanding tenure rights is also critical given increased land-grabbing for purposes ranging from climate change mitigation to conservation.

Open access copy available

The contributions of Indigenous Peoples and local communities to ecological restoration

Background

Indigenous Peoples and local communities often rely on their local environment to meet their basic needs, and so are affected by global environmental change. They also contribute to ecological restoration through supporting species selection and providing information on the historical state of the ecosystem. However, the authors point out that involving IPLCs does not always lead to improve restoration outcomes. They outline strategies to integrate indigenous and local knowledge into programs to improve restoration outcomes.

Open access copy available

Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration Enhances Rural Livelihoods in Dryland West Africa

BACKGROUND

Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration, (FMNR), has been adopted in the drylands of West Africa, i.e., the northernmost region of Ghana. This is an approach which encourages the regeneration of woody plant cover in farming and mixed land use areas for arable land restoration and reforestation. Farmers in this region practice smallholder pastoralism and seasonal rain fed crop farming for subsistence and market purposes. FMNR has been adopted as a solution to low agricultural productivity. Previous studies only focused on the economic contribution of FMNR.

Open access copy available

The ecology and management of the Miombo woodlands for sustainable livelihoods in southern Africa: the case for non-timber forest products

BACKGROUND

Open access copy available
Subscribe to Tropical Dry Forest