F.D. Babalola

Sustainable land management practices in the Sahel: review of practices, techniques and technologies for land restoration and strategy for up-scaling

Coordonnateur National, Programme Grande Muraille VerteNiger B.P. 578 Niamey – Niger Forest Science Postgraduate Programme, University of Pretoria, 515 Plant Sciences Complex, Pretoria, South Africa African Forest Forum (AFF), C/o World Agroforestry Center (ICRAF), United Nations Avenue P.O. Box 30677 00100, Nairobi, Kenya Department of Forest Resources Management, University of Ilorin, Nigeria

Socio-economic factors influencing household dependence on forests and its implication for forest-based climate change interventions§

In most African countries, forest-based climate change intervention initiatives such as nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) and national adaptation programmes of action (NAPAs) are widely accepted. This is mainly due to the fact that they are relevant in addressing multiple challenges associated with rural development, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and sustainable forest management. However, there are concerns about the implications of strategic and practical steps taken in this context on forest-dependent communities. Thus, there is need to reconcile local socio-economic vulnerabilities and forest-based climate change intervention initiatives. In the current study, socio-economic factors influencing households’ dependence on forest resources and associated implications on climate change interventions were investigated. Proportionate stratified random sampling was used to select 366 households from forest-based rural communities in Vhembe District of South Africa. A structured questionnaire was administered to household heads in 21 villages. The Pearson’s chi-square test was used to analyse the factors that influence household dependence on forest. The effects of household socio-economic characteristics on households’ forest dependence influencing factor were determined using the binary logit model. Up to 97% of the respondents depended on the forest resources predominantly because of low costs associated with using them. It was observed that socio-economic characteristics of households such as farm husbandry skills, years of residence (53–65) in the community and age of respondents (≤38–65) significantly (P < 0.05) influenced use of the forest resources. Thus, effectiveness and sustainability of forest-based climate change intervention initiatives can be promoted if the socio-economic conditions prevailing within households in areas next to forests are improved.

Does participatory forest management program lead to efficient forest resource use and improved rural livelihoods? Experiences from Mua-Livulezi Forest Reserve, Malawi

This study evaluates the efficacy of Improved Forest Management for Sustainable Livelihoods Program in communities adjacent to Mua-Livulezi Forest Reserve, Malawi. The program is specifically aimed at alleviating poverty and enhance rural livelihoods through promoting greater community involvement in forest management while providing access and associated benefits. The study therefore evaluated the effect of the program on community organisation, forest access, forest use, product availability and commercialisation of forest products. The results show that despite the program putting in place strategies for the people to access different products for different uses; forest use is restricted mainly to subsistence use rather than cash income. The main forest product collected by the people for livelihood was firewood, mainly for cooking and heating. This is an indication that forests are an important natural capital for subsistence rather than cash income. Gender, location of the village, and distance to the nearest forest area were significant predictors of households’ forest use. Introduction of the co-management program has not brought out the expected outcomes in areas of community organization, forest access, forest product availability and commercialisation of forest products. A multi-institutional approach is recommended to draw upon diverse talents and experiences from individual institutions both government and non-governmental in order to achieve meaningful social change.

Assessing local-level forest use and management capacity as a climate-change adaptation strategy in Vhembe district of South Africa

Community-based forest management is a key climate change adaptation initiative in South Africa. It is aimed at enhancing the sustainability of rural household livelihoods and livelihood resilience against climate variability and change. However, lack of capacity at local household level could negate the intended benefits of community-based participatory forest management initiatives. This paper examines the local-level forest use and management capacity of rural households in Vhembe district of South Africa with respect to their adaptation strategy to climate change using the concept of livelihood resilience. A stratified proportionate random sampling technique was used to select 366 households from the study area, which were then sampled through a household questionnaire survey. The results showed that households’ capacity to participate in, and community leadership ability to mobilize people for participatory forest management was low. Nevertheless, the results revealed a widespread aspiration in the study communities to take part in forest management and development initiatives. This calls for the need for significant technical support for households and community leaders towards promoting participatory forest management as a way of ensuring efficiency and effectiveness of forest-based adaptation interventions.

Assessing vulnerability of rural communities to climate change: A review of implications for forest-based livelihoods in South Africa

The National Research Foundation of South Africa through the innovation doctoral scholarship programme, Grant UID: 82942.

Are Communities Benefiting from Land Reform Models? Investigating Forest-Based Public-Private Partnerships in Selected Beneficiary Communities in South Africa

SUMMARY Land reform in South Africa, like in other developing countries with a history of land grab and peoples displacement, is an issue of serious contestation. The study therefore assessed the accrual of benefits to claimant communities from the two forest-based public-private partnership (PPP) land reform models (Sales and Leaseback, and Community Managed Enterprise). A random sampling technique was used to select 140 and 175 households in Amabomvini and Cata communities in Kwazulu Natal and Eastern Cape Provinces, respectively. Ordinal logistic regression, descriptive analysis, including frequencies and Chi-square were computed to process the data using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software (Version 20). From the results, the socioeconomic status of Cata household beneficiaries improved compared to that of Amabomvini after the implementation of forest-based PPP land reform models. Both communities were concerned about non-implementation of post-settlement support by the government upon settlement of their land claims. Tailor-made leadership and business management training should be designed for the CPA committee members and trustees in order to achieve mutual distribution of benefits to all beneficiaries

Perception-based analysis of climate change effect on forest-based livelihood: The case of Vhembe District in South Africa

Forests are vulnerable to climate change and are also major sources of livelihood for many rural households in Africa. This study examines rural people’s perceptions of climate change impacts on forest-based livelihoods using rural communities of Vhembe District in South Africa as a case study. The study was based on the principles of perceived impact-based assessment, and sustainable livelihoods framework. Using the stratified proportionate random sampling procedure in combination with weighted Enumeration Area for the selected communities, 366 households were chosen and interviewed. Data analysis involved computing frequencies and conducting the Chi-square, binomial tests and binary logistic regression analysis. The respondents identified erratic rainfall, extreme temperature, extreme drought and flooding as key climatic events in their community. But not all identified key climatic events were perceived to constitute risk to forest products and forest-based livelihood. Only extreme drought was indicated to constitute risk to availability of forest products. In addition, the binary logistic regression showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the perceived risk of climate change to the availability of essential forest products across the three municipalities. Hence the need for forest development initiatives that target vulnerable forest products per community as a means of enhancing resilience of forest-based livelihood to climate change impacts in rural community development in South Africa.

Conceptualising Climate Change in Forest-Based Rural Areas of South Africa: Community Perceptions and Attitudes

SUMMARY The perceptions of forest-based communities in Vhembe District, South Africa, were examined. Special attention in this study was paid to the aspects linked to climate change, namely socio-cultural issues, views and awareness, beliefs about causes, concerns, and lifestyle adjustments that people are prepared to make. Vegetation type was considered as the major criterion when selecting Makhado, Mutale and Thulamela municipalities, which together with Musina, constitute Vhembe District in Limpopo Province. Seven rural communities in each municipality were selected. Using stratified proportionate random sampling in combination with weighted enumeration area (EA) for these communities, 366 households were chosen and interviewed. It was found that although awareness of ‘climate change’ was poor, most respondents understood what it meant and its associated challenges. Increasing occurrence of erratic rainfall and forest fires were regarded as visible manifestations of climate change. There was also strong concern about the effects of climate change on forests and forest-related products. The respondents expressed a desire to adopt responsible behaviour towards the use and management of forests as a climate-change intervention strategy. However, most community members were sceptical about the causes of climate change. Taking all these issues into account, it was clear that activities that would enlighten the people on the causes and consequences of climate change regarding their livelihoods should be carried out. This would help promote awareness of climate change and encourage peoples participation in crafting measures that might help mitigate and adapt to climate change.