Insight: Notes from the Field, Issue III - Innovative Approaches with Non-Timber Forest Products

Debate over the potential of NTFPs for achieving ecosystem conservation and poverty alleviation has grown in the past decade. Concern has been raised that NTFP activities may not always provide the poor with the expected benefits, and could in some cases even act as a poverty trap (see discussion in Overview paper). Considering these concerns, the objective of this publication is to share experiences on how innovative approaches have led to successful outcomes such as increased access of poor forest dwellers to resources and markets, increased participation, and benefit sharing. It also raises problems and issues that still need to be addressed. While this volume is not meant to provide final solutions to problems related to NTFP activities, it is hoped to shed more light on our current understanding of the subject. This volume draws lessons from five case studies on various NTFP activities in Asia, including Bhutan, Lao PDR, India, Nepal, and Thailand.