Non-Timber Forest Products in Uganda. Spatial Tools Supporting
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UNEP-WCMC Library Non-timber forest products in Uganda Spatial tools supporting sustainable developnnent Olivier Cottray, Lera Miles and Adrian Newton h MM- ll UNEP WCMC aus^ Digitized by tine Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge http://www.archive.org/details/nontimberforestp06cott Non-timber forest products in Uganda J3 Contributors UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre 219 Huntingdon Road Cambridge CB3 0DL. UK UNEP WCMC Tel; +4/1 101 1223 2773 U Fax: +W 101 1223 277136 Olivier Cottray Lera Miles Email: mfoOunep-wcmc.org OryxMapping GIS Consultancy UNEP-WCMC Website: www.unep-wcmc org 1 1 Grande Rue. 219 Huntingdon Road Director: Jon Hutton 95470 Fosses. France Cambridge CB3 0DL. UK The United Nations Environment UNEP-WCMC Programme World Conservation 219 Huntingdon Road Monitoring Centre lUNEP-WCMCl Cambridge CB3 DDL. UK is the biodiversity assessment and ^^fit/Wo policy implementation arm of the Adrian Newton United Nations Environment School of Conservation Sciences. Bournemouth University Programme lUNEPI. the worlds Talbot Campus. Poole. Dorset BH12 5BB. UK foremost intergovernmental environmental organization. The With the kind collaboration of Centre has been in operation for over 25 years, combining scientific Simon Bolwig and Jordan ITS Mike Harrison research with practical policy advice. Chamberlin >5> LTS International j^/J^p International Food Policy Pentlands Science UNEP-WCMC provides objective, ^^J^ Research Institute. 2033 K Park. Bush Loan. scientifically rigorous products and IFPRI ^""'^^'' '^™' Washington, DC Penicuik. Nr Edinburgh services to help decision makers 20006-1002, USA EH26 0PH. UK recognize the value of biodiversity and apply this l<nowledge to all that they ^ A^^ Derek Pomeroy. Herbert Joseph Obua do. Its core business is managing data W^f^ Tushabe and Marjorie Department of Forest Biology and about ecosystems and biodiversity, 4fi^* Nakibuka Ecosystem Management interpreting and analysing that data Makerere University Institute Makerere University. PO Box 7062 to provide assessments and policy of Environment and Natural Kampala. Uganda analysis, and making the results Resources available to national and international Makerere University, PO Box decision makers and businesses. 7062 Kampala. Uganda Sponsor Photographs Cottray and U Allis. except, front cover and title page far left. Heattier Anget/Natural Visions, centre, fwloclar Sacande: far right. Gordon f^ilter/!RF ® DFID 2006 . Spatial tools rORUSTIO" Rr^EAKCH PROGRULME Citation Cottray. Miles. L . Newton. A. 2006. Non-limber forest products in Uganda supporting sustainable development UNEP-WCMC. Cambridge. UK This publication is an output of a URL http://www unep-wcmc org/resources/publications/UNEP_WCMC_bio_series/18 htm research project funded by the United A Banson production Kingdom Department for International Printed in the UK by Swamgrove Imaging using digital technology on chlonne-free Forest Stewardship Council certified sustainably sources with water-based coatings. Development IDFIDI for the benefit paper produced from managed of developing countries. The views expressed are not necessarily those of DFID ZF0177 Forestry Research The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of UNEP or contributory organizations The designations employed and the presentations do not imply the expressions of Programme. any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNEP or contributory organizations concerning the legal status ol any country, territory, city or area or its authority, or concerning the delimitation ol its frontiers or boundaries. Non-timber forest products in Uganda Preface Human wellbeing relies on our ability to exploit our dual objectives by Informing locational decisions, diverse and often fragile natural environment directing external support to areas with the greatest sustainably and into the far distant future. If there prospect of success. is no such thing as environmentally neutral economic This project demonstrates that powerful spatial grov\/th, there is certainly an increasing number of options analysis tools now allow the combination of relevant for sustainable human and social development. Such new social, economic and environmental data Into a common approaches are essential to the achievement of the United analytical framework. The results offer a strong indication Nations Millennium Development Goals. of the most appropriate sites for the sustainable Non-timber forest products (NTFPsI have been a development of NTFP harvesting and commercialization. particular focus of development interest in recent years. Such 'expert systems' can be made accessible to any The hope Is that forest-dependent people can gain new number of stakeholders, providing a truly participatory income-generating opportunities with minimal environ- and Inclusive tool for the sound management of our mental costs. Fruit, basketry, honey and medicinal plants common natural heritage. are just a few examples of economically and socially valuable products that can be produced from a sus- tainably managed natural resource base. To offer a long-term source of Income, NTFP production will still require careful planning, manage- ment and monitoring. Ideally, NTFP commercialization should raise the standard of living for the poorest Jon Hutton communities whilst protecting vulnerable ecosystems Director and their biodiversity. Spatial analysis can support these UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1 Non-timber forest products in Uganda Contents Preface 3 Introduction and scope 5 Non-timber forest products and sustainable development 7 Spatial tools for sustainable development: the development domain' concept 9 Development domains for NTFPs in Uganda - Metfiodology 11 Distribution of the NTFP resource base 1 Protected areas 11 (Market access 15 Poverty 15 Development domains - Results and discussion 19 Basketry 19 Gum arabic 19 Shea butter 19 Dealing with uncertainty 19 Conclusions 25 Resource base and access rights 25 Income-generating potential and markets 25 Abbreviations 27 References 28 Non-timber forest products in Uganda ntroduction and scope The importance of natural resources in supporting from potential markets, or do not have access to rural livelihoods is increasingly being recognized appropriate forest resources. Tools are therefore needed in national and international policy. For example, that could be used to direct external support to those achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals areas with the highest potential for success. will depend on maintaining the environmental goods This report describes an approach to define where and services that are l<ey to human productivity. NTFP resources offer an appropriate option for sustain- Approaches to development are therefore required that able development. This is achieved using Uganda as a enable incomes to be derived from natural resources, case study Uganda's rich natural heritage and its position while supporting the effective conservation of these as one of the most rapidly growing economies in Africa resources. serve to highlight the conflict between national develop- Non-timber forest products (NTFPsI offer an ment efforts and the need for a globally responsible important example of how such goals may be achieved in approach to natural resource conservation. practice, t^any rural livelihoods are based on the collection The report addresses the following questions; and sale of products derived from forest resources, Q How can NTFP commercialization contribute both to including fruits, nuts, fibre and resins. Trade in NTFPs can rural poverty eradication and forest conservation In act as an incentive for forest conservation by providing a Uganda? source of income from resources that might otherwise Q How do spatial factors affect these two goals? appear to have little financial value. In addition, the G Based on currently available information, where do environmental impact of harvesting NTFPs is generally specific NTFPs have the highest chances of being much lower than typically results from timber harvesting. successfully developed and commercialized in an As a consequence, many rural development initiatives are economically and environmentally sustainable way? now supporting the commercialization of NTFP resources. J How can this spatial analysis be refined In the future to Rural communities often require external give a more complete picture? financial and technical support for successful com- mercialization of NTFP resources. Some national Research Into NTFP commercialization is still relatively governments, aid agencies and non-governmental recent and many of the datasets necessary for a thorough organizations are providing such support, to assist with analysis of these questions are still lacking. However, the process of rural development and environmental sufficient information was available to build a demons- conservation. However, exploiting NTFP resources may tration model using geographic Information systems of such not be an appropriate option for sustainable development IGISI, providing a useful preview of the benefits in all areas, as some rural communities are located far an approach. —E EE E Non-timber forest products in Uganda Figure 1: Forest cover and environmentally vulnerable areas in Uganda I — — 1 I I I 30- 33' 34-E 35- 200 33- 35" E I I _l_ Forest reserve c 0% forest cover Water bodies Game reserve 0-10% forest cover | • l^a|or towns | Important bird area |^^| 10-40% forest cover Source Protected