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The role of wild food plants in poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation in tropical countries

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  • Claudio O. Delang

    (Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS), Kyoto University, 46 Shimoadachi-cho, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan)

Abstract

Recent research linking poverty alleviation and forest conservation has frequently focused on the potential contribution of the commercialization of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), and has consequently emphasized incomes from NTFPs rather than their consumption. This paper aims to understand the role played by the consumption of wild food plants in the livelihood of rural populations. Two methods of evaluation are used to estimate the value of the wild food plants consumed by Pwo Karen people living in the Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary in western Thailand. The first calculates the time needed to gather the wild food plants (14.63 days/year per household), and the second uses the prices of commercial substitutes in the market to estimate the number of days household members would have to engage in paid work if they switched to commercial food crops (143 days/year). The paper concludes that consuming wild food plants is an efficient method of subsistence that should be encouraged. If it is not encouraged, economic growth could lead people to squander additional cash incomes on higherstatus commercial food crops rather than spend it on productive investment.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudio O. Delang, 2006. "The role of wild food plants in poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation in tropical countries," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 6(4), pages 275-286, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:prodev:v:6:y:2006:i:4:p:275-286
    DOI: 10.1191/1464993406ps143oa
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert T. Deacon, 1994. "Deforestation and the Rule of Law in a Cross-Section of Countries," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 70(4), pages 414-430.
    2. Delang, Claudio O., 2006. "Not just minor forest products: The economic rationale for the consumption of wild food plants by subsistence farmers," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 64-73, August.
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    7. Arnold, J. E. Michael & Perez, M. Ruiz, 2001. "Can non-timber forest products match tropical forest conservation and development objectives?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 437-447, December.
    8. Subhrendu K. Pattanayak & Erin O. Sills, 2001. "Do Tropical Forests Provide Natural Insurance? The Microeconomics of Non-Timber Forest Product Collection in the Brazilian Amazon," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 77(4), pages 595-612.
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    Cited by:

    1. Serge Svizzero, 2016. "Foraging Wild Resources: Evolving Goals of an Ubiquitous Human Behavior," Post-Print hal-02147756, HAL.
    2. Homervergel G. Ong & Young-Dong Kim, 2017. "The role of wild edible plants in household food security among transitioning hunter-gatherers: evidence from the Philippines," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(1), pages 11-24, February.
    3. Serge Svizzero, 2016. "Foraging Wild Resources and Sustainable Economic Development," Post-Print hal-02146473, HAL.
    4. Phanith Chou, 2018. "The Role of Non-Timber Forest Products in Creating Incentives for Forest Conservation: A Case Study of Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary, Cambodia," Resources, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-16, July.

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