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Economic Shocks, Diversification, and Forest Use in Uganda

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  • Bethelhem Debela
  • Gerald Shively
  • Arild Angelsen
  • Mette Wik

Abstract

We investigate household outcomes arising from economic shocks in rural Uganda, focusing on patterns of income diversification and forest use, and the role of assets in shaping ex post response to shocks. Income-poor households and those with below-average landholdings are observed to have more diversified income portfolios than their cohorts. Households encountering above-average losses tend to have more diversified income portfolios subsequent to the losses. Larger negative shocks are associated with greater use of the forest in subsequent periods, especially among asset-poor households. Findings suggest that development of better safety nets would reduce both vulnerability and forest pressure.

Suggested Citation

  • Bethelhem Debela & Gerald Shively & Arild Angelsen & Mette Wik, 2012. "Economic Shocks, Diversification, and Forest Use in Uganda," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 88(1), pages 139-154.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:landec:v:88:y:2012:i:1:p:139-154
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Dokken, Therese & Angelsen, Arild, 2015. "Forest reliance across poverty groups in Tanzania," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 203-211.
    8. Gebremariam, Gebrelibanos & Tesfaye, Wondimagegn, 2018. "The heterogeneous effect of shocks on agricultural innovations adoption: Microeconometric evidence from rural Ethiopia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 154-161.
    9. Morsello, Carla & Delgado, Juliana Aparecida da Silva & Fonseca-Morello, Thiago & Brites, Alice Dantas, 2014. "Does trading non-timber forest products drive specialisation in products gathered for consumption? Evidence from the Brazilian Amazon," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 140-149.
    10. Jiao, Xi & Walelign, Solomon Zena & Nielsen, Martin Reinhardt & Smith-Hall, Carsten, 2019. "Protected areas, household environmental incomes and well-being in the Greater Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 1-1.
    11. Mazunda, John & Shively, Gerald, 2015. "Measuring the forest and income impacts of forest user group participation under Malawi's Forest Co-management Program," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 262-273.
    12. Noack,Frederik & Wunder,Sven & Angelsen,Arild & Börner,Jan, 2015. "Responses to weather and climate : a cross-section analysis of rural incomes," Policy Research Working Paper Series 7478, The World Bank.
    13. Vidya Diwakar & Antoine Lacroix, 2021. "Climate shocks and poverty persistence: Investigating consequences and coping strategies in Niger, Tanzania, and Uganda," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 552-570, May.
    14. Mulungu, Kelvin & Kilimani, Nicholas, 2023. "Does forest access reduce reliance on costly shock-coping strategies? Evidence from Malawi," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    15. Walelign, Solomon Zena & Jiao, Xi, 2017. "Dynamics of rural livelihoods and environmental reliance: Empirical evidence from Nepal," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 199-209.
    16. Kalaba, Felix Kanungwe & Quinn, Claire Helen & Dougill, Andrew John, 2013. "The role of forest provisioning ecosystem services in coping with household stresses and shocks in Miombo woodlands, Zambia," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 5(C), pages 143-148.
    17. Wunder, Sven & Börner, Jan & Shively, Gerald & Wyman, Miriam, 2014. "Safety Nets, Gap Filling and Forests: A Global-Comparative Perspective," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(S1), pages 29-42.
    18. Walelign, Solomon Zena & Charlery, Lindy & Smith-Hall, Carsten & Chhetri, Bir Bahadur Khanal & Larsen, Helle Overgaard, 2016. "Environmental income improves household-level poverty assessments and dynamics," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 23-35.
    19. Jagger, Pamela & Cheek, Jennifer Zavaleta & Miller, Daniel & Ryan, Casey & Shyamsundar, Priya & Sills, Erin, 2022. "The Role of Forests and Trees in Poverty Dynamics," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    20. Pritchard, Rose & Grundy, Isla M. & van der Horst, Dan & Dzobo, Nyaradzo & Ryan, Casey M., 2020. "Environmental resources as ‘last resort’ coping strategies following harvest failures in Zimbabwe," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    21. Börner, Jan & Shively, Gerald E. & Wunder, Sven & Wyman, Miriam, 2012. "How do rural households respond to economic shocks? Insights from hierarchical analysis using global data," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 126143, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    22. David Tumusiime & Joseph Mawejje & Patrick Byakagaba, 2016. "Discovery of Oil: Community Perceptions and Expectations in Uganda’s Albertine Region," Journal of Sustainable Development, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 9(6), pages 1-1, November.
    23. Nakakaawa, Charlotte & Moll, Ricarda & Vedeld, Paul & Sjaastad, Espen & Cavanagh, Joseph, 2015. "Collaborative resource management and rural livelihoods around protected areas: A case study of Mount Elgon National Park, Uganda," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 1-11.
    24. Edward B. Barbier & Jacob P. Hochard, 2019. "Poverty-Environment Traps," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 74(3), pages 1239-1271, November.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • Q23 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Forestry

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