Non-Timber Forest Products Collection Affects Education of Children in Forest Proximate Communities in Northeastern Pakistan

Abstract

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are crucial in driving the economy of communities living inside or around forests. The scarcity of business and employment opportunities often push the forest proximate communities to tap a range of NTFPs for earning their livelihoods. In many forest-based communities around the world, children are actively involved in NTFPs collection, which is likely to affect the socioeconomic paradigms of these children. We aim to investigate how the NTFP collection venture affects the education of the children involved in the forest proximate communities of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan. A stratified sampling followed by a series of focus group discussions and one-to-one interviews were carried out to collect information on collection behaviour, patterns, income generation, and other socioeconomic variables. We used a binary logistic regression model to explain children’s state of attending schools using a range of socioeconomic variables. The empirical evidence showed that 42% of the NTFP-collecting children were not going to school, and nearly two-thirds were working in unfavourable working environments. The regression model showed that the role and behaviour of contractors, along with factors like household conditions, were important factors in employing children for long working hours. The study has implications for reforming policies regarding the nexus of income generation and education in the forest-based communities.

Collection and Processing of Non-timber Forest Products in North Eastern Pakistan of Azad Jammu and Kashmir: An Empirical Study

“…It was observed that in Neelam district the respondents (56%) were using sickle to extract Non-Timber Forest Products, while in Bagh people (44%) were using hands for the extraction of these plants ( Table 3). [9] Depicted somehow similar results that the people extracting the plants manually usually used them in their daily life but those who extract with the tools were actually selling it.…”

“…Often in these communities' children and women are known to be involved in the collection of these plants. These women and children cover extensive distance and endure steep and difficult terrains for the collection of these products and then bring these products in their homes for value addition [9]. Processing and storage are the most important yet neglected aspect of Non-Timber Forest Products business [9,10].…”

“…These women and children cover extensive distance and endure steep and difficult terrains for the collection of these products and then bring these products in their homes for value addition [9]. Processing and storage are the most important yet neglected aspect of Non-Timber Forest Products business [9,10]. The processing methods are the critical factor that imparts value to the product and hence making them marketable.…”

Perceived Profitability of Agroforestry in Rural Multan of Pakistan

“…In the 1 st stage out of all UCs, 02 UCs (Union Councils) were randomly selected in rural areas of Multan. In the 2 nd stage villages (10) has been selected from 02 UCs. In the 3 rd and final stage of sampling, 10 farmers per village were randomly chosen to make a random sample of 200 respondents.…”

“…Since state land is unable to cope and pace with increasing demand and environmental problems, farmlands remained a feasible solution to grow trees [4,5]. Agroforestry is, therefore, viable alternative to sustain and conserve biodiversity, avert land degradation, provide range of products and services for livelihoods, and mitigate environment in providing distinctive openings for growing biodiversity, averting land degradation, and improving poverty, particularly in developing countries [6,7,8,9,10].…”