Showing papers on "Forest produce published in 2017"

The hunt for the precious wood: Illegal trade of sandalwood as an international criminal enterprise in Kenya

Abstract: Purpose This paper aims to explore the complex underpinnings and dynamics of increasing trend of illegal trading of high-value forest tress such as sandalwood in rural parts of Kenya, which has moved from highly opportunistic and culturally accepted activities to highly complex, commercial, criminal and entrepreneurial activity. The paper focuses on two theoretical frameworks: the first concerns with criminological concepts which underlie illegal logging, perpetrators and criminal network of smuggling of sandalwood from Kenya to overseas; the second focuses on the entrepreneurial process of the illegal trade of the endangered species. The central aim is to establish a confluence of criminology (rural and environmental) and entrepreneurship – the product of which can be useful in understanding emerging and highly sophisticated international crimes such smuggling and trafficking of sandalwood tree product. It proposes that sandalwood poaching just like other transnational crimes such as wildlife poaching is a highly organized international crime that involves more than one individual. The paper concludes by suggesting that sandalwood poaching is an entrepreneurial activity that impinges on criminological process, and to fully address the problem, we must address the supply and demand forces and the normative and social structure of source area. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a systematic review and immersion in literature from journals, books, government and non-governmental organization publications to raise debates and discourses on issues pertaining to the phenomena of sandalwood poaching in Kenya. It also entailed sieving through court judgments, newspaper articles and TV news to backup above information. Findings First, what has emanated from this study is that criminal cartels have directed their criminal business of sandalwood poaching to Kenya because force of demand and supply of precious wood, institution failures and regulatory and policy failures. Second, sandalwood poaching is ostensibly organized international enterprise crime that relies on division of labor to succeed. Third, more restrictive controls act as incentives to criminals to smuggle the wood. Finally, the more endangered the sandalwood, the more valuable and profitable it is and the more the poor countries and rural areas suffer from environmental degradation. Research limitations/implications Methodologically, one of the major limitations of this paper is that it is based on documentary analysis, because of a lack of research time and available finances. Prospective studies should consider utilizing in-depth interviews to gather evidence from offenders, police, rural residents and other government officials. Practical implications The paper contributes to growing fields of entrepreneurial, environmental and rural criminology. Methodologically, certain crimes such sandalwood poaching requires an intertwine of concepts of criminological and entrepreneurship for better understanding. Social implications To environmentalist, foresters, jurist, law enforcers and rural local residents; there is an urgent need to rethink how poaching of valuable endangered biodiversity species is treated, responded and promoted. To end poaching of sandalwood, there is a need to fundamentally realign tactics from criminalization and enforcement to address endemic cancer of poverty, unemployment and corruption present at source countries. This will indeed reduce economic vulnerabilities that cartels take advantage by engaging the locals in extracting sandalwood from trees. It will also reduce the power of networks but instead increase guardianship measures. Originality/value The originality of paper is the utilization of two theoretical frameworks: the first concerns with criminological concepts which underlie illegal logging, perpetrators and criminal network of smuggling of sandalwood from Kenya to overseas; and, second, the paper focuses on the entrepreneurial process of the illegal trade of the endangered species. The central aim is to establish a confluence of criminology (rural and environmental) and entrepreneurship – the product of which can be useful in understanding emerging and highly sophisticated international crimes such smuggling and trafficking of sandalwood tree product.

Role of Indigenous Eco-Friendly Technologies and Microfinance for Forest-Living Communities’ Livelihoods: Case Study of Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract: Eco-friendly technologies (EFTs) and microfinance provide impetus for securing the livelihoods of forest-living communities. Use of EFTs arrests the degradation of forests in addition to enhancing people's livelihoods. Forest-living people adopt unsustainable harvesting methods due to a lack of access to and unawareness of EFTs. Sustainable harvesting of forest produce by employing EFTs reduced harm to the forest by 40–50%. Microfinance accessibility is essential for the adoption of EFT at community level for value addition to Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs), which enhanced livelihoods by 200–300%. The main objective of this paper is to investigate how EFT and microfinance provide impetus to the value addition by NWFPs and the securing of the livelihoods of forest-living communities. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment

Forest Accounting and Ecological Sustainability

Abstract: Forest accounting is creating ground for ecological rationality. World is in danger because of clashes in natural resources particularly ecological ecosystem. There is nexus between forest accounting and sustainable development. Forest is one of the important resources as it is one of the important components of the terrestrial environmental system and larger resource base. Forests provide different basic inputs to the global economic cum ecological system in a multi-dimensional way. It provides timber, fuel wood, pulpwood, fodder, fiber grass and non-wood forest produce & support industrial & commercial activities. They also maintain the ecological balance & life-support systems which is essential for food production, health as well as overall development of human kind. Forest accounting is having direct input to ecological ecosystem sustainability in various way such as (1) reducing loss of biodiversity. (2) Mitigate inflated economic production figures. (3) Enable value chain and supply chain accounting starting with net forest produce. (4) Enable Gross National Happiness -GNH calculation that is dependent on forest living and environmental standards. (5) Enable balanced economic growth keeping future economic concerns. (6) Enable balance in regional economic diversity. (7) Safeguard biodiversity (both plant and animal). (8) Assess tradeoff between agriculture and environment preservation exercises (9) assess nature of food safety networks based on area specific nutrition availability and bring economic measures for balanced nutrition in regions. (10) Cause rational international economic and diplomacy dialogues based on hard data. (11) Measure economic sustainability. It means need to change perspective of human being towards ecological system. More rationality must bring while dealing with ecology. Present research work would focuses ecological rationality Therefore forest accounting however following are the specific objectives of present research are as follows 1. To explore relationship between forest accounting and ecological sustainability. 2. To develop theoretical modeling of ecological ecosystem sustainability. 3. To discuss various issues of ecological rationality through forest accounting system. 4. To identified challenges of forest accounting. 5. To suggest remedies for ecological ecosystem sustainability. The present study is explorative study on ecological rationality and sustainability through developing forest accounting system. Essential data has been collected and analyze to find out present nexus. Forest accounting would definitely contribute in making effective decision for forest ecology. There is need to look after forest accounting is one of the instrument for ecological rationality because it’s providing various inputs for rational decision making. It cannot afford forest in danger otherwise society will be in danger. It must be recognized invisible forest ecosystem services and determined its economic value so that ecological rationality would come in picture. Key w ords: Rationality, Ecology, Ecosystem, Forest Accounting, India, sustainability, Biodiversity, Flora, Fauna.

Assessing the Status of Scheduled Tribes Women in District Jammu (J & K)

Abstract: INTRODUCTION Ecologically, the tribal households are far from homogenous; they display a diversity of high order. The areas of tribal concentration have been usually described as the forest and hilly areas of the country. Their ignorance and the long sightedness of the money lenders play with the tribal lives. Inclusive growth is the essence of developmental strategy across the economies (Khwaja, 2009). Since the introduction of economic reforms in early nineties, there has been greater focus of development and planning towards enhancement of human well-being (Pritchett & Woolcock, 2004) and reduction in inequalities along with growth of per capita income especially targeting vulnerable social groups, viz. STs, SCs, etc. This well-being encompasses individual attainment in the areas of education, employment, health care, nutritional level and amenities like electricity, water supply, sanitation, housing, etc. besides guaranteeing them their civil rights and protection against atrocities or crimes. The scheduled tribes since ages have been victims of socio- economic exploitations (Barr, 2001; Gaechter, Herrman, & Thoeni, 2004; Henrich et al., 2001), and have been relegated to low income generating occupations, inferior trades, unhygienic environment and unclean menial occupation. The Scheduled Tribes are tribes notified under Article 342 of the Constitution, which makes special provision for ‘tribes, tribal communities, parts of, or groups within which the President may so notify’. There is no definition of a tribe in the Constitution but one may distinguish some characteristics that are generally accepted: self-identification, language, distinctive social and cultural organisation, economic under development, geographic location and initially, isolation, which has been steadily, and in some cases, traumatically, eroded. Many tribes still live in hilly and/or forested areas, somewhat remote from settlements. Exploitation of forest-lands by both the British and the zamindars resulted in the clearing of huge tracts for commercial crops such as tea, coffee and rubber and allowing contractors to fell trees in the very heart of the forest. These actions deprived the tribal people of their livelihoods because many of them were hunters and gatherers of forest produce. The interaction with the outside world brought the tribal people face to face with problems they were not equipped to cope with, such as alcoholism and sexually transmitted diseases (Holm & Nystedt, 2008). In the post-Independence period, while the Constitution protected the rights of the Scheduled Tribes and accorded them reservation in the legislature, educational institutions and government jobs, other ‘development’ activities, such as the construction of large dams or the sale of timber, led to the further marginalisation of some tribes. The scenario is therefore a mixed one. It may be necessary to use natural resources to improve the living conditions of the people of the state, but it must be done in a manner that is sensitive to ensuring the protection of the environment, which provides a livelihood to tribal people. Apart from the Scheduled Tribes, there are 75 indigenous groups in India known as ‘Primitive Tribal Groups’. The Tenth Plan of the Central Government observes that these vulnerable communities have experienced a ‘decline in their sustenance base and the resultant food insecurity, malnutrition and ill-health has forced them to live in the most fragile living conditions and some of them are even under the threat of getting extinct’.