View article

Against this backdrop, this policy study had three objectives: 1) examine the socioeconomic factors that influence rural household participation in wood fuel production; 2) explore the types of local forest management interventions that have been designed by customary land administrators and their local communities; and 3) assess the effectiveness of local forest management institutions in curbing deforestation and forest degradation.

DATA AND METHODS: Data for this study were primarily drawn from the Rural Agricultural and Livelihood Survey of 2012 (IAPRI 2012). This is a nationally representative household survey of 8,839 households conducted by IAPRI, in collaboration with Central Statistical Office (CSO) and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) from June to July 2012. Household survey data was supplemented with information from focus group discussions (FGDs) held in seven communities in Mumbwa, Nyimba, and Kapiri Mposhi districts. A total of 68 participants were involved in the FGDs from seven communities, 38 of whom were male and 30 were female. Furthermore, key informant and in-depth interviews were held with stakeholders in the forestry sector.