| Abstract |
Liberia is the most forested country in West Africa, with more than two thirds of its land surface covered by forest. In 2019, 47.5 percent of the Liberian households (HHs) lived in proximity to and were significantly dependent on the country’s forests. Results from the recent sample-based National Household Forest Survey (NHFS 2019) conducted in these forest-proximate areas reveal a high dependence on forest products both for direct consumption and as a source of income. These forest products, ranging from fuelwood to medicinal plants, also provide HHs with an important social safetynet during natural and economic shocks and crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, Liberia is one of the world’s poorest countries. The NHFS found that the average income for these forest proximate HHs is US$780, which is substantially below the country’s average annual HH income of US$2,440. This points to the need to maximize the potential of forests for poverty reduction in a sustainable manner.
Using the data collected from the recent NHFS, this policy note unpacks the HH and forest interactions, for forest-proximate HHs. The note: (1) identifies the sources within forestry and other sectors from which HHs derive their subsistence and income needs; (2) looks at the income generating potential of various activities that a HH participates in and its labor time allocation; and (3) highlights the gender aspects of poverty, particularly as they relate to the forestry sector.
Extensive investments and complementary policy reforms relevant to rural landscapes are needed if the welfare of these poorest of the poor forest-dependent HHs is to improve. Based on our analysis in the above three dimensions, this note suggests several recommendations for the Government of Liberia. These recommendations include: (1) targeting forest-proximate HHs as part of its poverty reduction strategy; (2) investing further in enhancing more diversified income generation from forestry and crop production; (3) creating opportunities for more women and female-headed HHs to participate in the highreturn forest activities; (4) ensuring that value-addition is increased for the currently low-return forest activities (which employ a greater proportion of women); (5) supporting forest-proximate HHs to develop more forest-related non-farm enterprises, preferably with greater ownership and management by women; and (6) undertaking more regular surveys such as the Liberia NHFS or integrating forest-based activities into existing national survey operations. |
