IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

This case study focuses on sustainable harvesting regimes for bitter bamboo shoots and wild cardamom in one village in the northern mountainous province of Oudomxay in Lao PDR. Between 1996, when IUCN first initiated its Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) project in Nam Pheng village, and 2002, considerable advancement has been made in reducing poverty and improving livelihoods. Poverty rates have reduced by about 50 percent; food security has been attained; child mortality of children under 5 was eliminated; school enrolment doubled (over half of whom are girls); and domestic savings increased. The village acquired new infrastructure and new services, while villagers' range of expenditures widened, improving quality of life and productivity. Although there were many different factors at play that led to these achievements, improved NTFP management and marketing clearly played a key role, as illustrated by their predominant position in households' economies and the villagers' own testimonies. Currently, collection of bitter bamboo, cardamom and other NTFPs continues to be a main source of income for the majority of households in Nam Pheng.

The case study showed that sustainable NTFP harvesting regimes can play a key role in reducing poverty and sustaining local livelihoods, while providing villagers with enduring incentives and adequate capacities to manage their forests. The achievements were also remarkable for their ability to foster equitable distribution of benefits among the villagers, their capacity to reach the poorest households, and the interest that they raised about sustainable NTFP use among development and conservation organisations.

Economic values of NTFPs have provided incentives for villagers to manage forests, including the 515 ha that they have as bamboo forest. Villagers in Nam Pheng said that the project "opened their eyes" to NTFPs, which has meant greater appreciation of forests as an economic asset as opposed to the more commonly assumed economic hindrance. Forest allocation gave Nam Pheng village legal authority over a defined natural resource area, which helped them to resist incursions from outside and resolve internal conflicts. But perhaps the most important lesson learnt from the success of the sustainable harvesting regimes was the importance of creating effective institutions that can help empower local communities. A village marketing group enabled villagers to co-ordinate sustainable harvesting regimes, achieve economies of scale, and negotiate better prices with traders. In addition, local level empowerment was promoted through skills-building for individuals (e.g. using scales, ongoing technical support by project officers, etc.) and by creating a supportive political and legal framework (e.g. forestland allocation).

The current study has shown how conservation and sustainable use of NTFPs can enable a remote mountainous community to step out of poverty and secure improved livelihoods.

Download the DRAFT document Bitter bamboo and sweet living: Impacts of NTFP conservation activities on poverty alleviation and sustainable livelihoods - A case study for Lao PDR (824kb).