STATE OF THE WORLDS FORESTS 2003 phase, but its application is rapidly expanding tends to attract powerful competitors and because of the growing demand for these because certain characteristics of timber make it services(ferraro, 2000; Cutter Information relatively inaccessible to the poorest people Corporation, 2000). Improvements of transfer Various forest uses provide both opportunities payment initiatives must be supported by policy for and obstacles to poverty alleviation. Nine research(Gutman, 2001) types of sociopolitical change may favour a greater role for forests in the future, although Integration of forestry into rural development this is not assured. These changes are and poverty reduction strategies. The decentralization: more secure forest tenure. elimination of poverty in forested regions will democratization; better governance, involve not only the forest sector but also other overharvesting and withdrawal by concession sectors,such as agriculture, health and holders; growing urban markets; market education. Forest-based poverty alleviation must deregulation and liberalization; new technology; be part of an overall rural development strategy and a greater willingness to pay for and cannot be carried out in isolation by the environmental services same token efforts in other sectors must Poverty alleviation is best pursued through andat. ize the current role of forests in mitigating policy reform. A forest-based poverty alleviation oiding poverty, and their potentially strategy should include the following elements ver e nationa establishment of a people-centred agend and local levels. forests must be seen as an removal of tenure and regulatory restrictions important asset to fight poverty(Gordon, Berry improvement in marketing arrangements for and Schmidt, 1999). A crucial first step is to marginalized people; creation of partnerships review national poverty reduction strategies to between poor people and forest enterprises; ensure that, wherever appropriate, they redesign of transfer payments; and integration of recognize the importance of forests and include forest-based poverty alleviation efforts into rural measures such as those proposed above development and poverty reduction strategies In closing, three points deserve emphasis SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION First, it is useful to note the recent attention to At the beginning of the twenty-first century, forests and poverty. In the 1960s, it was believed poverty remains a problem of huge proportions, that forests could and would play a key role in countries, living on less than USSl a day( World the 1980s, disillusionment set in with the s In with 1.2 billion people, mostly in developing alleviating poverty in developing countrie Bank, 2001). In such circumstances, it is important realization that the forecast of the 1960s had been to join forces to face the moral challenge, and the overly optimistic(Westoby, 1987). At the dawn potential of the forest sector to contribute to of the new millennium there is renewed poverty alleviation must be examined. attention to this topic and a new call for people. The present chapter makes a distinction centred forestry. While certain enabling between two forms of poverty alleviation in conditions present a tentative basis for optimism, relation to forests. First, forest resources help substantial benefits to poor people are unlikely marginal people to avoid poverty or mitigate the unless they can achieve a degree of political poverty that they are experiencing NWFPs have power and influence that they currently lack. a special but ambiguous role in this regard, Second, natural forests are under severe threat because although their relative accessibility and throughout the developing world, and the poor low capital requirements make them valuable people who depend heavily on them are the safety nets, these same qualities may make them who stand to suffer the most from their poverty traps. Second, forests can help people disappearance and degradation by outside lift themselves out of poverty. This potential is agents. The practical implications of this often unrealized because high-value timber situation are that equity and social justice must2003 FORESTS S’WORLD THE OF STATE 70 expanding rapidly is application its but, phase these for demand growing the of because Information Cutter; 2000, Ferraro (services transfer of Improvements). 2000, Corporation policy by supported be must initiatives payment .(2001, Gutman (research development rural into forestry of Integration The. strategies reduction poverty and will regions forested in poverty of elimination other also but sector forest the only not involve and health, agriculture as such, sectors must alleviation poverty based-Forest. education strategy development rural overall an of part be the By. isolation in out carried be cannot and must sectors other in efforts, token same mitigating in forests of role current the recognize potentially their and, poverty avoiding and national the At. poverty eliminating in role larger an as seen be must forests, levels local and Berry, Gordon (poverty fight to asset important to is step first crucial A). 1999, Schmidt and to strategies reduction poverty national review they, appropriate wherever, that ensure include and forests of importance the recognize .above proposed those as such measures CONCLUSION AND SUMMARY ,century first-twenty the of beginning the At ,proportions huge of problem a remains poverty developing in mostly, people billion 2.1 with World (day a 1$US than less on living, countries important is it, circumstances such In). 2001, Bank the and, challenge moral the face to forces join to to contribute to sector forest the of potential .examined be must alleviation poverty distinction a makes chapter present The in alleviation poverty of forms two between help resources forest, First. forests to relation the mitigate or poverty avoid to people marginal have NWFPs. experiencing are they that poverty ,regard this in role ambiguous but special a and accessibility relative their although because valuable them make requirements capital low them make may qualities same these, nets safety people help can forests, Second. traps poverty is potential This. poverty of out themselves lift timber value-high because unrealized often and competitors powerful attract to tends it make timber of characteristics certain because .people poorest the to inaccessible relatively opportunities both provide uses forest Various Nine. alleviation poverty to obstacles and for a favour may change sociopolitical of types although, future the in forests for role greater :are changes These. assured not is this ;tenure forest secure more; decentralization ;governance better; democratization concession by withdrawal and overharvesting market; markets urban growing; holders ;technology new; liberalization and deregulation for pay to willingness greater a and .services environmental through pursued best is alleviation Poverty alleviation poverty based-forest A. reform policy :elements following the include should strategy ;agenda centred-people a of establishment ;restrictions regulatory and tenure of removal for arrangements marketing in improvement partnerships of creation; people marginalized ;enterprises forest and people poor between of integration and; payments transfer of redesign rural into efforts alleviation poverty based-forest .strategies reduction poverty and development .emphasis deserve points three, closing In to attention recent the note to useful is it, First believed was it, 1960s the In. poverty and forests in role key a play would and could forests that In. countries developing in poverty alleviating the with in set disillusionment, 1980s the been had 1960s the of forecast the that realization dawn the At). 1987, Westoby (optimistic overly renewed is there, millennium new the of enabling certain While. forestry centred￾people for call new a and topic this to attention ,optimism for basis tentative a present conditions unlikely are people poor to benefits substantial political of degree a achieve can they unless .lack currently they that influence and power threat severe under are forests natural, Second poor the and, world developing the throughout those are them on heavily depend who people their from most the suffer to stand who outside by degradation and disappearance this of implications practical The. agents must justice social and equity that are situation