Gender and forest products value chain development from village land forest reserves of Songea and Namtumbo Districts, Tanzania

Masters Dissertation

Gender differences influences people’s experience of and access to forest resources in Village Land Forest Reserves (VLFR). However, empirical evidences about gender and forest product value chain is limited to inform forest value chain development. The study analyzed gender roles and relations along value chain for forest products from Village Land Forest Reserves in Songea and Namtumbo districts. Specifically the study mapped the gender value chain for forest products from the Village Land Forest Reserve (VLFRs), examine the gender roles and relations of forest products from the VLFRs and assess the benefits by gender at each node of the forest products value chain from the VLFRs. Data were collected from 152 households using the questionnaire survey, key informants interviews, focus group discussions and direct observations. The collected data were analysed descriptively and the content analyses. The study revealed that forest products harvested were mushroom (27%), vegetables (11%) the honey (9%), firewood (38%) and the medicinal plants (15%). On the gender roles and relations along the forest products value chain, male dominated in all roles such as the protection of the VLFRs (85%), beehives management (100%), processing (100%), trading in urban markets (100%) and end use (60%). Also on the benefits men gains more benefits from the forest products from the VLFRs. Male had a mean revenue score of Tshs 1 830 000 medicinal plants, a mean revenue score of Tshs 2388 for mushroom and a mean revenue score of Tshs 89 000 for the honey forest product. The key challenges were distance to the forest sites, lack of support from the husbands, improper means of transport to the market, access to capital and low literacy level .This study concluded that the government as well as the non-governmental organizations such as FORVAC should address the issue of gender inequalities in addressing the gender biased issues in obtaining benefits from the VLFRs.

Forestry and Value Chains Development programme (FORVAC)