Economic Uses of Forests

Non-Wood/Non-Timber Forest Products

The term 'forest products' almost immediately brings to mind wood and wood-based products, but there are equally important non-wood products that are procured from forests. These include all biological products extracted from forests apart from timber.

What are NTFP?

Referred to as NTFP or NWFP (non-wood or non-timber forest products), they include food (fruits, nuts, mushrooms, spices, condiments, game, etc.), rubber, resins, gums, medicinal or cosmetic products and more. Broadly, NTFP may be classified as edible and non-edible plant and animal products. The former include edible plants and animals, honey, oils, fish, spices and so on. Non-edible products include grasses, bamboo, ornamental plants, insect products, oils for cosmetic use, medicinal products, etc.

Economic implications

From the economic viewpoint, NTFP are equally important as wood-based products. About 150 types of NTFP are significant in international trade. They are also increasingly being acknowledged for their role in sustainable development and conservation of biological diversity.

Up to 80% of the population in developing countries depend on NTFP for subsistence, both economically and for nutrition. NTFP are especially important to women in developing countries from Latin America, Asia, Africa and Far East. Though conservation agencies are addressing the issue of sustainable production of NTFP, there are a number of challenges to be met, some of which include the disappearing forest cover, inequitable market access of marginalised populations and the monopolisation of high - value NTFP by logging and poaching mafia.

Problems faced by NTFP

Even though traditionally it has been timber that has hogged the attention of governments, the scene is slowly changing. At the moment a number of initiatives around the world empower local communities to take control of NTFP in their region and reap benefits from it. Extractive Reserves in Brazil, Community Forestry in Nepal and Joint Forest Management in India are some of them.

There are as yet gaps in our understanding of NTFPs and their importance. Existing knowledge is not well documented, and policy development is still largely disconnected from experiences from the field. The challenge for the coming years is to develop proper tools and methods for sustainable extraction of NTFP and regulation of its trade.