The contribution of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to forest dwellers in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh

AbstractThe contribution of Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) have been acknowledged globally by the rural people for their role in collection of essential NTFPs, income generation, livelihood improvement and rural development. The potential of NTFP based bioeconomy has given new dimensions to forest dwellers, significantly affecting the economies of forest dwellers. Therefore present study investigates the livelihood contribution, quantity inequality and determinant socio-economic factors of NTFPs extraction in the Kinnaur district. A multistage random sampling technique was employed to collect data through participatory household-based surveys from different households. Compare to other income sources, such as crop production, livestock breeding, and off-farm activities, NTFPs accounted for the second largest income share of total household income. Despite the fact that wealthier households generated more NTFP income overall, our research shows that poorer households rely more on this source of income than do wealthy households. To assess and mitigate the inequality in the quantity of NTFPs collected by the forest dwellers, the Lorenz curve and Gini index were used. The Tobit model was also used to pinpoint the crucial variables influencing the collection of NTFPs.