TRI Fellows Research Projects, 2004

Africa

 Ellen L. Brown, MEM 2006

Conservation and Secure Livelihoods: Managing Subsistence Hunting in the Okapi Faunal Reserve, Ituri Forest, Northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ellen Brown with the Mbuti, Okapi Faunal Reserve — Ituri Forest, Congo.

Location: Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Forest use by Mbuti hunters is based on rotations in time and space within well-established clan-based territories, unrecognized by official land title. Mbuti require access to forest resources, including game, and the opportunity to sell or trade game meat for other livelihood needs. Mbuti are affected by multiple-use zoning rules, changing community composition (increased immigration) and illegal activity such as poaching and mining in their territories. Collaboration between hunters and OFR management could be mutually beneficial, with Mbuti providing surveillance of the forest and monitoring game populations and OFR management helping to ensure secure livelihoods for the Mbuti. Based on synthesis and evaluation of past projects, interviews with hunters and OFR staff and visits to hunting camps sustainable hunting is defined for the core area of the OFR based on social, biological and administrative criteria. Recommendations are made for managing subsistence hunting as part of the multiple-use zoning system in the OFR within the wider social, political and economic context of the region.

 Dora N. Cudjoe, MEM 2005

Local Businesses: Potential for Integrating Forest and Biodiversity Conservation with Poverty Alleviation (case study of Ehwiaa Wood Carving Industry) Ashanti Region, Ghana

Dora Cudjoe at the Ecocraft woodcarving shed, Samartex, Samreboi, Ghana.

Location: Africa, Ghana

Forest fringe based small scale businesses that rely on the tropical forest for their input material usually conflict with formal forest management and biodiversity conservation practices. These tend to portray small-scale income generation activities as disparate concepts from biodiversity conservation, despite their potential to alleviate poverty and enhance human welfare. Forest and biodiversity conservation systems should integrate such small-scale businesses into formal and informal forest management practices as well as provide improved marketing for their products. The result would be a well-conserved forest surrounded by communities with improved and sustained incomes. One such notable small-scale industry in Ghana is woodcarving. This industry has the potential to contribute to maximizing wood utilization and to increase its international market share.

A wood carver carefully chipping pieces of wood to create an intricate Unity design.

The purpose of the research is to determine and document alternative and viable wood sources and to find avenues for improving the marketability of Ghanaian woodcarvings. Methodology involved personal interviews with the wood carvers and the various sectoral stakeholders, literature review and personal observation. Results revealed that woodcarvings from the study area have substantial market share. The volumes used have not been documented with the Forestry Services Division. Wood ‘waste' from the timber companies could be mainstreamed into this industry to curtail extraction of young trees while reducing wastage in the timber industry.

 Brett Galimidi, MEM 2005

The Wired Countryside: A New Hope or Business as Usual for South Africa?

Location: Africa, South Africa

Wires stretching across the South African landscape in the Natal Province.

“Development” is frequently problematic as the complex nature of each given situation tends to be resolved through generalized and paternalistic solutions that lack direct relevance to the context at hand. Today, technology-based systems of information creation, access and exchange are emerging as a resource for easing the complexity of development situations that stem from numerous sociopolitical systems, cultural views and economic motivations that vary in each case. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is gaining ground in the international community as a solution to traditional development problems because of its potential to bring information and education to those who are lacking it, connect those who are isolated, and foster community involvement in projects. The focus of this research is to understand the potential social and institutional barriers that may prevent open information exchange and thus the desired results of ICT projects, using several programs in South Africa as a case study. Preliminary analysis shows that while tremendous potential lies in the use of ICT, the current assumption is that all that is needed to alleviate problematic development projects is information, therefore it is simply a matter of getting the information out there. What appears to be lost in the excitement is what information is useful, how should it be packaged for accessibility, and who may or may not want to give and receive information in this context for various political or economic reasons.

Schoolchildren in KwaZulu — Natal, South Africa.

 Tendro Ramaharitra, MEM 2005

Natural Regeneration Pattern of the Tropical Rainforest after Anthropogenic Disturbances in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.

Location: Africa, Madagascar

This study was focused on the rain forest in Ranomafana National Park (RNP), Madagascar, and was designed with the goal to determine the impact of human presence on the structure of rain forest. I analyzed the spatial pattern of the canopy trees; I looked at the big picture of the natural history and identified the different type of structure from the forest edge to the interior. I mapped the seedling at different age stages to explain the steps in the forest succession. And finally I focused the study on a specific tree species, to illustrate through an example of local uses the amplitude of human perturbation on the tree regeneration. The result of this research will be used mainly on decision making for the management of the peripheral zone (ZP) and buffer zone (ZE) of RNP.

 Seth Shames, MESc 2005

Round-up and Lasso Atrazine Herbicides in Ethiopia: Economic, Social and Environmental Aspects of Their Introduction

Location: Africa, Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a predominantly agrarian country and soil fertility is crucial to the national economy and the well-being of most of its population. In 1998, international agricultural development organization Sasakawa Global 2000 began on-farm trials and demonstrations of Monsanto's Round-up and Lasso Atrazine herbicides in selected sites throughout Ethiopia. SG2000 framed these herbicides as a ?Conservation Tillage? technology because of their purported ability to reduce the amount of plowing necessary to control weeds. By 2001, the demonstrations had stopped. In 2004, they restarted.

This project analyzes the history of the herbicide introduction and their current status, addressing potential benefits, unintended consequences, reasons for the introductions, reasons for their initial failure and efforts to restart them. I also address alternative low tillage technologies under development that may be used as an alternative to herbicides in Ethiopia.

For data concerning the national history and debate around “Conservation Tillage” I draw on interviews of government officials, agricultural researchers, SG 2000 representatives and other relevant development organizations operating in Ethiopia. For a local perspective on the effects and perspectives of the introductions I conducted a survey of farmers in Bako, one of the herbicide introduction sites, a small town 250 km west of Addis Ababa. I spoke to farmers who participated in the demonstrations as well as those who had not.

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