Socioeconomic aspects of utilizing non-timber forest products in Myanmar: A review

Abstract

Approximately 70 % of Myanmar’s population resides in rural areas, and most rural households rely on forest resources for their livelihood. Characterizing patterns of forest resource utilization by forest-dependent people is critically important for developing strategies to mitigate forest degradation and deforestation as well as for forest conservation in Myanmar. We reviewed the socioeconomic aspects of non-timber forest product (NTFP) utilization in Myanmar to evaluate the current status of our knowledge of NTFPs and their contributions to the livelihoods of rural people in Myanmar to clarify paths for commercializing NTFPs. Our findings confirmed that the rural population heavily depends on NTFPs. In light of the important role that NTFPs play in enhancing the livelihoods of rural communities in Myanmar, more studies of NTFP commercialization and forest and biodiversity conservation practices, especially regional field studies, are needed.