Mapping the Future Market Potential of Timber from Small-Scale Tree Farmers: Perspectives from the Southern Highlands in Tanzania

Anne Arvola, Arttu Malkamäki, Juho Penttilä, Anne Toppinen

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

In the rapidly growing Tanzanian economy, increasing demand for timber and limited wood supply from industrial plantations and natural forests have opened a new livelihood opportunity for smallholder farmers in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania, which is undergoing a tree-growing boom. In the absence of support services, research and statistics, the magnitude of the phenomena has remained unclear, along with the farmers’ capability to meet market demands, access the markets, and negotiate prices. Primary qualitative data were collected to clarify the role of smallholder tree growers in the forest transition process and wood value chain using 60 semi-structured tree farmer interviews in four villages, and through interviews of timber buyers and processors. The findings indicate that the strong market demand has created dual markets, where higher quality industrial plantations mainly supply larger industries, whereas micro and small enterprises source wood from lower quality smallholder plantations. While the markets’ quality criteria are expected to tighten, capacity building is needed to improve smallholder wood quality to ensure the long-run tree-growing livelihood and competitiveness of small-scale producers in the markets.
Original languageEnglish
JournalSmall-Scale Forestry
Volume18
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)189-212
Number of pages24
ISSN1873-7617
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2019
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Fields of Science

  • ALLOCATION
  • DECISIONS
  • DEFORESTATION
  • DISTRICT
  • FRAMEWORK
  • Farmer organizations
  • Forest transition
  • Forestry extension
  • LAND
  • Livelihood diversification
  • PARTNERSHIPS
  • PLANTATIONS
  • PLANTED FORESTS
  • RURAL LIVELIHOODS
  • Smallholder
  • Tree plantation
  • 4112 Forestry

Cite this

Arvola, Anne ; Malkamäki, Arttu ; Penttilä, Juho ; Toppinen, Anne. / Mapping the Future Market Potential of Timber from Small-Scale Tree Farmers : Perspectives from the Southern Highlands in Tanzania. In: Small-Scale Forestry. 2019 ; Vol. 18, No. 2. pp. 189-212.
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title = "Mapping the Future Market Potential of Timber from Small-Scale Tree Farmers: Perspectives from the Southern Highlands in Tanzania",
abstract = "In the rapidly growing Tanzanian economy, increasing demand for timber and limited wood supply from industrial plantations and natural forests have opened a new livelihood opportunity for smallholder farmers in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania, which is undergoing a tree-growing boom. In the absence of support services, research and statistics, the magnitude of the phenomena has remained unclear, along with the farmers’ capability to meet market demands, access the markets, and negotiate prices. Primary qualitative data were collected to clarify the role of smallholder tree growers in the forest transition process and wood value chain using 60 semi-structured tree farmer interviews in four villages, and through interviews of timber buyers and processors. The findings indicate that the strong market demand has created dual markets, where higher quality industrial plantations mainly supply larger industries, whereas micro and small enterprises source wood from lower quality smallholder plantations. While the markets’ quality criteria are expected to tighten, capacity building is needed to improve smallholder wood quality to ensure the long-run tree-growing livelihood and competitiveness of small-scale producers in the markets.",
keywords = "ALLOCATION, DECISIONS, DEFORESTATION, DISTRICT, FRAMEWORK, Farmer organizations, Forest transition, Forestry extension, LAND, Livelihood diversification, PARTNERSHIPS, PLANTATIONS, PLANTED FORESTS, RURAL LIVELIHOODS, Smallholder, Tree plantation, 4112 Forestry",
author = "Anne Arvola and Arttu Malkam{\"a}ki and Juho Penttil{\"a} and Anne Toppinen",
year = "2019",
month = "6",
doi = "10.1007/s11842-019-09414-8",
language = "English",
volume = "18",
pages = "189--212",
journal = "Small-Scale Forestry",
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publisher = "Springer Netherlands",
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Arvola, A, Malkamäki, A, Penttilä, J & Toppinen, A 2019, 'Mapping the Future Market Potential of Timber from Small-Scale Tree Farmers: Perspectives from the Southern Highlands in Tanzania' Small-Scale Forestry, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 189-212. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-019-09414-8

Mapping the Future Market Potential of Timber from Small-Scale Tree Farmers : Perspectives from the Southern Highlands in Tanzania. / Arvola, Anne; Malkamäki, Arttu; Penttilä, Juho; Toppinen, Anne.

In: Small-Scale Forestry, Vol. 18, No. 2, 06.2019, p. 189-212.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mapping the Future Market Potential of Timber from Small-Scale Tree Farmers

T2 - Perspectives from the Southern Highlands in Tanzania

AU - Arvola, Anne

AU - Malkamäki, Arttu

AU - Penttilä, Juho

AU - Toppinen, Anne

PY - 2019/6

Y1 - 2019/6

N2 - In the rapidly growing Tanzanian economy, increasing demand for timber and limited wood supply from industrial plantations and natural forests have opened a new livelihood opportunity for smallholder farmers in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania, which is undergoing a tree-growing boom. In the absence of support services, research and statistics, the magnitude of the phenomena has remained unclear, along with the farmers’ capability to meet market demands, access the markets, and negotiate prices. Primary qualitative data were collected to clarify the role of smallholder tree growers in the forest transition process and wood value chain using 60 semi-structured tree farmer interviews in four villages, and through interviews of timber buyers and processors. The findings indicate that the strong market demand has created dual markets, where higher quality industrial plantations mainly supply larger industries, whereas micro and small enterprises source wood from lower quality smallholder plantations. While the markets’ quality criteria are expected to tighten, capacity building is needed to improve smallholder wood quality to ensure the long-run tree-growing livelihood and competitiveness of small-scale producers in the markets.

AB - In the rapidly growing Tanzanian economy, increasing demand for timber and limited wood supply from industrial plantations and natural forests have opened a new livelihood opportunity for smallholder farmers in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania, which is undergoing a tree-growing boom. In the absence of support services, research and statistics, the magnitude of the phenomena has remained unclear, along with the farmers’ capability to meet market demands, access the markets, and negotiate prices. Primary qualitative data were collected to clarify the role of smallholder tree growers in the forest transition process and wood value chain using 60 semi-structured tree farmer interviews in four villages, and through interviews of timber buyers and processors. The findings indicate that the strong market demand has created dual markets, where higher quality industrial plantations mainly supply larger industries, whereas micro and small enterprises source wood from lower quality smallholder plantations. While the markets’ quality criteria are expected to tighten, capacity building is needed to improve smallholder wood quality to ensure the long-run tree-growing livelihood and competitiveness of small-scale producers in the markets.

KW - ALLOCATION

KW - DECISIONS

KW - DEFORESTATION

KW - DISTRICT

KW - FRAMEWORK

KW - Farmer organizations

KW - Forest transition

KW - Forestry extension

KW - LAND

KW - Livelihood diversification

KW - PARTNERSHIPS

KW - PLANTATIONS

KW - PLANTED FORESTS

KW - RURAL LIVELIHOODS

KW - Smallholder

KW - Tree plantation

KW - 4112 Forestry

U2 - 10.1007/s11842-019-09414-8

DO - 10.1007/s11842-019-09414-8

M3 - Article

VL - 18

SP - 189

EP - 212

JO - Small-Scale Forestry

JF - Small-Scale Forestry

SN - 1873-7617

IS - 2

ER -

Arvola A, Malkamäki A, Penttilä J, Toppinen A. Mapping the Future Market Potential of Timber from Small-Scale Tree Farmers: Perspectives from the Southern Highlands in Tanzania. Small-Scale Forestry. 2019 Jun;18(2):189-212. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11842-019-09414-8

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