Author: Aung San Win
AIT Library Call Number: AIT Thesis no. HS-97-27
Year: 1995
Academic Program: Human Settlement (HS)
Type: Thesis (M.Sc.) – Asian Institute of Technology, 1997
Examination Committee: Reidar Dale (Chairperson); Amador A. Remigio, Soparth Pongquan (Examination Committee Members)
Abstract: The dry zone of Myanmar occupies 26080 sq. miles, nearly one third of the total country. It i.s the most important agricultural area of the country, and dry cultivation is widely practiced with sesame, groundnut, and pigeon pea as the principal crops. Supplementary occupations are also essential to most dwellers of the dry zone. Sparse forest comprising xyrophytic species have covered the dry zone since time memorial. Due to population pressure, a resulting thin layer of the forest and a lack of alternative energy, a major human concern in the dry zone is the acute shortage of fuelwood for domestic cooking and rural cottage industries. The Sustainable Community Multipurpose Fuelwood Woodlots project (MY A/93/003) was initiated as a joint venture of UNDP/F AO and Forest Department, with the recognition of the importance of grassroots’ involvement in protecting and managing the communal woodlots and their wider environment. However, questions have remained to what extent the project could benefit local people and could promote the sustained community forestry approach in the dry zone. The research has documented that the project partially achieved its targets and objectives. The participation of local people in project activities was not as the project expected and poor people still lag behind in most of the project’s activities. Some factors such as increased poverty in households, distribution of power and wealth, poor extension activities and poor coordination within the project were obstacles against sustained local people’s participation. Most of the villagers were hardly consulted regarding sharing the project’s benefits and the distribution system did not depend upon the decision of the villagers. The project partially achieved its targets particularly in terms of establishment of tree plantation, distribution of immediate project’s benefits and increased environmental awareness. And the project’s implementation ineffectually focused on the process of improving local institutional cap
Scholarship Donor(s): Royal Thai Government; Queen Sirikit’s scholarship
Note: A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. School of Environment, Resources and Development
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