Journal international des progrès technologiques
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Forest Extraction Decisions and their Determinants in Western Kenya

Purity Yego Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya

Forest extraction plays a vital role in the livelihoods of millions of poor rural households. Understanding the nature of forest dependence and determinants of forest extraction can prevent livelihood strains induced by forest degradation.This paper assesses the nature, extent and determinants of forest extraction among rural households in Kenya. Data were collected from a random sample of 924 households in Bungoma and Trans-Nzoia counties in western Kenya. The level of forest extraction was measured in terms of the sum of value of products extracted while a two-step Heckman model was used to assess the determinants of forest extraction. The results show that participation in forest extraction was generally higher for households with lower asset value, membership in forest user associations and headed by males. The results further show while majority of those participating in extraction were of the lowest wealth category, the middle wealth category extracted products of much higher value. Additionally, institutional factors such as access to agricultural markets, credit, extension services and membership in forest user groups increased the likelihood of extracting at higher value products.  Overall, the results show that in addition to asset endowment, other contextual factors such access to markets, extension or membership to farmer groups defined whether a household extracted forest products for survival or accumulation.