EXTRACTION OF NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS IN THE FORESTS OF BILIGIRI RANGAN HILLS, INDIA .1. CONTRIBUTION TO RURAL INCOME

It is generally assumed that the sustained extraction and processing o f non-timber forest products by local people can enhance their cash in come and provide an alternative to tropical deforestation. However, th e degree to which such products actually or may potentially contribute to rural incomes is poorly documented. We present the results of a st udy that seeks to evaluate the reliance of an indigenous group on non- timber forest products for cash income. Furthermore, we examine the ef fect of household variables on the cash income derived from collection and the price appreciation of non-timber forest prod nets. These prod ucts account for nearly half of the gross annual income earned by the Soliga households in the Biligiri Rangan Hills of the Karnataka State in South India. Econometric models indicate that although income deriv ed from the extraction of non-timber forest products is high in propor tion to the time devoted to the collection, the extraction is not a pr eferred vocation. Furthermore, price appreciation for non-timber fores t products varies for different products and, overall, the Soligas obt ain essentially minimal wages for their extractive efforts. We discuss possible mechanisms for enhancement of Soligas' income and the involv ement of Soligas in conservation efforts.