Session I: General Livelihoods
Local resource use, market access and livelihood strategies in the highland-lowland context of the NWFP, Pakistan
by Bernd Steimann, Switzerland
This paper assesses livelihood strategies on local level in the NWFP. It especially asks for potential differences in strategies between the highland and lowland contexts. In particular, the explorative study focuses on local people's dependency on various livelihood assets, i.e. natural resources, access to local and regional markets as well as to formal and informal institutions (e.g. local government bodies). Special attention is given to gender disparities in regard to these issues.
Quantitative and qualitative data have been collected from May to August 2004 in three different villages of the NWFP. In order to examine potential differences between the highland and lowland contexts, one village has been selected each in the mountains, in the foothills, and in the plains. Methods applied were a rapid household listing, based on which structured interviews on individual level have been conducted. A gender-sensitive approach ensured representative results for both women and men. Qualitative data has been collected through focus group discussions and semi-structured key informant interviews.
First results show that livelihood strategies differ widely between the highland and lowland contexts. For example, both on communal, household and individual level, the range of possible cash income sources is much wider in the lowland, while people living in the highland often depend on one source of cash income only. Difficult access to markets and low agricultural productivity in the mountains result in a high dependency on labour migration. This leads to a much higher vulnerability in the highland, while households in the lowland can cope with crises more easily. On the other hand, the high ratio of male labour migrants in the mountains has a major impact on the share of workload between men and women and thus on the livelihoods of the female population.
Gendered livelihood assets and workloads in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP)
by Tahira Sadaf and Karin Astrid Siegmann, Pakistan
Brief introduction to topic
Worldwide, more work is done by women than by men in order to sustain their households' livelihoods. However, in many cases women's access to basic assets like proper food, education and awareness of the outside world, as well as cash money for their needs is restricted. Social and gender norms are commonly used to legitimate this unequal access and a gendered division of work.
Little evidence of these gender equality issues is available for Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) despite the rigid seclusion of the sexes under the system of 'purdah'. This paper provides an exploratory analysis of gendered access to livelihood assets and the resulting workload for women and men in NWFP.
Theme
More specifically, this paper assesses the gendered access to human, environmental, and financial assets. Human assets relate to education and health, amongst other things, whereas environmental assets include landholdings as well as sources of energy and water supply. Financial assets denote the access to and control over cash income, e.g. through income generating activities, and savings. Gender differences in such access have consequences for the workload of women and men.
Objectives
The paper's objectives can thus be stated as follows:
1. To explore the access of the female and male population of rural NWFP to human, environmental, and financial assets.
2. To analyse the resulting gendered workload and relate it to prevailing social and gender norms of that area.
Methodology
Quantitative and qualitative data on livelihood assets and strategies have been gathered in the period of May-August by a team of female and male enumerators in three selected villages of NWFP. They are analysed with descriptive statistical techniques. The analysis is based on the framework of the sustainable livelihoods approach.
Exploring urban livelihoods in Afghanistan
by Dr. Stefan Schütte, Germany
This presentation addresses problems of urban vulnerability and urban livelihoods in Afghanistan. It draws on the findings of a three-months' qualitative study conducted earlier part of 2004 in the cities of Kabul, Jalalabad and Herat, and on the rationale of a current 18-months' research project in these locations. The vulnerability-project explored the main forms and determinants of urban vulnerability and closely examined the 'asset-vulnerability' of the urban poor by means of focus group discussions with various social groups. A key finding is that the widely used term 'vulnerable group' is not a concise category, because there are differences within all groups studied. Vulnerabilities tend to be a-spatial and affect different social groups across all three cities in similar ways. However, inside certain groupings, differences do exist, and it is not the social group per se that is vulnerable, but certain households and individuals belonging to these groups.
The current qualitative and longitudinal research project attempts to better understand livelihood strategies of the urban poor and vulnerable in Afghanistan. This is done with the overall objective to inform the design and implementation of programmes and policy through action-oriented research. It is understood that throughout the recent decades of war, drought, and displacement, Afghans have developed a variety of strategies for coping with adversity. However, at present there is only little understanding about these livelihood strategies and the contexts in which they are carried out, and this current research programme aims to begin filling this gap and thereby assist aid actors and government to develop more socio-culturally appropriate, effective and practical interventions that strengthen the livelihoods of the urban poor.
Mega Development Sans Local Concerns: A Case Study of Gwadar Deep Sea Port
by Sikander Brohi, Pakistan
Located at the entrance of the Persian Gulf and about 460 km from Karachi, Gwadar has had immense geo-strategic significance on many accounts. The continued unstable regional environment in the Persian Gulf in particular as a result of the Iran/Iraq war, the Gulf war and the emergence of the new Central Asian States has added to this importance. Considering the geo-economic imperative of the regional changes, Pakistan’s policy makers considered Gwadar to have the most advantageous location for a modern deep sea port in the region, to capture the transit trade of the Central Asian Republic (CAR) as well as the trans-shipment trade of the region.
Keeping that aspect in view as well as the inherent strategic and economic benefits that Gwadar Port offered, Gwadar Deep Sea Port Project was launched on 22 March 2002. Total amount equivalent to Rs 14.9 Billion (248 million US dollars) were approved by ECNEC for Phase-I of the project. The financial agreement for development of Phase-I was signed with the Govt. of China on 10 August 2001 under which the Chinese will provide US$. 198 Million, and the remaining amount of US$. 50 Million is to be provided by Pakistan government. The first phase of the project is to be completed in December 2004. The second phase of the project is planned to be built on BOO/BOT basis at an estimated cost US$. 600 Million.
Concurrent with the Port development, a Master Plan of Gwadar has been prepared by NESPAK. Gwadar Master Plan envisages development of about 18,600 hectares of land for this project. The port is being developed over an area of 400 hectares. The other plans included an export processing zone over 74 hectares located on land adjacent to the port in East Bay, a special Industrial Zone of about 4000 hectares lying to the north of the town, an oil refinery of 1000 hectares located to the north east of the town, linked to a proposed oil terminal by an underground pipeline across East Bay, a residential area over 400 hectares stretching North of the existing town along West Bay etc.
The local communities and political groups of Gwadar including Balochistan are protesting against what they call complete lack of local community participation in the projects besides large-scale displacement of the local communities and degradation of their natural livelihoods as a result of the project. This paper examines the threats to the fisherfolk communities of Gwadar from the construction of Mega Gwadar Deep Sea Project, evaluates the impact of the Project on the lives and livelihoods of the fisherfolk communities and also examines what alternative plans the project offers for the resettlement of the local communities.
Session II: Forestry and livelihoods
A Futuristic study of institutional changes and livelihood assets of forest users in Mansehra District, NWFP, Pakistan
by Muhammad Awais, Pakistan
Changes in institutions do affect livelihoods. The history of institutional changes in the forest sector of Pakistan dates back to the British Colonial rule. The majority of initiatives taken in that era, for forest sector management, were bureaucratic in nature and the majority of the forests were under state management. However, later it was felt that the adoption of a participatory approach in forest resource management could lead to better results. Resultantly, an intense process of institutional change in the forest sector of NWFP is in progress, with the objective increased participation of forest communities. The problem under study states, “Intense processes of institutional reforms / changes are going on in NWFP to bring about changes in the lifestyles of the forest users, but these efforts are in progress without keeping in view their impact on the livelihoods of those for whom these efforts are planned. The question arises, are we headed in the right direction? What is the impact of these reforms? What types of institutional changes are needed in the near future? What are their anticipated impacts on the livelihood assets of the forest users? In view of this problem, the need was felt to conduct a research study aimed at analyzing the condition of the institutional changes and livelihood assets of the forest users with reference to a defined series of time i.e. past (5 years back), present (2004) and future (5 years ahead). Forest users of the Resource Management Unit (RMU) Siran, district Mansehra served as the respondents of this study. They were interviewed using a structured interview schedule. The data was analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). Qualitative data was collected through focus group discussions and personal observations. It was concluded that ‘increased people’s participation on one hand increases the effectiveness of natural resource management and on the other hand ensures the livelihood security of the forest people’.
Role of Various International Regimes in Setting Forest Policy In Pakistan
by Andreas Rothen, Switzerland and Qasim Shah, Pakistan
The paper will examine the role of different international institutions in the context of national forest policy formulation and execution in Pakistan. In the recent past, a number of donors and international institutes have heavily invested in the forestry sector in Pakistan. Among the important donors, Asian Development Bank, GTZ, SDC, UN FAO and secretariats of various UN conventions are included. The paper will examine the role of international arrangements and donor agencies both in the process and in institution-creation. It will also look into the various conditions and bindings; how it has improved the situation or otherwise. The paper will also highlight the main problems faced by different actors in Pakistan while trying to integrate international norms into the National Forest Policy.
The theoretical core of the paper consists of the Response Structure, which is derived from several theories such as Rational Institutionalism and Neo-liberalism. The Response Structure analyses the potential of a state to integrate international norms into its national and provincial forest policy. This potential depends on factors such as institutional settings, which determine the power of political actors to influence forest policy-making, and the distribution of actors who act in favor of international norms (doves) and actors who oppose them (falcons).
Participatory forest management in North West Frontier Province of Pakistan and livelihood strategies of local people
by Babar Shahbaz
Forests are a very valuable and renewable natural resource for Pakistan, which besides supplying timber, firewood, minor forest products, wildlife, and recreation also play an important role in biodiversity, climate moderation and soil/water conservation. Policies, institutions and processes form the context within which individuals and households construct or adopt livelihood strategies. In the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan, which houses the majority of the country’s natural forests, an intensive “Forest Reform Process” is ongoing with greater emphasis on community participation in forest management. The forest reforms seek to initiate a process of eliminating the fundamental causes of the depletion of forest resources through participation of various stakeholders. Collaborative or joint forest management intends to develop partnerships between the local communities and Forest Departments for the sustainable management of forest areas on the basis of trust and mutually defined rights and responsibilities of both parties. In this context this paper seeks to analyse the forest reform process and the livelihood strategies of forest users (local communities) in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. The forest use patterns and the perceptions of the local people towards the forest department are also discussed.
This paper is the outcome of an ongoing Ph.D. research project and is based on the qualitative (key informant interviews, transact walks, participant observation) and quantitative (household survey) data collected from eight randomly selected villages of Swat and Mansehra districts of NWFP.
State Actors’ Livelihoods and Acts of Translation
by Urs Geiser, Switzerland
Forests in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan are under heavy pressure. Often times, local people are blamed in this regard for their exploitative resource use. The present paper, however, searches for an understanding of the ongoing processes by analyzing the livelihood strategies and daily practices of representatives of the local state (field-level Foresters and Forest Officers) and donor project experts. Insights show, that policy formulation as done at the provincial capital is not ‘implemented’ in a functionalist manner at lower levels of the administration. Instead, many processes and acts of translation (within the wider context of livelihood strategies) take place along the actual practice (not the discourse) of policy formulation and implementation – through the various scales from the head offices of donors in the North to the provincial capital in the South, to the regional centres and – finally – to the forests in the Hindukush-Himalayan mountains. Conceptually, the paper attempts to interlink the livelihood debate (DFID) with theoretical debates on the "local state" (e.g. Harriss) and more critical thinking on development interventions (e.g. Mosse).
