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The safety net function of NTFPs in different agro-ecological zones of South Africa

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Abstract

Various South African studies have shown that rural households use NTFPs as safety nets in times of misfortune. However being focussed on one or two sites, they do not show the prevalence of NTFP use as safety nets across multiple sites. In addition, they do not show the use of NTFPs as safety nets by rural households in different agro-ecological zones. The results of the study showed that about 79% of the total households interviewed experienced at least one shock of some magnitude in the previous 12 months. The most experienced shocks were illness, death, crop failure, and hunger. The households employed various coping strategies in response to different types of shocks, with the three widely used strategies being assistance from friends and relatives, using cash savings, and using NTFPs. Households in low agro-ecological zones used NTFPs as safety nets more than households in high agro-ecological zones.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the South African Research Chairs Initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation of South Africa. Any opinion, finding, conclusion, or recommendation expressed in this material is that of the authors and the NRF does not accept any liability in this regard.

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  1. Department of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    Worship Mugido & Charlie M. Shackleton

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  1. Worship Mugido
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Correspondence to Worship Mugido.

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Mugido, W., Shackleton, C.M. The safety net function of NTFPs in different agro-ecological zones of South Africa. Popul Environ 39, 107–125 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11111-017-0285-z

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