Forest Policy, Economics, and Markets in Zambia

By Philimon Ng'andwe, Jacob Mwitwa and Ambayeba Muimba-Kankolongo

This book is the result of over ten years of field research across Zambia. It covers the production and diverse uses of wood and non-wood forest products in different parts of Zambia. Although a short format, it is a multi-contributed work.

It starts an overview of the forestry sector, and covers more specific areas like production, markets and trade of wood and non-wood products; the role of non-wood forest products in the livelihood of the local population, the contribution of the forestry sector to Zambia’s overall economy and reviews of efforts to strategically utilize these resources for local economic, and sustainable, development.

• A concise reference to understand key wood products, market dynamics, and role of forests in a developing nation
• A useful guide for corporations, consultants, NGOs and international research organizations involved with sustainable development in Zambia as well as other nations in the SADC

• Language: English
• Publisher: Academic Press
• Release date: Aug 20, 2015
• ISBN: 9780128041222

Philimon Ng'andwe

Philimon Ng’andwe is a Forest Industries technologist and Lecturer in Biomaterials sciences and technology at the Copperbelt University, Zambia. He has worked both in government institutions and the private sector. Philimon teaches wood anatomy, wood preservation and forest products technologies, markets and trade and has industrial and academic work experience in wood and non-wood forest products spanning over 25 years. Philimon’s research interests include both science and commerce: wood properties and anatomy, renewable bio-energy, and domestication of edible wild root, tubers and bulbs and monitoring green house gas emissions from forests industry, natural forests and wetlands. He has collaborated with the wood industry in various ways including finding solutions that enhances the forestry sector’s potential to increase its contribution to the national economy. Currently he is coordinating three projects: (1) Interim Environmental Fund Project in Central Province for domestication of edible wild roots, tuber and bulbs (2) Zambezi North South -South for teacher and student capacity building and international mobility (3) the Zambian wood web based wood xylarium database.

Book preview

publication.

Chapter 1

An Overview of the Forestry Sector in Zambia

Phillimon Ng’andwea, Jacob Mwitwab, Ambayeba Muimba-Kankolongob and Jegatheswaran Ratnasingamc,    aDepartment of Biomaterials Science and Technology, School of Natural Resources, Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia,    bDepartment of Plant and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Resources, Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia,    cFaculty of Forestry, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

The role of wood and non-wood forest products in the national economy and their contribution to poverty alleviation is a subject of discussion by many governments globally. The demand for wood and non-wood forest products is increasing, thus creating opportunities for enhancing marketing of wood products, particularly with a good resource base and incentives from Government that are aimed at establishing a profitable environment for increased domestic industrial growth, export promotion, market-oriented production and private sector development. Sustainable management of natural and plantation forest resources is critical to national development if fully supported by adequate forest policies and legislation. The emerging issues such as carbon management and adaptation to climate change and high rates of deforestation are some of the challenges that face the forestry sector amid the many opportunities for sustainable industrial development, market access, and