1. Changed Environment
Impact on Livelihoods

2. Background Sida Helpdesk for environmental assessment
400,000 ha plantation in Niassa province
Baseline should include present livelihood strategies
Livelihood study to complent EIA
Sida’s Helpdesk for Environmental Assessment was asked by the Swedish Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique, to comment on the Terms of Reference for an EIA to be carried out for a forestry plantation project in the northern province of Niassa. The project involves plantation of mainly eucalyptus and pine, but also mahogany and teak over a total of up to 400,000 ha. Niassa province is to a large extent dominated by milmo woodlands, areas which are used for slash and burn agriculture. Other common habitats include dambos (wetlands), riparian forests and grasslands. Only degraded miombo woodland can come in question for the FSC certified forestry that Sida is willing to support through investments.
The Helpdesk, inter alia, concluded that the baseline information that would be gathered through the EIA was not sufficient to make an assessment of impact that the change in land use would have on local people’s access to local natural resources and their possibilities to continue deriving their livelihoods from these.
The Helpdesk therefore chose to commission a study that would complement the EIA by providing baseline data on local people’s use of natural resources. By having these data, the helpdesk hoped to contribute to an assessment of impact on poverty, and how poverty reduction could best be acheived in light of the forest plantations.

3. Scope of the Livelihood study
Use of, dependency on and access to NR
Most important economic and social activities
Shifting agriculture – why and how?
Coping strategies under stress
Local people’s socio-economic priorities
The Terms of Reference for the Livelihood Study, included, for example, the assignment to investigate and document:
Local people’s use of, dependency on and access to natural resources
Most important economic and social activities at individual, household, community and district level
The rationale for and periodicity of the slash-and-burn agricultural system
Local people’s dependency on income from natural resources
Local people’s various coping strategies under different kinds of stress
Present and future demand for water for domestic and agricultural use
Local people’s socio-economic priorities
Which local problems that the local people perceive as most serious

4. Results of Livelihood study (selection)
Majority perceive access to agricultural land stable
50% perceive fuel wood becoming less accessible
Majority perceive access to thatch stable
Majority perceive access to wild fruit stable
Increase area of cultivation = improve livelihood
Little knowledge of intensive agriculture techniques

5. Results, cont. Difficulty to grasp extent of plantations
Lack of understanding of interference with agriculture
Positive attitude to change and employment opportunities
Misconceptions abound:
Availability of fuel wood and wood for construction will increase
Rainfall will increase

6. Conclusions/Recommendations
Local people welcome the change
75% are interested in forestry employment
Information
Participation
Education/training
Supporting social services

7. Concluding remarks Important to plan to avoid conflict
Socio-economic baseline enable ”PIA in EIA”
Impact on livelihoods due to changed environment

8. Thank you. anna. axelsson@sol. slu
Thank you!