ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with the opera-tions and functions of markets for forest products. The focus on markets is on their basic role in the process of exchange and distribution. These are fundamental activi-ties in the organization of all societies (Trager, 1995). The harvesting of wild plants, grasses, fruits, bark and wood for domestic use has traditionally been an important subsistence activity that has provided inputs for household use for many rural people (Martin, 1995; Cunningham, 2000; see also Chapter 1). In rural areas, where many people do not have access to productive land or jobs, poverty is prevalent and harvesting of forest resources can provide the means to barter for needed items. With increasing commercialization of many forest products, the harvesting and sale of these products has become impor-tant to the livelihoods of many rural people (Campbell and Byron, 1996; de Beer and McDermott, 1996; see also Boxes 3.1 and 3.2 and Figure 3.1). The markets that have developed for this purpose are the focus of this chapter. In the dry forests and woodlands of Africa, firewood is often valued relatively highly. Here a farmer in Niger transports firewood from the forest to the market using a donkey. The money from firewood sales makes a significant contribution to his household's cash income https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781849773614/3ea09167-e714-408e-8077-1db771c6c353/content/fig3_1_C.jpg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/> Photograph by Reidar Persson
