Trees in forested and agricultural landscapes are particularly important because they provide high values of environmental services and biodiversity. In this proposed study we want to establish the link between deforestation, time allocation to fuel-wood collection and agriculture. We will use a non-separable (non-recursive mode) to test the participation of households in fuel-wood collection and farming activities using data from Central and Southern Tanzania. We would like to analyze how labour time, gender composition of the household, seasonality and agro-ecological differences affect household labour allocation decisions
We will also establish whether when deforestation increases and fuel-wood gets scarce, these forces household members to divert time away from farming. If no reallocation of time takes place, we will conclude that agriculture is such an important activity and fuel-wood products have not become costly enough to significantly tighten household labour constraints.
Finally the proposed project will ascertain how to alleviate the labour bottlenecks of subsistence farmers through agro-forestry programs, efficient use of fuel-wood; adoption of efficient cooking equipment, use of fuel-wood substitutes which will relieve environmental wood collection; labour burdens and reduce collection time for fuel-wood.
