Abstract

Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) have an important role in the household economy of forest fringe dwellers living in the dry-deciduous forests of Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapur districts of West Bengal, India. Due to the lack of agricultural land and industrial activities, forest fringe people collect forest products in regular basis for their livelihoods. They also make some value-added products to have some extra money. It is comparatively easier to calculate the monetary value of NTFPs, which are marketed at the local market or by intermediaries. However, the products which are normally collected for domestic uses carry enough monetary value too, but it never calculated in a proper way. It is very difficult to get a proper information from forest villagers that which product how much each household collect annually as the production of NTFPs vary from one year to another. A relative value can be calculated based on the importance, availability and quantity of these products.

Key words: NTFPs, forest fringe dwellers, livelihoods, development, economy.