Labor Allocation to Non-Timber Forest Products Extraction: The Case of Lacandona Rainforest Community

The commercial extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFP) from tropical forests has been considered as a strategy to promote forest conservation and at the same time alleviate poverty. However, recent studies produce conflicting findings regarding the effect of NTFP extraction on conservation and poverty alleviation while highlighting the importance of understanding the economic logic underlying households’ decisions to extract NTFPs. This paper analyzes the determinants of household participation in the extraction of xate palm, a non-timber forest product, in the Lacandona Rainforest (Selva Lacandona). Results show that low opportunity costs and low human capital, two strong correlates of rural poverty, significantly explain individuals’ participation in xate extraction.