The empirical results indicate that the impact of community participation
in forest management is positive and significant across all four
matching algorithms. The average treatment affect for the treated
(ATT) are Ngultrum 2605–3169 higher for the participating households
as compared to non-participating households. Similarly, the results for
poverty are negative and significant in all four matching algorithms.
The results for food poverty indicate that households participating in
the community forest program have lower poverty levels in the range
of 5–12 percentage points than those who do not participate. From
the empirical results, it can be concluded that community participation
in forest management can help to increase the household income and
can also help to reduce poverty in the range of 5–12 percentage points.
The food security levelswere high in the range of 12%–19% because, the
communities were deriving a number of benefits such as fruit, vegetables
and nuts, etc., from the program. However, there is still a lot of
scope and the income can be increased to a considerable extent which
can, in turn, help to reduce the poverty to a greater extent, as currently
in Bhutan one third of the rural population is living below the poverty
line. The results are in line with the previous studies in developing
countries which have found the impact of participatory forest management
on household income levels to be positive (Abebaw et al., 2012;
Yemiru et al., 2010). The results regarding community participation in
forest management and poverty reduction are in linewith the previous
studies such as (Baral, 2008; Sharma, 2002).