Topic outline

  • The e-learning series on the ‘National socioeconomic surveys in forestry’ aims to provide guidance on the use of forestry modules to collect data on the socioeconomic contributions of forests and non-forests environments to household welfare and livelihoods. The series consists of the following courses:

    The series consists of the following courses:


    Course 1

    Introduction to national socioeconomic surveys in forestry

    This course presents the background and relevance of forest-related questions in household surveys. It also indicates how to use the forestry modules for LSMS-type surveys and for other users.

    1 h

    Course 2

    Measuring the role of forests and trees in household welfare and livelihoods

    This course introduces the definitions related to forest and wild products and describes the various methods and issues relevant to the forestry modules.

    45 m

    Course 3

    Collecting household welfare data through forestry modules

    This course describes in detail the components and questions in the forestry modules. It also describes key questions for appending onto existing Living Standards Measurement Survey (LSMS) household and community surveys.

    1 h 30 m

    Course 4

    Operationalising the forestry modules

    This course describes the key aspects relevant for operationalising the forestry modules, including their scope, focus and limitations. It indicates the relevance of enumerator training, quality control, and use of tablet devices. It also briefly describes the field-testing of the forestry modules in three countries.

    1 h


    Each course concludes with a final test. A digital badge certificate is issued upon successful completion of the test.

    Depending on the interest of learners, the self-paced course series can be completed as a whole (which is preferable), or as individual courses (or lessons), taken independently.

    Throughout the course series, references are made to specific courses or lessons where certain subjects are covered more extensively. Each course takes the learner step-by-step through the learning content using interactive screens and is complemented by exercises and links to additional material and websites for further reading.