Literature Review: The Role of Literacy in Market Opportunity Recognition For Non-Timber Forest Products

Abstract

Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) have significant potential to support rural economic, however, many NTFP products remain trapped in low-value chains. Currently, there are still limited research has integrated digital, market, financial, and entrepreneurial literacy to explain market opportunity recognition in the NTFP context. This study aims to synthesize the role of these literacy dimensions in supporting market opportunity recognition among communities, business groups, and NTFP cooperatives. The main research question is: how does literacy influence the ability of NTFP actors to recognize and utilize market opportunities? This study employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) guided by PRISMA 2020. A total of 44 Scopus-indexed articles were analyzed through thematic synthesis. The findings show that digital literacy improves access to market information and online marketing; market literacy strengthens understanding of consumer demand; financial literacy supports risk management and business decision-making; and entrepreneurial literacy promotes innovation and value creation. Self-efficacy and managerial behaviour serve as key mediating mechanisms, while gender and digital infrastructure act as contextual factors. The novelty of this study lies in developing the Literacy-Based Market Opportunity Recognition for NTFPs framework, which positions literacy as a strategic capability for transforming NTFPs from subsistence products into market-oriented and sustainable value-added products.
Keywords: Digital Literacy; Market Literacy; Financial Literacy; Entrepreneurial Literacy; Market Opportunity Recognition.