EFFECT OF DISPLACEMENT ON LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES OF RURAL DWELLERS WITHIN OMO FOREST RESERVE OF OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study assessed the effect of displacement on livelihood activities of the rural dwellers within Omo ForestReserve in Ogun State. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select 108 respondents. Data on livelihoodactivities, sources of information, effect of displacement on livelihood activities as well as constraints faced byrespondents due to displacement with respect to livelihood activities were collected through structured interviewschedule. Frequency counts, percentages, Chi-square, PPMC and t-test were used to analyze the data. Resultsreveal that most (67.5%) of the respondents were below 50 years, married (58.5%), males (72.8%) and 89.8%had educational level up to secondary school. Little above half (53.7%) were indigenes and 97.2% hadexperienced displacement thrice or less. Change in government policies was regarded as the major cause(89.9%) of the displacement. Displacement reduces both cash and arable crop production most and the effectwas high on majority (68.5%) of the respondents. Major constraints to involvement in livelihood activities weretransportation (x =2.98) and fear of untimely displacement (x =2.89). There were significant relationshipsbetween marital status (χ2=18.454), years of formal education (χ2=18.659), effect of livelihood activities (r=-0.460,); causes of displacement (r=-0.460); constraint to involvement (r=-0.329) and level of involvement inlivelihood activities. Displacement had negative implications on the respondents’ livelihood activities. It isrecommended that participatory and sustainable approaches that would resolve displacement issues should bedesigned so as to prevent conflict and disruption of livelihood. Keywords: Effect of displacement, livelihood activities, rural dwellers.