Gender Control in Forest Product Value-Chain in Rivers and Bayelsa State, Nigeria

S M Olaleye,Department Of Forest Resources Management, University Of Ibadan, Nigeria , ,B O Agbeja

doi:10.15580/gjas.2014.2.012014050

S M Olaleye, Department Of Forest Resources Management, University Of Ibadan, Nigeria + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.15580/gjas.2014.2.012014050

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Abstract

Forest Products (FPs) are numerous and exhaustive processing of some species adds to the number of utilization. Apart from timber, non-timber forest products have the potential to increase under innovative modifications and introduces small-scale enterprises (SSE) from the point of collection, through the value-chain channel and finally to the end-users (consumers). This study was carried out to examine the impact of gender in selected FPs with a view to creating a paradigm shift in gender control (GC) and value-chain adjustment in forest conservation, harvesting, processing, marketing and consumption of FPs in Bayelsa and Rivers State, Nigeria. The result reveals that the more the married females and investors in a particular state the less the GC activities in FPs. Respondents between ages 20 and 59 and high level of education resulted to less GC commitment than younger or older ones with low level of education. More so, results revealed that frequent involvement of females in fruit and vegetable FPs are likely to discourage GC activities. The control of gender also shows that medicinal plant and crafts would offer positive and innovative mechanism to sustainability of livelihood and forest management. In Rivers, females dominate in handling of fruit and vegetable FPs while in Bayelsa, there was no gender restriction. In some FPs, children are a set of gender due to adult sentiments to distribution. In addition household, musical and fishing crafts were products from choice of FPs. Gender control in value-chain activities encourages SSE and innovation. Forest extension education would enhance efficiency.

Highlights

People attach different importance to forest products (FPs) such as timber and non-timber forest products that are capable of providing and increasing income, using cheap labour and life sustaining
This paper investigated the gender control in value chain of FPs in Bayelsa and Rivers State with a view of eliciting information on areas of priority, innovation, improvement and valuation of forest products to Small enterprise and intending forest industries
This implies that females dominate in forest product activities which may be due to nature of the forest or household provisioning but with the males involved revealed that there was no gender sensitivity

Summary

Introduction

People attach different importance to forest products (FPs) such as timber and non-timber forest products that are capable of providing and increasing income, using cheap labour and life sustaining. This is due to the fact that collection is free, increasing demand, requires risible collection and processing tools, less taxation and infrastructure. Forests are less considered during valuation, studies have revealed that they play significant roles in food security and ethno-medical use. This implies that FPs have being in existence before civilization and man has been a wasteful devourer of the forest. Processors own small enterprises that need support in the commercialization of FPs

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