Roles of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) on Rural Livelihood in Gimi Settlement of Runka Forest Fringe in Katsina State, Nigeria

Abstract

Despite stiff forest conservationlaws in Nigeria which emanated from old colonial laws and forest ordinancesof the early 19 century, phenomenal numbers of forest species are gradually lost due mainly todemands of timber products. The emergence of Nigeria as party toseveral global biodiversity treatieswas thought to be effective in curtailing loss of species witnessed in all ecological zones of the country. However, reports of several studies indicate that from the tropical forest zone in south to the very northern Sahel extreme, vegetation of Nigeria is continuously degraded. It is such gloomy events that prompted this study which aim is to assess the role of NTFPs on livelihood of off-reserve community on the fringe of Runka Forest in Katsina, Nigeria. For the study, an estimated population of 4700 persons of Gimi Settlement was obtained and used as population frame. Out of the number a total of 235 individuals were selectedusing systematic sampling technique. Using the technique, each 20 order consecutive individual of the population was selected as a respondent. A purposive technique was to further select respondents that are 10 years old based on key informants’ revelation that only persons of this age (10+) are into full time NTFPs entrepreneurship in the area. Accordingly,180 respondents were eliminated and only 55 respondents were served with a semi-structured questionnaire. The study found out that because of increase in use of NTFPs to augment peoples’ diet, income as well as supply medicinal products in the area, forest species are maintained andless pressured. It is recommended that the knowledge of NTFPs management should be disseminated through schools and mass media to so as to sustain the forest reserve from further encroachment.