Women's Involvement in Non Timber Forest Products Utilization in Support Zones of Gashaka Gumti National Park

Abstract

This study investigated Women's involvement in Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) utilization in the support zones of Gashaka Gumti National Park. The use of interview schedule was adopted and questionnaire administered to a random sample of 150 women residents of the support zones. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results obtained indicated that mostly young women (83%) within the age class of 18 45 gathered NTFPs in the study area, and 50% of the women were illiterates. The distribution of respondents in terms of their occupation were; full time housewives 42%, farmers 32.5%, traders 16%, civil servants 7.5%, and cattle rearers 1%. Income earned from the NTFPs per annum ranged from N4, 000.00 N10, 000.00. A total of 84% of the respondents were involved in the gathering of NTFPs, among these 97.4% were part time collectors while only 2.6% were full time and 90% of the gatherers collected their NTFPs from the forest areas outside the park, while only 9.4% obtained theirs from within the park. NTFPs were used for food, medicine, handicraft, fuel wood and to generate income. Vitellaria paradoxa, Parkia biglobosa and Prosopis africana were more important for food and income while Nauclea latifolia, Khaya senegalensis ranked highest for medicine. Woody plants preferred as fuel wood included; Parkia biglobosa, Brachystegia eurycoma and Bridelia feruginea. Community Forest Programmes did not exist in the study area though highly desirous by the respondents. Establishment of community programmes is recommended as a preventive step against trespass on park NTFPs.