ASSESSMENT OF LIVELIHOOD SUSTENANCE AND NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCT AVAILABILITY OF HADEJA-NGURU WETLANDS INHABITANTS

Abstract

The study assessed the livelihood sustenance, NTFPs availability of HNWs inhabitants, Parameters evaluated includes; livelihood sustenance practices of inhabitants, Data collection was done using structured questionnaires, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), In-depth Interviews (IDIs). Paired sample T-test and chi-square test of association were used in assessing the interphase of livelihood sustenance practices, NTFPs availability, Result showed that majority of the respondents (78.25%) were males, 68% were married, Agric/farming (15.25%) topped the occupation list, age brackets of 45-50 was highest (23.75%) and 34.5% (highest) of the respondents had primary school education. The highest household size of the respondents (51.75%) was between 7 and 9 children, the highest previous yearly income (36.5%) was between N 50,000. 00 and N 100, 000. 00 per annum while the highest (36.5%) present yearly income was from N 1,000.000, 00 to N 1,500,000.00. majority of the respondents (80.25%) had awareness of climate change, 89.25% were aware of the impacts of climate change on livelihood sustenance and 30.5% indicated sparse distribution of NTFPs as a major effect of climate change. Decreased production in crops, land shade, damaged of harvested crops, increase in insect population, shortening the time of germinating seeds were thought to be the consequences of reduction in rainfall, excessive rainfall, irregular rain pattern and increase in temperatures respectively. Food scarcity (42.5%), reduction in income due to depletion of NTFPs (79.75%) were also pinpointed. The communities in the wetlands depend largely on the natural resources for their livelihood and survival.