FOREST DEPENDENCE AND WILLINGNESS-TO-PAY FOR SELECTED FOREST SERVICE ATTRIBUTES IN FRINGE COMMUNITIES OF FOREST RESERVES IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA
Loading...
Date
2021
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
A clear understanding of forest households’ preferences as it relates to forest resources,
valuation of associated benefits and trade-offs they are willing to make among the
competing services provided by the forest are crucial in promoting sustainable forest
conservation. Hence, this study assessed forest dependence and willingness-to-pay for
selected forest service attributes in fringe communities of forest reserves in Southwest,
Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in obtaining primary data from 294
forest households in the study area. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food security module, Tobit regression,
ordered logit regression and mixed logit regression models. Results showed that the
household size was seven and the mean age was 47 years. Supply of firewood (85.6%),
supply of medicinal plants (79.7%), provision of cool breeze (79.2%) and support for
farming (74.2%) were the most important forest benefits. Farming was the most prevalent
occupation in the forest communities. The major agricultural commodities produced in the
forest communities were cassava, maize and plantain with returns on investment that is
3.13, 2.36 and 2.40 respectively for every one naira invested in the production of the
crops. Tobit regression result shows that years spent in forest community, dependency
ratio, gender (males), and farm size significantly increase dependence on forest for
livelihood. USDA food security module revealed that 17.4% of the forest households
sampled are food secured while 82.7% were food insecured. The ordered logit model
revealed that household income, gender (male), agroforestry farming, firewood supply
and flowing water from forest increase the likelihood of being marginally and highly food
secured. The mixed logit model revealed that all the attributes except biodiversity reserve
area significantly influence preference for afforestation and reforestation scheme. Positive preference was shown for access to farming while negative preference was shown for
decreasing timber harvesting level, intervention management, access for recreation and
cost. An average respondents in this study was willing to pay N4,756 for the forest service
attributes. The attribute (access to farming) has the highest marginal WTP value of
N4,018.03. The study concluded that forest reserves contribute positively to livelihood
support in forest communities. Among other recommendations, the study recommended
that livelihood support for forest households such as farming should be taken into
consideration in planning afforestation and forest rehabilitation schemes to achieve
sustainable forest conservation in Nigeria.