Contribution of Non-Timber Forest Products to Local Communities: The Case of Belete Gera Forest, Southwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Forests provides non-timber forest products (NTFPs), which support the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Studies on the contribution of NTFPs to local people's livelihood improvement and poverty alleviation have grown in popularity. However, information on the contribution of NTFPs to annual household income is limited. The purpose of this study is to assess the role of NTFPs in local peoples' livelihoods. The study employed a multistage sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information during a face-to-face interview. Furthermore, key informant interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data on major NTFPs and triangulate data from HHs surveyed. An interview was conducted with 181 households in and around the forest at random. The most important NTFPs extracted from the forest were forest coffee, honey, charcoal, Aframomum kororima, fuel wood, lianas, Rhamnus prinoides, and medicinal plants. According to the findings, after crop production, NTFPs were the second most important source of income, accounting for 28% of total household income on average. Household NTFP contributions vary by wealth category, with poor (46%) and medium (40%) households contributing more than rich (14%). In general, income from various NTFPs contributes significantly to the annual income of local households, providing an important incentive to conserve forest resources in a sustainable manner. Better policies and strategies are required to sustain local people's livelihoods while conserving forest resources.