Causes and consequences of deforestation on rural household income in Aliero Kebbi state

Abstract

Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a non-forest use. The aim of this study is to determine the Causes and Consequences of Deforestation on Rural Household Income in Aliero LGA of Kebbi State. The study employed a descriptive and explanatory design; questionnaires were applied in order to collect data. 200 respondents were randomly selected from the study area and these includes; farmers, hunters and members of the general public. The study area was further divided into two groups of A and B and each of the groups contains two villages of which 50 questionnaires were administered to each village. The SPSS (version 22) of the Statistical Regression tools were used to analyze data using a simple percentage which was presented in frequency distribution tables and percentage. The result revealed that, the respondents were gender sensitive (81.5%) were male and (18.5%) were female. Most of the respondents were married (71%) while (100%) of the respondents were Muslims (Islam) indicating that Islam is the dominant religion in the study area. On age, 16 – 25 years (27.5%) recorded the highest number of the respondents in the study area while (44.5%) have low literacy level attaining only non-formal education. Family size 4 and above recorded the highest (61%) of the total population while farming (71%) is the major occupation of the respondents. However, (88%) of the respondents, earn their income from sales of farm/forest produce. Meanwhile on the effect of deforestation on household income, the result shows that age, educational level and source of income are positively significant (6.759, 0.25 and 1.386 respectively) at P<0.05 while gender and family size are negatively significant (-0.547 and -1.004 respectively) at P<0.05. Religion, marital status and occupation are not significantly different (P>0.05). The F- statistics value of 4.590 is significant at P<0.05, while the estimated R-square has the value of 24.355 which means that 24.355% of the variation in the dependent variable is because of the changes in the independent variables. Conclusively, deforestation was identified with the livelihood activities of the respondents in the study area as farming, hunting and sales of forest materials as parts of their major occupation. It is therefore, recommended that government should add more effort on poverty eradication program, and to educate the unemployed members of the community on the dangers associated with deforestation and there is the need for awareness on the effect of deforestation, and government at all level should make alternative cooking fuel(gas) available.