Do Residents around Protected Kakamega Forest Derive Benefits from Non-Timber Forest Products
[1]
Kisaka Lily, East African Community (EAC), Lake Victoria Basin Commission, P.O. Box 1510 40100, Kisumu, Kenya.
[2]
Sitati Noah, African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), Kilimanjaro Landscape, P.O Box 20 00207, Namanga, Kenya.
Kakamega Forest is endowed with rich Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) which make a critical economic contribution to the rural livelihoods. Despite this, their economic values have never been properly determined. We present an analysis of the contribution of NTFPs from Kakamega Forest to household income in comparison with other sources of income. Using a questionnaire survey, 250 randomly selected households within a radius of 5 km from the forest boundary were interviewed. Seven predominantly collected NTFPs contribute 47% of household income, compared to farm income (40%) and other sources (13%) of income and were estimated at US$ 713 per household per annum. However, the proportion of household income contributed by NTFPs showed a significant inverse relationship with distance of the household from the forest edge. Equally, there was an increase in the level of income from other sources, other than farming and NTFPs. We, therefore, conclude that NTFPs are an important component of the households’ livelihood system, and unsustainable extraction should be guarded against. Consequently, we recommend that for sustainable management of Kakamega Forest, the true value of NTFPs should be established to inform decision making.
Non-Timber Forest Products, Livelihood, Benefits, Kakamega Forest
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