The contribution of forest products to rural livelihoods in Nkasi district, Rukwa, Tanzania

This study was conducted in Nkasi District, Rukwa region, Tanzania, with the overall objective of assessing the contribution of forest resources in improving the livelihoods of rural communities. The focus was on various ways in which local communities in the study area earn income through forest resources. Similarly, the study focused on the types and quantities of the forest products and establishment of the contribution of the products to household income. Primary data were collected from household survey in the study area by using questionnaire, PRA techniques and check list for key informants. Data collected during PRA were analysed with the help of local community. Content and structural- functional analysis techniques were applied for qualitative data and information. The quantitative data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) programme. The secondary data were obtained from the District Natural Resources Office. The results show that indigenous forests provide various types of forest products with substantial contribution to the livelihoods of the household. The forest products comprise about 21% of the total annual household cash income. Likewise, the study quantified the annually utilized forest products per household to be around TAS 186 815. The study also identified endangered plant species orchids which is widely traded and consumed by about 63% of the sampled households. The study shows that most of the forest resource users utilize forest products that require licenses. It was further noted that most of the users do not acquire licenses. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that contemporary forest management approaches such as Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) and Joint Forest Management (JFM) should be employed in order to ensure sustainable use of forest resources.Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism particularly the Wildlife Divisio