Household dependency on wild products and their contribution to people’s livelihoods in Milola A and Milola B villages in Lindi district, Tanzania

This study assessed households’ dependency on wild products and their contribution to household livelihoods in Milola A and B Villages in Lindi Rural District, Lindi Region, Southern Tanzania, Different research methods were used for data collection including household questionnaire survey, key informant interview and focus group discussion. Also one snapshot 24 dietary recall and observation, which captured utilization of wild edible and non-edible products including their proportional contribution to food and incomes were used. Other methods used were: transect walk, which included on-site observation with photographing and ethnobotanical methodology. Findings from the study have shown that 98 percent of households reported to use WPs, which included edible products such as vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms and non-edible products such as tree poles, medicinal plants and thatch grasses. Firewood was found to be the most used non-edible WPs by all households. Furthermore, the study revealed that sources of WPs were mainly Public Forest Land (PFLs), private farms and through purchasing. For every 4 meals taken, at least one consists of WPs. It was also found that incomes earned by households and the habit of eating WPs was not statistically significant different (Fi,98= 0.721, P>0.01), indicating that eating WPs was not associated with household income but by availability of WPs. The existing institutions involved in management of forests included public and private ones. Although they play almost the same role, they had different operating approaches causing confusion to the villagers. The opportunities for enhancing WPs in the study area include the availability of institutions that support forestry management and conservation programmes. Challenges included lack of coordination of institutions working in the area, forest encroachment and poaching, hostile animals and bush fires. The study recommends that villagers and schools should be supported with cultivatable WPs of desired plant species. Beekeeping should be enhanced, as well as PFM. Also the already established school health and environmental clubs should be supported so as to create a culture of environmental and forestry resources management.