The role of non-timber forest products in rural livelihoods in Angai village land forest reserve

The general objective of this study was to assess the contribution of NTFPs to the livelihoods of communities adjacent to Angai Forest Reserve and implication of their utilization of the NTFPs on forest management. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase one involved preliminary surveys and participatory rural appraisals in three villages, Kiangara, Kitogoro and Liwale “B” adjacent to Angai Village Land Forest Reserve in Liwale district. The second phase involved a questionnaire survey conducted with a sample size of 11% of the households of the sampled villages. Data collected through the questionnaire survey were analyzed by using both quantitative and qualitative methods. NTFPs identified were firewood, charcoal, poles, withies, ropes, wild vegetables, wild medicinal plants, tubers and roots, mushrooms and bush meat from animals and birds. The study revealed that the average value of NTFPs used by the household per year was TAS 821,250, which contributes about a 40% of the total household income of TAS 2,027,020. It was noted that NTFPs play an important role in meeting subsistence needs of the adjacent communities. It is recommended that there is need to empower local communities by increasing their capacity to monitor and manage their forest resources considering their local knowledge of NTFPs. A detailed inventory of NTFPs is needed in order to establish a resource base that will facilitate the development of a harvesting plan. Domestication of NTFPs through agro-forestry and afforestation of suitable tree species should be encouraged that will act as a substitute for the indigenous trees species greatly used in the study area.