International Journal of Environmental Planning and Management
Articles Information
International Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Vol.1, No.5, Dec. 2015, Pub. Date: Jan. 16, 2016
Gender Participation in Forest Resources Exploitation and Rural Development of the Forest Communities in Cross River State, Nigeria
Pages: 157-168 Views: 2322 Downloads: 914
Authors
[01] Eneji C. V. O., Dept. of Environmental Education, Faculty of Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria;Dept.of Geography, School of Environmental Sciences, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria.
[02] Ogar D. A., Dept. of Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.
[03] Mubi A. M., Dept.of Geography, School of Environmental Sciences, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria.
[04] Husain M. A., Dept. of Urban and Regional Planning, School of Environmental Sciences, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Nigeria.
Abstract
The exploitation of forest resources is carried out by both male and female; they do this because they have material gains they make from such exploitation. These gains include both timber and non timber forest products like food especially during shortfall in food supply as safety net, income from the sales of timber and non timber forest products, materials for building houses, medicine for ailments and other diseases and other environmental benefits like soil fertility replenishments. This study set out to assess how male and female participate in the exploitation of forest resources, what they benefits from the exploitation and how this benefits could translate to the rural development of the park enclave communities of the Cross River National Park, Nigeria. Two hypotheses were formulated for the study in the null form. Questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection, this is divided into section A and B, with section A eliciting respondent’s socio-demographic data, while section B elicits data on gender participation in forest resources exploitation and rural development of the park enclave communities. Using the stage-wise random sampling technique, a sample of 638 respondents representing 15% from the total population of 4249 people within the enclave communities of the park (Okwangwo, Okwa 1 and 2, Mkpot, Abung and Iku) was sampled for the study. The researcher with the help of three trained research assistants administered the instruments and collected same back. Chi square and Pearson Product Moment correlation was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 significant levels. Both hypotheses tested significant. That there is a significant difference between male and female in forest resources exploitation and there is a significant relationship between benefits from forest resources exploitation and rural development of the park enclave communities. Forest resources exploitation is done along gender disaggregated line with the male harvesting timber and animal products and also harvest few of non timber forest products, the female harvest non timber forest products and very little of animals and timber for fuel wood. The implication of this finding is that both male and female exploit forest resources, the male harvest more of timber forest products and a little of non-timber forest products, whereas the women harvest more of non timber forest products and very little of animals and timber forest products. The benefits derived from gender participation in forest resources exploitation can be used for the rural development of the park enclave communities. Hence benefits from forest exploitation had been used to improve the quality of lives of these communities and also built iron roof houses for themselves. There is increase in the number of schools built by the forest communities with commensurate increase in school enrolment of pupils and students. The study concluded that there is community self help development project executed by community members within the park enclaves and their lives improved, but this development in terms of infrastructural development is limited and relative as compared to other areas where forest resources are protected. It was recommended that government should design sustainable development projects that will better the lives of the rural enclave communities and also provide facilities that will discourage forest resources exploitation.
Keywords
Gender Participation, Rural Development, Forest Resources Exploitation, Benefits from Forest Resources,Enclave Communities, National Parks and Protected Areas
References
[01] Agarwal B (2001). Participatory exclusions, community forestry, and gender: An analysis for South Asia and a conceptual framework. World Dev., 29: 2145-2145.
[02] Agarwal, B. (2009). Gender and forest conservation: the impact of women's participation in community forest governance. Ecological Economics 68(11): 2785-2799.
[03] Agarwal, B. (2010). Does Women’s Proportional Strength Affect their Participation? Governing Local Forests in South Asia, World Dev.: Volume 38, Issue 1, January 2010, Pages 98–112.
[04] Agrawal A and Chhatre A., (2006). Explaining success on the commons: community forest governance in the India Himalaya. World Dev. 34(1) 149-166.
[05] Agrawal, A. and Redford, K. (2006). Poverty, Development, and Biodiversity Conservation: Shooting in the Dark? WCS Working paper no. 26 march http://www.wcs.org/science
[06] Arnold, J.E.M. (1998). ‘Managing Forests as Common Property’. Forestry Paper 136. Rome: FAO.
[07] Booth, A. and Halseth, G. (2011). Why the public thinks natural resources public participation processes fail: A case study of British Columbia communities, Land Use Policy: Volume 28, Issue 4, Pages 898–906.
[08] Buchy M. and Subba S (2003). Why is community forestry a social- and gender- blind technology? The case of Nepal, Gender Tech. Dev., 7: 313-332.
[09] Center for International Forestry Research (2008). CIFOR’s strategy 2008-2018: making a difference for forest and people. Center for international forestry research, Bogor, Indonesia (online) URL: http//www.cifor.org/publications/pdf_files/Books.CIFOR strategy0801.pdf
[10] Cohen, J., (1992). ‘Okin on Justice, Gender and Family.’ Canadian Journal of Philosophy 22: 263-287.
[11] Coleman, E.A. and Mwangi, E. (2012). Women’s participation in forest management: A cross-country analysis. Global Environmental Change 23(1): 193–205. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2012.10.005.
[12] Connell RW (2005). Masculinities: Second edition. UC Press, California.
[13] Cornwall, A. (2003). 'Whose voices? Whose choices? Reflections on gender and participatory development', World Dev. 31: 1325–1342.
[14] Cornwall, A., Harrison, E. and Whitehead, A., (2007). 'Introduction: Feminisms in development: Contradictions, contestations and challenges'. In A. Cornwall, E. Harrison and A. Whitehead (eds), Feminisms in Development: Contradictions, Contestations and Challenges, London: Zed Books, pp 1–20.
[15] Couliba, ly- Lingani, P., Savadogo, P., Tigabu, M and Oden P.C. (2011). Factors influencing people's participation in the forest management program in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Forest Policy and Economics, Volume 13, Issue 4, April 2011, Pages 292–302.
[16] Defra (2006). Rural Development Programme for England 2007-2013. London, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Consultation.
[17] Dwyer J., Ward N., Lowe p., Baldock D. (2007). European rural development under the Common Agricultural Policy’s “Second Pillar”: Institutional conservatism and innovation. Regional Studies, Vol.41, no. 7, p. 873-887.
[18] Eneji, V.C.O. Qi G., Okpiliya, F.I., Aniah, E.J., Eni, D.D. and Afanghideh, D., (2009b). Problems of Public Participation in Biodiversity Conservation: the Nigerian Scenario, Journal of Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, Vol. 27, No.4, pp 301-307, December.
[19] Eneji, V.C.O, Qi G., Jian X., Oden S. Nand Okpiliya F. E., (2009a). A Review of the Dynamics of Forest Resources Valuation and Community Livelihood: Issues, Arguments and concerns, Journal of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Ecology, Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 201-231.
[20] Fishbein, R. (2001, June). “Rural Infrastructure in Africa: Policy Directions” (Africa Region Working Paper Series No. 18). Washington, DC: World Bank.
[21] German, L W, Mazengia S, Ayele W, Tirwonwe, J,Tanui H, Taye L, Begashaw, S, Nyangas A, Chemangeni W, Chaptegei M, Tsegaye Z, Admassu F, Alinyo A, Makennen, K, Aberra, T Tolera, Z, Jotte and K Bedane (2008). Enabling equitable collective action and policy change for poverty reduction and improved natural resource management in Eastern Africa highlands. Collective action and property rights (CAPRI) Working Paper 86, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington DC, USA.
[22] Giri K, Wocan, I. and Faculty, O.F., (2008b). Reflecting on Experiences: Women in the Forestry Sector in Nepal. MemCoE IOF Discussion.
[23] Giri K, Wokan, I. and Faculty, O.F., (2008a). Profile of Women Graduates of the Institute of Forestry, Nepal, MemCoE IOF Discussion Paper #22, Memorial Center of Excellence-MemCoE, Hariyo Kharka, Pokhara.
[24] Golder, B. and MacDonald, M. (2002). Population and Gender Dynamics in Coastal Conservation in East Africa. Intercoast Network Winter 2002, p.18, 19 and 38.
[25] Halseth, G., & Ryser, L. (2006). Trends in service delivery: Examples from rural and small town Canada, 1998 to 2005. Journal of Rural and Community Development, 14, 69–90.
[26] Henderson, J. V., Shalizi, Z., & Venables, A. J. (2001). Geography and development. Journal of Economic Geography, 1(1), 81–105.
[27] Hodge I and Midmore P (2008). Models of Rural Development and Approaches To Analysis Evaluation And Decision-Making ………..p. 23-38.
[28] Kanbur, R., & Venables, J. (Eds.). (2005). Spatial inequality and development. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[29] Koirala R, Giri K, and Pokharel, BK (2008). Development and Status of Community Forestry Governance in Nepal. Paper presented at the National Convention of Society of American Foresters, Reno-Tahoe, Nevada.
[30] Lee J., Árnason A., Nightingale A., Shucksmith D.-M. (2005). Networking: social capital and identities in European rural development. Sociologia Ruralis, Vol.45, no 4, p. 269-283.
[31] Leon Y. (2005). Rural development in Europe: a research frontier for agricultural economists. European Review of Agricultural Economics, Vol.32, no 3, p. 301-317.
[32] Lidestav G and Ekström M (2000). Introducing gender studies on management behavior among non-industrial private forest owners, Scandinavian. Journal of Forest Resources, 15: 378-386.
[33] Lockwood, M., Worboys, G.L., Kothari, A., (2006). Managing Protected Areas. A Global Guide. Earthscan. London. Sterling, VA., pp: 802.
[34] Loudermilk, K. (2004). Fictional Feminism: How American Bestsellers Effect the Movement for Women's Equality. New York: Routledge.
[35] Lowe p., Ward N. (2007). Sustainable rural economies: some lessons from the English experience. Sustainable Development, Vol.15, no 5, p. 307-317.
[36] Madu, I. A. (2006). Spatial inequality in Nigeria: The imperative of geographic perspectives in the development process. Journal of Social and Economic Development, 8(2), 105–121.
[37] Madu, I. A., (2003a). Conceptual framework and action plan for community participation in rural infrastructure development in Nigeria. Nigeria Journal of Administrative Science, 6(2), 231–244.
[38] Madu, I.A. (2007). The Underlying Factors of Rural Development Patterns in the Nsukka Region of Southeastern Nigeria: Journal of Rural and Community Development 2, pp 110-122
[39] Manfre, C. and Rubin, D. (2012). Integrating gender into forestry research: A guide for CIFOR scientists and programme administrators. CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia.
[40] Marchand, M. and A. Runyan (eds) (2000). Gender and Global Restructuring, London: Routledge.
[41] McElroy, W, (ed.), (2002a). Liberty for Women: Freedom and Feminism in the Twenty-First Century. Chicago: Ivan R. D.A.
[42] McElroy, W., (2002b). ‘Introduction: Foundation of Individualist Freedom.’ In McElroy (2002): 5-26.
[43] Morrison T.-H. (2006). Pursuing rural sustainability at the regional level: key lessons from the literature on institutions, integration, and the environment. Journal of Planning Literature, Vol.21, no 2, p. 143-152.
[44] Mwaipopo-Ako, R. (2000). Gender, Resource Utilization and Management in Coastal Tanzania. A case study of Saadani Village, Coast Region. Unpublished PhD Thesis, Dept of Social Anthropology, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
[45] Mwangi, E., Meinzen-Dick, R. and Sun, Y., (2011). Gender and sustainable forest management in East Africa and Latin America. Ecology and Society 16(1): [online] URL: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol16/iss1/art17/
[46] Nkembi, L.N., (2003). Participatory Forest Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods: Banyang-Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary: presented at 12th World Forestry Congress, Quebec City, Canada.
[47] Nussbaum,M., (2000 ).‘The future of Feminist Liberalism.’ Proceedings and Addresses of the American Philosophical Association 74: 47-79.
[48] Ofoulhast-Othamot, G., (2014). Decentralization of natural resources management and improvement of rural livelihoods: empirical evidence from the Dimako Council Forest experiment in eastern Cameroon; Forests, Trees and Livelihoods, Volume 23, Issue 3, pages 175-187.
[49] Ogunjobi, J.A., Meduna, A.J., Oni, S.O., Inah, I.E., and Enya, D.A., (2010). Protection Staffs’ Job Perception in Cross River National Park, Southern Nigeria, Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 5 (1): 22-27.
[50] Okin, S. (1989). Justice, Gender and the Family. Basic Books: New York.
[51] Oloruntoba, A. and Adetokumbo, O., (2006). Determinants of household’s participation in social forestry in a zone of northern Nigeria. Journal of food, Agriculture and Environment 4(2)320-326.
[52] Oyekale, A. S., Adeoti, A. I., and Ogunnupe, T. O. (2004). Sources of income inequality and poverty in rural and urban Nigeria. Ibadan, Nigeria: University of Ibadan, Department of Agricultural Economics.
[53] Parks and Peoples Group, (PPG) (2006). The Social Impact of Protected Areas. Annals Review of Anthropology, Vol. 35: 251-277 (Volume publication date October 2006), First published online as a Review in Advance on June 5, 2006, DOI: 10.1146/annurev.anthro.35.081705.123308.
[54] Reed M.G., (2008). Reproducing the gender order in Canadian forestry: The role of statistical representation, Scandinavian Journal of Forest Resource, 23: 78-91.
[55] Rocheleau D, Thomas-Slayter B, and Wangari, E., (1996). Gender and Environment: A feminist political ecology perspective. Routledge, New York.
[56] Shackleton, S., Paumgarten, F., Kassa, H., Husselman, M. and Zida, M. (2011). Opportunities for enhancing poor women’s socioeconomic empowerment in the value chains of three African non-timber forest products (NTFPs). International forestry Review 13(2): 136–151.
[57] Shackleton, S. E. and Campbell, B.M. (2001). Devolution in natural resource management: Institutional arrangements and power shifts. A synthesis of case studies from southern Africa. SADC Wildlife Sector Natural Resource Management.
[58] Spinner-Halev, J., (2001). ‘Feminism, Multiculturalism, Oppression and the State.’ Ethics 112: 84-113.
[59] Stiglitz, J. (2002). Participation and development: Perspectives from the comprehensive development paradigm. Review of Development Economics, 6(2), 163-182.
[60] Stone, M. and Wall, G. (2004). Ecotourism and Community Development: Case Studies from Hainan, China, Environmental Management, Volume 33, Issue 1, pp 12-24.
[61] Sunderland, T., Ickowitz, A., Reyes-Perez, V., Babimigura, R. and Achdiawan, R., (2013). [In review]. Myths and truths about men, women, and forest resources: Results from the PEN global dataset. World Dev.
[62] Tanya M. H. (2006). Park, people and forest protection: an institutional assessment of protected areas, World Dev., volume 34 No. 12 Elsevier. The World Bank Environmental Management Project.
[63] Torri, M.C. (2010). Power structure, gender relations and community based conservation the case study of the Sariska region, Rajasthan, India, Journal of International women’s studies, 11(4), 1-18.
[64] Vodouhe, F., Coulibaly, O., Adegbidi, A. and Sinsin, B., (2010). Community perception of biodiversity conservation within protected areas in Benin, Forest Policy and Economics: Volume 12, Issue 7, Pages 505–512.
[65] Williams, P. C. (2007). Maiden Voyages: Eastern Indonesian Women on the Move, Singapore: ISEAS Publishing.
600 ATLANTIC AVE, BOSTON,
MA 02210, USA
+001-6179630233
AIS is an academia-oriented and non-commercial institute aiming at providing users with a way to quickly and easily get the academic and scientific information.
Copyright © 2014 - American Institute of Science except certain content provided by third parties.