Gender Analysis of Rural Dwellers Accessibility to Free Natural Resources in Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study analyzed gender accessibility of rural dwellers to free natural resources in Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaire and oral interview schedule were administered to the illiterate respondents. Simple random technique was used to select three wards which included Kpambo, Kwesati and Rufu . A total of 60 respondents were selected purposively from the three wards to ensure that only forest resource gatherers were included in the study. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data collected. The findings of the study revealed that equal number of male and female respondents (41.4% each) were farmers. Also 32.4% and 31% of male and female respondents were landless. About 62% of male and 75.7% of female respondents were educated while 37.9% and 24.1% of male and female respondents had no formal education. About 51.7% and 72.4% of male and female respondents fell within the age range of 21-40 years. Another 86.7% and 89.7% of male and female had household sizes of over 5 persons. The most available free natural resources were mushroom, vegetables, fuel wood and fish while the less available ones were honey, fruits and medicinal plants. The least available resources were roofing materials, mat making materials, rope materials and ritual materials. Men accessed bush meat, fruits, fish, honey, roofing material, ritual, rope and mat making material while women had access to fruits, fish, medicinal plants, mushroom, vegetables and fuel wood. The result showed that the women took more of what they gathered home to meet household needs while a little was sold for income, while men sold most of what they collected with only few was left for home consumption. Based on the results of the study, it was recommended that increased gender based capacity building and responsibility for management of free natural resources should be encouraged among rural dwellers in order to ensure sustainability of the resources in contributing to food security and poverty alleviation among free natural resource users in the study area.

Key words: Gender, free natural resources, rural dwellers, accessibility, consumption, income