EFFECT OF LIVELIHOOD DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGIES ON ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN KANAM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined the effect of livelihood diversification strategies among rural farming households on environmental degradation in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria. A multistage random sampling technique was used in selecting 90 respondents and data were collected through the administration of structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage and mean. The result reveals that majority (78.9%) of the respondents fell within the age of 18-37 years and 62.2% of them were male. Also 62.2% were married with the mean household size of 11 persons. In addition majority (76.6%) of the respondents had tertiary education and 64.4% are members of one association or the other. The result also reveals that majority (83.3%, 93.3% and 90%) of the respondents had access to basic health services, educational services and market respectively. Also more than half (57.8%) of the respondents had access to credit. The result also showed that 52.2% had contact with extension agent and majority (65.6%) were beneficiaries of extension services. The result further reveals that, 74.4%, 66.7% and 68.9%, of the respondents were engaged in firewood, charcoal making and mining activities, respectively. The result also showed that livelihood diversification activities have several effects on environment such as deforestation (90%), limited availability of forest products (82.2%) and diminishing land for farming (75.6%) to mention few. The major constraints to livelihood diversification were inadequate funds, infrastructure, capacity building and land holdings which were ranked 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th respectively. Emanating from the findings it can be concluded that livelihood diversification activities like mining, charcoal making and firewood business has led to environmental degradation in the study area. Based on the constraints highlighted, the following recommendations were made: implementing prevention and control policies for reducing deforestation, and government should establish annual afforestation program among others.