ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECT OF DEFORESTATION AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS IN DARAZO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, BAUCHI STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

The study analyzed the effects of deforestation and proffered sustainable solutions in Darazo Local Government Area, of Bauchi State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed in selecting 400 respondents for the study. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that the majority (70.0%) of respondents were male, while 30.0% were female. Subsistence farming was the predominant occupation (58.7%), followed by trading/small business (20.0%), wood/charcoal vending (14.6%), and civil service (6.7%). Regarding education, 43.3% had no formal education, while only 6.7% attained tertiary education. Analysis of domestic energy sources showed heavy dependence on traditional biomass, with firewood/fuelwood being the dominant source (76.7%), followed by charcoal (16.7%), kerosene (4.7%), and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) (2.0%). Respondents’ perception of deforestation drivers ranked uncontrolled firewood/charcoal collection as the highest driver (mean = 4.81), followed by expansion of agricultural land (mean = 4.65), illegal commercial logging/timber trade (mean = 4.40), overgrazing by livestock (mean = 4.02), and road/infrastructure development (mean = 3.15). The study concludes that deforestation in the study area is driven primarily by domestic energy dependence and agricultural expansion, exacerbated by low education levels and poverty. The study recommends the promotion of alternative clean energy sources, community-based environmental education, enforcement of forestry regulations, and adoption of agroforestry practices to mitigate deforestation and enhance environmental resilience.