Estimating the Economic Value of Non Timber Forest Products to the Adjacent Communities of Marsabit Forest Reserve, Marsabit County, Kenya
Abstract
Non-timber forest products are biological components of the forest ecosystem that exist in nature
and are generally not cultivated and are of great importance to the forest adjacent communities
due to their ability to support and sustain their livelihood practices while also contributing to
forest conservation. However, understanding of their economic value by both the local
communities, market forces, planners, policy makers and implementers is low thus often
presenting poor economic signals on their worth. This study sought to avail information on the
economic value of non-timber forest products from Marsabit forest which is important for the
conservation of the forest ecosystem as a whole and enhancing the efforts of better policy
formulation and decision making in the NTFPs sector. The study assessed the major NTFPs
extracted by the local communities adjacent to Marsabit Forest reserve. It further estimated the
economic value of these resources at the study site and determined the alternatives livelihood
options proposed by the local communities to reduce the extraction levels of NTFPs from the
Marsabit Forest reserve. Community focus group discussion, household survey using semi
structured questionnaires and market surveys were the major tools used during the data
collection process. A sample size of 96 households was determined statistically within the radius
of 5km from the forest reserve and households surveyed using simple random technique. The
quantities of the different products from the households were assigned an economic value by
multiplying with their average market prices. The results indicate that NTFPs play an important
role in the household economy of the Marsabit forest adjacent communities with key resources
extracted being firewood, medicine, forage, building materials, honey, fruits, animal products.
From the analysis, the estimated economic benefits accruing across the households from NTFPs extraction is approximately Kshs. 121,394.8/ha/year (US$ 1,214/ha/year) with firewood, plant
food products, building materials, medicine and honey being the biggest contributors. It is
therefore recommended that the county government and Marsabit forest reserve management
regimes give special consideration on formulating a policy that would guide sustainable
harvesting of NTFPs from Marsabit forest. Information on the worth of NTFPs from the forest
should also be cascaded to the local communities through available local communication
mechanisms and awareness creation on how they can still create wealth without necessarily over
depending on NTFPs from the Marsabit forest.
Publisher
University of Nairobi