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Abstract
The study adopted a multivariable analysis based on Ordinal Logistic Regression (OLR) to examine the determinants of rural women’s involvement in exploitation of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) in selected forest communities in Southwestern Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined socioeconomic characteristics influencing rural women’s involvement in NTFPs and investigated forest-related variables associated with level of involvement of women in NTFPs. The study design was cross-sectional and multi-stage sampling procedure was used in selecting a sample of 320 respondents from 37 forest reserves in Ondo, Ogun and Osun States. The overall level of involvement showed that 38.4%of the women had low level of involvement in the exploitation of NTFPs. Socioeconomic variables associated with level of involvement in exploitation were age of the respondents (OR=0.87; p<0.05), level of education (OR=2.77; p<0.01), external orientation (OR=1.12; p<0.05) and marriage type (OR=7.14; p<0.01). Forest-related variables associated with level of involvement were source of NTFP collection (OR=2.75; p<0.01); government laws and policies regarding NTFPs (OR=0.25; p<0.01), proximity to market (OR=0.51; p<0.05) and postharvest handing of NTFPs (OR=1.62, p<0.05). In the full model of the OLR, three socioeconomic variables and four forest-related variables jointly influence level of involvement in NTFPs (Likelihood Ratio Chi Square=162, p<0.01). The study concluded that there is a need to address socioeconomic and forest-related variables associated with the level of involvement in NTFPs for greater involvement in NTFPs in order to alleviate rural poverty in the forest communities.