Rural People Participation Strategies and Forest Conservation: A case Study of Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria

The purpose of this study is to investigate the rural people participation strategies and forest conservation in Mokwa Local Government Area (MLGA) of Niger state. The study aims to understand the level of participation of rural people in forest conservation efforts and to identify the strategies that can be implemented to enhance their involvement in sustainable forest management. In order to achieve this purpose, a survey research design was used for this study. Simple random sampling technique was employed to select six communities within the MLGA, while systematic random sampling technique was used to select 120 respondents for the study. The data collection methods included informal interviews with community heads, forest users, and personal observations from the field visits. Additionally, a twenty-item four-point Likert scale questionnaire was used as a formal instrument for data collection. The analysis of the data collected revealed that the major occupations in the study areas are farming (57.5%), followed by artisans (25%) and civil servants (9.2%). This indicates that a significant portion of the population in the study area relies on natural resources for their livelihoods. The findings also showed that there is a need to enhance the participation of rural people in forest conservation efforts, as their involvement is crucial for the sustainable management of forest resources. Overall, the study highlights the importance of understanding the participation strategies of rural people in forest conservation efforts. By identifying the barriers to participation and implementing strategies to enhance their involvement, it is possible to promote sustainable forest management practices in the study area. This research contributes to the existing literature on rural participation in forest conservation and provides valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners working in the field of natural resource management.