Comprehending local reliance on subsistence farming for protected area management: A case of Yankari Game Reserve, Bauchi State Nigeria

Protected areas are, crucial in global biodiversity conservation; however, their success is uncertain when adjacent rural settlements depend on natural resources for their livelihoods. Subsistence farming, which is important for community income, can also jeopardize the long-term viability of protected areas. The present study evaluates household dependence on subsistence farming in the vicinity of Yankari Game Reserve, Bauchi State, Nigeria. Primary data for this research were gathered through a household survey in the participating villages, utilizing questionnaires. An Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression was performed using SPSS to estimate the reliance of farm products. The study revealed that the dependence of rural communities on subsistence farming is strongly linked to household socioeconomic factors including age, household income, and farm income. The observed negative relationship between household reliance on farm products and age (t =-2.883, p < .004), suggests that elderly villagers tend to participate less in farming activities. The positive correlation between household reliance on farm products and household income (t = 6.622, p < .001) suggests that as households earn higher incomes, they tend to invest more in farming activities. Conversely, the negative relationship between farm products and forest income (t =-10.347, p < .001) indicated that respondents with higher farm incomes have a reduced reliance on natural forest products. Thus, effective conservation policies and initiatives should adopt a holistic approach, addressing not only the reduction of biodiversity loss, especially for endangered species, but also the influence of local livelihoods and resource use, which are key drivers of ecosystem degradation and environmental change.