Economic contribution of forest products to household income in Metema district, Ethiopia

Dry deciduous woodland is the dominant vegetation type in northwestern Ethiopia. However, the contribution of such forests and their products to local and national communities has not been empirically studied so far, particularly in the study area. This study was carried out to assess the contribution of dry deciduous woodland forest products to households, as well as to identify the determinants of forest income and level of forest dependence in Ethiopia's northwestern lowlands. The data were collected through field observations, key informant interviews, and individual interviews. A total of 120 respondents were chosen using a systematic random sampling technique in three kebeles (villages) that were selected purposively. Combinations of data analysis methods such as descriptive statistics and an econometric model (a seemingly unrelated regression model) were used. The major sources of households’ income were crop production (46.91%), forest products (25.32%,) livestock farming (21.42%,) and off/non-farm activities contributed (6.32%) of the households’ total income. The major dry forest products include construction materials and farm tools, grass, gum and resin, charcoal, and fuel wood, contributing 23.60%, 22.77%, 17.89%, 16.56%, and 12.83% of the forest income, respectively. In addition, several socioeconomic and cultural factors that affect forest income and dependency have been identified. Therefore, we suggest that sustainable forest management schemes should be adopted to maintain and enhance the flow of economic benefits to the surrounding communities without damaging the natural resource system.