Woody forest products utilization and rural area transformation in Eastern Uganda: a case of Nabitende Township, Iganga district

Otieno, A. Charles
2014 IOSR Journal of Environmental Science Toxicology and Food Technology  
Exploitation of woody forest products on private land has superseded their regeneration hence unsustainable despite the many benefits accrued from the activity in eastern Uganda. A study of 253 households from Nabitende Township, a timber collecting centre with an agglomeration of wood processing workshops in Iganga district revealed that; the major woody forest products exploitation activities at Nabitende Township were furniture making (75%) and pit sawing/timber processing (59.3%); a
more » ... ion analysis of the perception of both wood processors and non-wood processors on the factors favouring wood works at the township showed that r=0.25 at 0.05 level of significance which was a slight relationship but the artisan skills was generally agreed as the major factor(85.8%); the most preferred timber species was Maesopsis eminii (86.2%) and Milicia excelca (86.2%) while the least were fruit trees, Mangifera indica (51.8%) and Artocapus heterophylus (59.7%);the woody forest products were sourced from the neighbourhood of the township such as Kaliro district, Buyende district, Namutumba district and Nawandala sub-county;Iganga town was the most significant market for wood products from Nabitende township at (χ 2 =1.7<9.21 at df=2) compared to other markets. This could be attributed to the place being a collecting centre in Eastern Uganda. Other very significant markets were Busia, Mbale, Kampala city, Kumi, Juba city, Malaba and Jinja town all at (χ 2 <9.21 at df=2); despite the statistically negative correlation interviews and observation agree on the fact that forest wood products exploitation has transformed the hither to rural environment. The researchers therefore recommended that both forest and environmental officers should sensitize the artisans on sustainable utilization of woody forest products especially discouraging wasteful machines; the local authorities to enforce the labour laws deterring child labour and early marriages to give room for education so as to sustain the transformation so far achieved.
doi:10.9790/2402-0893124132 fatcat:aldde47uivcnngwftzv4pk2xgq