Assessing the Impact of Youth Employment and Community-Based Workshops on Sustainable Community Forest Management in Akamkpa LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria

Acha J.O.; Nandi M.A.; Edet O.E.; Onor E.R.; Ettah E.I.

Acha J.O. University of Calabar
Nandi M.A. University of Calabar
Edet O.E. University of Calabar
Onor E.R. University of Calabar
Ettah E.I. University of Calabar

Keywords: Youth Employment, Community-Based Workshops, Sustainable Forest Management, Community Attitudes, Oban Akamkpa LGA, Cross River State.

Abstract

This research examined the impact of youth employment and community-based workshops on sustainable forest management in Oban, Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study made use of a descriptive survey design, employing a multistage sampling procedure in selecting a sample of 151 respondents from this population, a population of 2,156 youth and community members engaged in forest-related activities within the study area. The instrument used in data collection was a researcher-developed instrument titled “Youth Employment and Community-Based Workshops on Sustainable Forest Management Questionnaire (YECWSFMQ), validated by experts in Environmental Education and measurement and Evaluation Departments both from University of Calabar, Calabar Cross River State, Nigeria. The reliability of the instrument was ascertained using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients analyses with the text coefficient ranging from 0.78 to 0.86, which was considered good enough for this study. In answering the research questions in the study, the mean and standard deviation were used, while simple linear regression analyses were used employed for the hypotheses testing at the 0.05 significance level. The data analyses results indicated that youth employment is significantly related to sustainable forest management practices within the research area. In like manner, finding as shown from the analysis of the second hypothesis indicated that community-based workshops significantly and positively impact local communities’ attitudes towards sustainable forest management. With regards to these results and subsequent findings, recommendations were made, among others, that the Cross River State government, as well as other relevant environmental agencies, strengthen youth employment opportunities with reference to forestry initiatives, in addition to intensifying community-based workshop programmes towards the promotion of positive attitudes and enhancing sustainable forest management practices in Oban Akamkpa and by extension Cross River State.