Socio-Economic Contributions Of Wood-Based Cottage Industries To Livelihoods And Industrial Development In Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

In view of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals numbers 1, 2, 3 and 15 aiming at ending poverty in all its forms everywhere; end hunger; achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote well-being for all at all ages and protect; restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems; sustainably manage forests; combat desertification and halt biodiversity loss; a survey was carried out to assess the roles of wood-based cottage industries in  attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria with the aid of a questionnaire administered on two hundred (200) purposively selected respondents in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State. Data generated were analysed and presented using descriptive statistics, budgetary technique and Chi Square Analysis. I found out that majority (88%) are within the active age (25-50 years), even-gendered (50% each) of which 92% are married with 60% having 1-5 persons in their household.  All had one form of education or the other and a greater part (68%) are operating and depending on wood-based cottage industry as sole source of livelihood. The principal source of wood sold among the respondents is forest reserves (98%) and each of them engage 10 to 24 workers earning between N2000 ($6.56) and N 5000 ($16.39) on a daily basis. Proprietors make a Gross Margin of N 28,334 ($ 78.71) per day. Funds are sourced through cooperatives (56%), personal savings (16%) and friends and relations (14%). Government assistance is sought in the areas of infrastructures, access to land and more forest reserves. Chi Square results reveals that there is a significant difference between output per day and the marital status (0.037, > P0.05) and years of experience (0.005, > P0.05) at 5% probability level. The study concludes that, at the current scale of operation, wood-based cottage industries in the study area are generally profitable and has the potential to contribute significantly to the economic wellbeing of the entrepreneurs engaged in it, provide employment for the teeming population as well as boost infrastructural development of the Ogun State, Nigeria given enabling environment. The study recommends government intervention in the areas of provision of basic amenities, public enlightenments and establishment of more forest reserves to ensure sustainable supply of raw materials for the sustainable development of wood-based cottage industries, supportive policies, better access to finance, tailored service and markets, and secure forest access and tenure for sustainable forest enterprise development