Socio Economic Impacts of the Invasive Typha Domingensis on Local Communities Along Nguru Wetlands, Yobe State, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT The study was conducted in the months of July-September 2017 to assess the socioeconomic impacts of the invasive Typha domingensis (Uchytil 1992) on local communities in Nguru, Kakori and Dogon Kuka towns all along the Nguru wetland in Nguru Local Government Area, Yobe State, Nigeria. A total of 171 respondents comprising of local communities and officials of the Hadejia Nguru Wetland Conservation Project (HNWCP) and Komodougu Yobe Basin Wetlands Development Initiative (KYB-WDI) participated in the study. Descriptive Survey method of research involving both qualitative and quantitative approaches was employed while data was collected using closed ended self-made questionnaires and Structured Interview Guide. Datawas analyzed using Descriptive statistics and Pearson Linear Correlation Coefficient. The study revealed that all of the respondents (100%) were young muslim Nigerian males within the age group of 25-34 years and majority of them (45.9%) lacking the basic formal education. Household sizes were relatively big (74.2%) and majority of the respondents (51%) belong to the Kanuri tribe while Hausa, Fulani, Kare Kare and Bade tribes were represented by 26.45, 25.8%, 3.8% and 10.15 respectively. Yobe state had the largest number of its indigenes living along the wetlands (62.3%) followed by Jigawa and Bauchi states having 23.3% and 9.4% respectively. Very good number of the respondents was engaged in fishing (32.7%) followed by crop farming (23.9%), livestock farming (27%), irrigation (10.7%), transportation (3.77%) and hunting (1.9%). Furthermore, problems associated with Typha invasion were found to be immense with 67.4% of the respondents strongly agreeing that the situation is very bad (3.12±0.363) while 78.75% of them also strongly agreed that the socioeconomic impacts of Typha invasion was as well very bad (3.72±0.04). PLCC results showed significant relationship between problems associated with Typha and the socio economic problems facing the local communities (0.988 Pearson correlation at 0.01level (2-tailed) and 0.650 Pearson correlation at 0.01level (2-tailed). Manual cutting, use of fire and chemicals were found to be the main control measures employed by the local communities. Based on the study findings, reintroduction of NEADZDP, judicious use of ecological fund, use of biological control, employment of zero grazing, giving entrepreneurial skills to local people, training people on how to improve their productivity, provision of loan facilities, subsidized pesticides as well as conversion of Typha into positive uses among others, were recommended. KEY WORDS: Local communities, Nguru wetlands, Socio economic impacts, Typha

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................. i

APPROVAL ................................................................................................................................... ii

DEDICATION...............................................................................................................................iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT............................................................................................................. iv

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS......................................................................................................... v

LIST OF TABLES......................................................................................................................... ix

LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................ x

ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................... xi

CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................... 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Background of the study ........................................................................................................... 1

1.2 Problem Statement.................................................................................................................... 3

1.3 Main objective of the Study...................................................................................................... 5

1.4 Specific Objectives ................................................................................................................... 5

1.5 Research Questions................................................................................................................... 5

1.6 Research Hypothesis................................................................................................................. 5

1.7 Scope of the study..................................................................................................................... 6

1.7.3 Content Scope ........................................................................................................................ 8

1.7.4 Time Scope ............................................................................................................................ 8

1.8 Significance of the Study.......................................................................................................... 8

CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................... 9

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................................... 9

2.1 Theoretical review .................................................................................................................... 9

2.2 Conceptual framework............................................................................................................ 10

2.3 Conceptual review .................................................................................................................. 11

2.3.1 Characteristics of people living along wetlands .................................................................. 11

2.3.2 AboutTypha.......................................................................................................................... 12

2.3.3 Morphology of Typha .......................................................................................................... 12

2.3.4 General ecology of Typha.................................................................................................... 13

2.3.5 Uses of Typha ...................................................................................................................... 13

2.3.6 Socioeconomic impacts of Typha ........................................................................................ 13

2.3.7 Ecological problems associated with Typhainvasion .......................................................... 16

2.3.8 Management/ Control of Typha........................................................................................... 17

2.3.9 Importance of wetlands........................................................................................................ 19

2.3.10 Prospects of farming along wetlands................................................................................. 19

2.3.11 Challenges of farming along wetlands............................................................................... 20

2.4 Empirical review..................................................................................................................... 21

vii

2.5 Research gap ........................................................................................................................... 23

CHAPTER THREE.................................................................................................................... 24

3.0 RESEARCH METHODS ....................................................................................................... 24

3.1 Study area................................................................................................................................ 24

Nguru Wetlands............................................................................................................................ 25

3.2 Research design ...................................................................................................................... 25

3.3 Target population .................................................................................................................... 25

3.4 Sample size ............................................................................................................................. 26

3.5 Sampling technique................................................................................................................. 27

3.6 Research instruments.............................................................................................................. 27

3.7 Validity and Reliability of the instrument .............................................................................. 27

3.8 Data collection procedure ....................................................................................................... 28

3.9 Data analysis technique........................................................................................................... 29

3.10 Ethical considerations........................................................................................................... 30

3.11 Limitations of the Study........................................................................................................ 30

CHAPTER FOUR....................................................................................................................... 31

4.0 DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION .................................... 31

4.1 Demographic characteristics of the respondents..................................................................... 31

4.2: Cultural characteristics of the respondents............................................................................ 33

4.3 Economic activities of the local communities........................................................................ 34

4.4: Problems associated withTyphainvasion and its socio economic impacts on local 

communities livingalong Nguru wetlands.................................................................................... 42

4.5: Qualitative data on problems associated withTypha, its impacts on socioeconomic activities 

of local communities living along Nguru wetlands as well as control measures ......................... 47

CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................................ 50

5.0 DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.......................................... 50

5.1 Discussions ............................................................................................................................. 50

5.1.1 Demographic characteristics of the local communities....................................................... 50

5.1.2 Cultural characteristics of the local communities................................................................ 51

5.1.3 Economic activities of the local communities..................................................................... 51

5.1.4Problems associated with Typhainvasion ............................................................................. 56

5.1.5 Economic impacts of invasive Typhaon local communities................................................ 58

5.1.6 Social impacts of Typhainvasion on local communities...................................................... 60

5.1.7 Typhacontrol/management measures along the Nguru wetlands......................................... 62

5.2 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 65

5.2.1 Characteristics and economic activities of the local communities ...................................... 65

5.2.2 Socio economic impacts of Typha invasion......................................................................... 66

5.2.3 Typha control/management measures.................................................................................. 66

5.3 Recommendations................................................................................................................... 67

5.3.1 Characteristics and economic activities of the local communities ...................................... 67

5.3.2 Socio economic impacts of the invasive Typha on the local communities.......................... 68

5.3.3 Typha control/management measures along the Nguru wetlands........................................ 69

REFERENCES............................................................................................................................ 72

APPENDIX I QUESTIONNAIRE FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND OFFICIALS OF 

THE HNWCP AND KYB - WDI................................................................................................. 78

APPENDIX II STRUCTURED INTERVIEW GUIDE ............................................................. 82

APPENDIX III RESEARCH BUDGET...................................................................................... 83

APPENDIX IV RESEARCH TIME FRAME............................................................................ 84

APPENDIX V: INTRODUCTORY LETTER ............................................................................. 85