| Non Timber Forest Products are highly valued among the rural people, they are gathered, utilized within the household and sold for income to improve their livelihood. This study examines the production, marketing and utilization of Aframomum melegueta and its role in the livelihood of people in Ekiti state. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires from 200 randomly selected respondents comprising of 10 producers, 20 marketers and 20 consumers from four (4) communities in each selected Local Government Area of the state. The result of the study showed that Aframomum melegueta is preserved or cultivated on small scale mainly for medicinal values, erosion control as well as boundary delineation on farmland. Chi-square test of 10.16 and 9.96 (p<0.05) shows that a significant relationship exist between land acquisition methods and Aframomum melegueta cultivation; consumer’s income and demand for the produce respectively. The species is greatly affected by drought, scarcity of planting stocks, inaccessibility of suitable land, ignorance and traditional beliefs. The Cost-Benefit-Ratio (CBR) of 3.95 and the mean Marketing Margin (MM) of N6,500 recorded in the study area indicates an index of viability and profitability of the produce. The study also revealed that the species apart from generation of considerable employment and income has wider traditional and medicinal uses on a variety of ailment. The study further recommended that farmers should also be encouraged on path of production through provision of planting stock and land by relevant agencies, effort should also be intensified at integrating Aframomum melegueta into Agroforestry system. |
