Analysis of Wood- Based Enterprise in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria

The research investigated wood-based enterprises found in Gboko Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, Nigeria. 10 Council Wards were purposively sampled from 17 Council Wards. In each of the Council Ward, 5 wood-based enterprises were selected using Simple Random Sampling Techniques (SRS). 3 copies of questionnaire were administered in each wood-based enterprise selected making 15 questionnaire administered in each of the Council Ward. A sum of 150 copies of questionnaire were used in this study. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools. Results revealed that there were 439 wood-based enterprises in the ten sampled Council Wards. The wood-based enterprises were furniture (23.5%), charcoal (20.3%), casket making (11.8%), farm tools making (6.6%), timber sheds (0.5%), wooden drum making (2.3%), mortar/pestle carving (5.7%) and fuel wood (29.4%) respectively. Result also revealed that buying (81.8%) was the highest source of wood. Most respondents made no effort in conserving the utilized tree species. Gmelina arborea and Tectona grandis were highly used for furniture, casket, and timber sheds, while Prosopis africana, Burkea africana, and Vitelleria paradoxa were highly used for charcoal production. Species preferred for carving (farm tool, mortar/pestle and wooden drum) includes Acacia nilotica, Prosopis africana and Khaya senegalensis. Firewood sale (29.4%) was found to be the most common wood-based enterprise. The study therefore shows that wood-based enterprise ease unemployment and act as source of additional income to farmers in the study area. Prosopis africana was identified as the most promising forest species particularly for wood-charcoal making in Gboko LGA. However, effective measures are recommended for establishing large-scale forest plantation in order to promote sustainable consumption practices.