Assessment of Non-Timber Forest Product Markets and Value Chains in Benue State’s Forest Fringe Communities

Non-timber forest product value chains in forest fringe communities of Benue State serve as critical livelihood buffers yet remain poorly structured, limiting producer bargaining power and household income realisation from forest resources. A systematic understanding of value chain structure, margin distribution, and market constraints is essential for designing interventions that improve outcomes for forest-dependent households while reducing extraction pressure. This study maps the non-timber forest product value chain for four priority products (Irvingia gabonensis kernels, Beilschmiedia mannii seeds, Pentaclethra macrophylla pods, and mushrooms) from forest to end consumer in three Local Government Areas of Benue State. Value chain mapping documented actors, activities, relationships, and information flows at each chain level. Price transmission analysis examined how consumer price changes propagated to producer-level returns. A total economic analysis estimated value-added at each stage. Margin analysis revealed that primary collectors retained an average of 21% of final consumer price, with intermediary traders capturing the majority of value through aggregation and urban market access. Transaction costs at forest-farm gate were disproportionately borne by female collectors. Price information asymmetry was severe: primary collectors had no access to urban market price data for three of the four study commodities. Cold chain absence caused post-harvest losses averaging 18% for mushrooms. Recommendations include establishment of commodity price information boards at weekly rural markets, producer cooperative formation, and cold chain investment in local government headquarter towns. Keywords: non-timber forest products, value chain, market analysis, Benue State, forest livelihood