Socioeconomic Factors Influencing Participation in Community-Based Forest Management in Adamawa State

Community-based forest management has been advocated as a participatory alternative to centralised state control of forest resources, yet adoption and sustained participation remain uneven across communities in northeastern Nigeria. This study investigates the socioeconomic factors that influence household-level participation in community-based forest management schemes in Adamawa State, focusing on three Local Government Areas where such initiatives have been formally established. A structured questionnaire was administered to 180 household heads, capturing sociodemographic characteristics, land tenure arrangements, income levels, perceived benefits, and participation rates. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify significant predictors of active participation. Results indicate that land tenure security, proximity to the forest resource, and previous exposure to extension education were the strongest positive predictors of participation. Conversely, large household size, off-farm income dependence, and distrust of the organising institution were associated with non-participation. Women were significantly underrepresented in formal decision-making structures despite high dependence on forest resources. Membership in farmer cooperative societies was positively correlated with participation probability. The study argues that institutional design features, particularly inclusive governance rules and equitable benefit-sharing arrangements, are more consequential than wealth levels in determining participation outcomes. Recommendations include gender-responsive governance reforms, transparent revenue sharing, and integration of community forest schemes with agricultural extension services. Keywords: community forest management, participation, socioeconomic factors, Adamawa State, governance