Non-timber forest products and their contribution to tribal households’ income of West Tripura, India

The importance of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to livelihoods, development, and poverty reduction among the rural population has garnered growing interest in recent years. As communities living near forest areas heavily depend on NTFPs for their livelihoods, efforts to protect these resources must begin with an understanding of how the host communities relate to them. The study was conducted in the state of Tripura, India, located in the northeastern part of the country. A representative sample of 120 households was selected through the multistage sampling method. Data collected from the primary survey were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Male and female participation in NTFP activities was found to be 59.17% and 40.83%, respectively, with 45.93% employment in NTFPs and an annual family income of 31.30%. Household size, the gender of the household head, and employment in NTFPs all had a substantial impact on tribal families’ NTFP income. As expected, the distance from the homestead to the nearest metallic road had a negative impact on tribal households’ NTFP revenue. Larger household size improves the likelihood of tribal homes obtaining NTFPs. Stakeholders should prioritize technical and financial support programs for agricultural value addition, as well as conservation and commercialization support, to improve forest resource quality.