Contribution of the Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands to Rural Livelihoods and Perceived Household Food Security in Northeastern Nigeria

The Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands (HNWs) provide diverse ecosystem resources that support rural livelihoods and food-related needs in northeastern Nigeria. Increasing climatic variability, hydrological alteration and intensifying resource use may, however, affect the availability and sustainability of these resources. This study assessed the contribution of the HNWs to rural livelihoods and perceived household food-security status among wetland-fringe communities. A mixed-methods design combined a cross-sectional household survey with key informant interviews, focus group discussions and direct field observations. Of 350 questionnaires administered, 300 adequately completed questionnaires were retained for analysis, representing an 85.7% usable response rate. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, mean ranks and Kendall's coefficient of concordance, while qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Crop cultivation was the predominant primary economic activity (70.0%), followed by off-farm and non-farm activities (23.33%). The leading wetland-dependent activities were dry-season irrigation farming (34.67%), fishing (24.00%) and sedge/reed collection and weaving (22.67%). Overall, 95.0% reported direct household dependence on wetland resources for cash income. Climate change ranked highest among factors influencing wetland utilization, with significant agreement among respondents (Kendall's W = 0.426, p < 0.001). For perceived food-security status, 79.0% classified their households as secure or very secure, whereas 5.33% classified them as insecure or very insecure. Additionally, 98.33% regarded wetland resources as important sources of dietary protein. Stated willingness-to-pay (WTP), expressed as respondents' reported monetary valuation of selected wetland goods, varied across resources; medicinal herbs recorded the highest mean value (₦31.95 per bucket).