This study assessed Non-Timber Forest Products utilization in Kwabaktina Forest Reserve, Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaire, field observation, personal interview and focused group discussion. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The findings revealed some available NTFPs in the study area which included: Borassus fruit, Borassus bark, honey, moringa seed, leaf, bush meat, caterpillar and cricket; with Borassus. Hypocotyls as the most preferred NTFPs utilized by the people. Majority (54.6%) of the respondents were female and youths mostly (44.3%) between the ages of 18 to 40 years. A greater proportion (63.3%) were married with low level of education in the study area. Most of the respondents (72.25%) were from household size category of 1-10 and low-income earners. The result revealed that NTFPs were utilized to a very high extent due to high economic value of the products. Gender played a great role in the utilization of NTFPs, while age, educational status and household size significantly determined the utilization of NTFPs in the study area. The result also showed no significant difference in the extent to which the people utilized NTFPs. The study concluded that NTFPs were significant sources of food, employment, income generation and means of livelihood in the study areas. This study therefore recommends that there should be prioritization of financial and technical support for alternative long term income generating ventures that could serve to yield NTFPs, involvement of key stakeholders in planning and utilizations of forest resources and economic evaluation of NTFPs utilization to establish their importance as revenue component to the rural communities.

Keywords: Non-Timber Forest Products, Product Utilization, Kwabaktina Forest Reserve