This study appraises taungya farming as a sustainable land -use option in Vandeikya Local
Government (VLG) forest estates, Variations in the yield of agricultural crops over time
(years), incidences of annual forest fires, forest offences as well as changes in forest area
between 1955 and 2000 were assessed. Six out of 12 council wards in VLG were randomly
selected for the survey through multi-stage random sampling. A total of 200 farmer respondents
were sampled out of a taungya farmer population of 562 in the selected wards. All the 16
members of staff of the VLG forestry service were interviewed. The two categories of
respondents were then interviewed using the same type of semi-structured questionnaire. This
was to check and corroborate the responses of both groups of respondents. Data collected was
subjected to descriptive statistics (like percentages) and inferential statistics [such as analysis
of variances (ANOVA)]. The mean yields of yam, cassava, sweet potatoes, rice, maize,
groundnuts, soybeans, guinea corn, beans, pepper and melon on taungya plots ranged from
306.67kg/ha for melon to 1698.33kg/ha for cassava. The corresponding yields of melon and
cassava on non-taungya plots were 250.00kg/ha and 1372.67kg/ha, respectively. Crop yields
were significantly higher on most taungya plots except that of melon (p>0.05).The total forest
area declined from 312.9ha in1995 to 83.5ha in 2000. Reforestation with indigenous tree
species, establishment of seed and clonal banks, adoption of socially and ecologically
acceptable taungya practices, review of land tenure laws and sensitization of farmers on
sustainable taungya practices are advocated.