Toward Sustainable Livelihoods and the Use of Non-Timber Forest Products in Southeast Cameroon: An Overview of the Forest-Savanna Sustainability Project

Abstract

We present the results of a research project aimed at establishing sustainable agricultural and forest-use systems in southeast Cameroon. Our research focused on three main topics: the ecological potential of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), the importance of NTFPs in subsistence and as income sources, and existing social systems related to resource management. We demonstrate that current agricultural practices appear sustainable, as only a small percentage of the land allocated to agriculture is currently cultivated. An investigation of the distribution, abundance, and fruit production of the major NTFP species Irvingia gabonensis revealed large resource potential, whereas very little of the total fruit produced annually was being harvested. NTFPs are particularly important to Baka hunter-gatherers as side dishes, condiments, medicines, artifacts, and construction materials. They are also an important income source, although we note that social customs result in Konabembe people earning more from this resource by acting as intermediaries between Baka people in forest camps and outside markets. The areas used for harvesting NTFPs by different groups were visualized using participatory mapping. The resulting map is expected to be useful in designing a system to avoid competition and exploitation of forest resources among different local groups.