TITLE:
Governance of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) Djansang (Ricinodendron heudelotii) and Wild Mango (Irvingia gabonensis) and Its Influence on the Livelihood of Rural Communities of Yokadouma in the East Region of Cameroon
AUTHORS:
Abubakar Ali Shidiki, Tchoutezou Guy Herman Zanguim, Ngankam Martin Tchamba
KEYWORDS:
NTFPs Value Chain, Governance, Djansang, Wild Mangos, Livelihood
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Forestry,
Vol.11 No.2,
April
30,
2021
ABSTRACT: The objective of the study is to contribute to the
sustainable governance of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) (Djangsa and Wild
mangos) on rural livelihood of communities surrounding the rainforest in
Yokadouma. The economic potential of Non-Forest Timber Products (NTFPs) and its
influence on rural livelihood and development has made it a constant national and international
policy debate. However, Cameroon policies and institutional Legal framework is inconsistent with the exploitation and valorisation
of these important rural livelihood activities. This study was carried out in
Yokadouma in the East Region of Cameroon between February and July of 2020.
Respondents were drawn from a cross-section of NTFPs exploiters and marketers.
Data was collected through the administration of
semi-structured questionnaire design with the aim to answer the research
objective. During the recognisances survey, 172 persons concerned in these activities were
identified within the 09 villages in the Yokadouma division. Out of these 172
identified persons involved in this economic sector, 165 were interviewed
accounting for 96%. Data analysis was done in SPSS version 21 software. Results
showed that the NTFPs sector is organized by 02 actors within the value chain
who are the producers and retailers. Economic analysis of value chain revealed
that producers were able to make 272,780 and 322,367 FCFA per person per season
form djansang and wild mangos respectively. The constraints to sustainable
management of NTFPs are the gradual disappearance of these tree species,
instability of the production cycle, and stumpy involvement of economic
operators in the processing chain, the harassments linked to inadequate
legislation and the absence of standard measurement units used by retailers of
these products. If NTFPs is well managed, it will create jobs and contribute to the economic
development and subsequent improvement of livelihood of these rural
communities.