This preliminary study on NWFPs in Congo Brazzaville, concerns the town of Pointe-Noire only. A number of ethnobotanical studies show that the Congolese flora provides a wide range of traded NWFPs, many of which were encountered during this survey. In terms of quantity, the most important NWFPs are wrapping leaves, aphrodisiacs and ritual plants, leafy vegetables such as Gnetum africanum and buchholzianum, plants for arts and crafts, and palm wine from Elaeis guineensis and Raphia vinifera.
Key words: Congo-Brazzaville, Point-Noire, non-wood forest products, markets
In the Congo Republic, NWFPs as such have not been widely studied, except by the PAFT-Congo programme (Profizi et al., 1993). However, a number of ethnobotanical studies (Adjanohoun et al., 1988; Kimpouni, 1993; Kimpouni and Koubouana, 1997) suggest that the principal NWFP groupings are edible and medicinal plants. The importance of these NWFPs may not be accurately reflected in market surveys of economically-valued goods, as they exclude the huge range of products used on a domestic basis and never enter formal trade.
This preliminary study, based on market surveys, investigates the main NWFPs with high economic value, highlighting the wide range of NWFPs that originate from the forest and emphasising the integral value of these products to local people.
Pointe-Noire, the economic centre of Congo, is the nation's second most important city after the capital, Brazzaville. Located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mayombe, Pointe-Noire (4_53'S and 11_49'E) has open access to markets in Gabon (to the north) and Congo-Kinshasa via Cabinda (in the south). Pointe-Noire has two main markets: the Central market (or "big market)", which is open 5 days a week; and the "Tie-Tie market" open 6 days a week. There are also two smaller markets: the "railway station market" and the "boundary market" which were not included in this study.
For the purposes of this study, the methodology outlined by Clark and Sunderland (this volume) was followed. This included extensive botanical stock-taking of market stands and in-depth interviews with a wide range of vendors. During these interviews, the data collected were: the specific plant parts collected, their uses, product conservation techniques, the ecological environment the products are collected in, and any associated and complimentary information.
During the market surveys, approximately 100 main species of NWFPs were encountered that are used for food, traditional pharmacopoeia, arts and crafts, wrapping, etc (see Appendix 1). The ten most commonly traded NWFPs (based on both quantities sold and frequency of recording) can be classified into five major groups:
· Food plants (both forest fruits and vegetables plants);
· Aphrodisiacs, magic ritual plants and medicinal plants;
· Drink (both intoxicant and non-intoxicant);
· Plants used for arts and crafts;
· Food wrapping products.
4.1.1. Food plants
During the study period of March - April, there are few fresh fruits such as Dacryodes edulis coming from the forest, recognising the seasonal nature of fruit production, hence the absence of forest fruits in local markets during the recording period. However, the major food plants recorded were: the leafy vegetables Gnetum africanum, G. buchholzianum, and Basella alba, and the condiments Piper guineensis and Xylopia aethiopica.
4.1.2. Aphrodisiacs, magic ritual plants and medicinal plants
The plants in this category are those used for magic rituals against bad spirits and those used as aphrodisiacs to increase libido. In most cases, the vendor was not a traditional practitioner and did not know the plants used in the particular mix for healing concoctions or the disease it was meant to treat. Hence there is no information on the mode of preparation for the majority of the species listed in Appendix 1. However, the market stands sell the plant parts of a number of general traditional medicinal remedies used to treat common diseases such as anaemia, diarrhoea, malaria, stomach pain, post-delivery pains, etc. For aphrodisiac species, the main customers are teenagers and men whilst older women and traditional healers purchase the majority of the other medicinal and ritual plants.
4.1.3. Drinks
The species that are tapped for palm wine are Elaeis guineensis and Raphia vinifera, to which the bark of Garcinia kola is added to augment the taste and ease digestion. A herbal tea made from an infusion of Lippia adoensis is also commonly encountered.
4.1.4. Arts and crafts
Fibres of Cocos nucifera fruits and the midribs of the leaflets of Elaeis guineensis are used as brooms, and the fibres of some Raphia spp. are used for traditional clothing. The sale of rattan (Eremospatha spp. and Laccosperma secundiflorum) in the markets studied is not widespread. The sale of rattan cane is largely limited to rattan workshops.
4.1.5. Wrapping leaves
The most commonly-used species for wrapping food are from the Marantaceae family (Megaphyrynium spp., Sarcophrynium spp., Marantochloa, etc.) although the leaves of the aroid Cyrtosperma senegalense and Palistota spp., a member of the Commelinaceae, are also used.
The majority of the vendors encountered were generally older persons, long- experienced in the sale of forest products. Because the study was undertaken in a large urban area, the origins of both NWFP sellers and their products varied considerably. However, the majority of both vendors and their products originate from the localities surrounding Pointe-Noire (Niari, Lekoumou, Bouenza, Kouilou). Therefore the vendors understand the local demand and preference for certain NWFPs. The only NWFP supplied to the Pointe-Noire urban markets from beyond the local region were wrapping leaves.
Many NWFP products (especially for bark, roots and other lignified vegetative structures) are preserved through drying, either naturally or through the use of a heat source such as a cooking fire. Some products, such as the bark of Pterocarpus soyauxii are further processed by grinding into a powder.
The leaves of Gnetum spp. are sold both whole and finely chopped. The added processing of chopping the leaves increases the value markedly; with a packet of whole leaves selling for CFA 100, but after chopping the retailer can easily obtain CFA 300-400 for the same packet.
The market surveys and other studies (Kimpouni & Koubouana 1998; Profizi et al., 1993; Kimpouni,1993; Kimpouni, in prep.; Adjanohoun et al., 1988) have shown that there are numerous NWFPs in Congo-Brazzaville with a wide range of uses. However, the relative scarcity of some high-value NWFPs in the Pointe-Noire markets does not mean that they are not used in this area, but may reflect the fact that their consumption and trade is at the household level, or that trade is within village trade networks.
The predominant forest products in the Pointe-Noire urban markets, in terms of use-value, are medicinal plants, especially aphrodisiacs and magic ritual products. Their importance and presence at the markets are undoubtedly linked to the widespread use of traditional knowledge and plant-based medicines by the local population.
NWFPs used in craft industries such as rattan (Laccosperma secundiflorum and Eremospatha spp.) are not sold at the main markets. After harvesting, they are directly sent to local workshops and the marketing of the finished products is undertaken from there. Some NWFPs used for craft are available as finished articles in the mainstream markets; this is the case of certain tools made from Marantaceae leaves and the stems Cyperus papyrus.
The market survey shows that the NWFPs involved in this study have potential in both local and international markets. The local markets do not fully exploit the potential of many high value NWFP's such as Burseraceae exudates, Irvingia and Panda oleosa kernels, Xylopia aethiopica and Ricinodendron heudelotii seeds, despite the international market demand for these products being high (Tabuna, this volume). Any future development of marketing strategies that are both economically profitable and sustainable on an ecological level will require careful valuation and management strategies for these NWFPs.
Adjanohoun E.J. et al., 1988. Médicine traditionnelle et pharmacopée: Contribution aux études Ethnobotaniques et floristiques en République populaire du Congo. ACCT, Paris, 605 p.
Kimpouni V. 1993. Le potential alimentaire de la flore sauvage des réserves naturelles d'Afrique Centrale peut être évalué par interprétation des données ethnobotaniques disponibles dans les zones adjascentes. Thèse annexe (doctorat), Univ. Libre de Bruxelles, 30 p.
Kimpouni V. & Koubouna F. 1997. Etude Ethnobotaniques sur les plantes médicinales et alimentaires dans et autour de la réserve de Conkouahi 65 p. PROGECAP/GEF-Congo, UICN.
Kimpouni V. (en préparation). Contribution aux études ethnobotaniques et floristiques de la forêt de Lossi (Nord-Congo): Plantes de cueillette à usage alimentaire.
Profizi J. P. et al., 1993. Plan d'action forestier tropical du Congo: Les ressources végétales non ligneuses des forêts du Congo. Rapport d'étude, Fac. Sc. Univ. Marien Ngouabi, Brazzaville, 67 p. 5 annexes.
General list of NWFPs encountered in the markets of Pointe-Noire, Congo-Brazzaville
Family / species |
Habitat |
Plant part used |
Use |
ANACARDIACEAE Pseudospondias longifolia Antrocaryon micraster |
Forest Forest |
Fruit Seeds |
Edible Ritual |
ANNONACEAE Annona sengalense Cleistopholis patens Enantia chlorantha Monodora myristica Xylopia aethiopica |
Savannah Forest Forest Forest Forest |
Bark Seeds Bark Seeds Fruit |
Medicinal Ritual Medicinal Ritual Condiment & medicinal |
APOCYNACEAE Landolphia owariensis |
Forest |
Fruit |
Edible |
ARACEAE Anchomanes difformis Crytosperma sengalensis |
Forest Aquatic |
Rhizome Leaves |
Medicinal Wrapping |
BALANOPHORACEAE Thonningia sanguinea |
Forest |
Whole plant |
Medicinal |
BASELLACEAE Basella alba |
Cultivated |
Leaves |
Vegetable |
BOMBACACEAE Adansonia digitata |
Savannah |
Fruit, Bark |
Edible, Ritual |
BURSERACEAE Canarium schweinfurthii |
Forest |
Seeds |
Ritual |
CAPPARACEAE Bucholzia macrophylla B. coriacea |
Forest Forest |
Seeds Seeds |
Ritual & Medicinal |
COMMELINACEAE Palisota sp. Pollia condensata |
Forest Forest |
Leaves Fruit & seeds |
Wrapping Medicinal |
CUCURBITACEAE Momordica charantia |
Forest / farm |
Whole plant |
Medicinal |
CYPERACEAE Cyperus articulatus C. papyrus |
Aquatic (cult.) Aquatic |
Rhizome Stems |
Ritual Artisanal |
EBENACEAE Diospyros sp. |
Cultivated |
Leaves, stems, roots |
Cosmetic & medicinal |
GNETACEAE Gnetum africanum G. buchholzianum |
Forest Forest |
Leaves Leaves |
Vegetable Vegetable |
GRAMINAE Cymbopogon citratus |
Cultivated |
Leaves |
Ritual |
GUTTIFERAE Garcinia kola |
Forest |
Bark, seeds |
Stimulant, aphrodisiac, palm wine additive |
LEGUMINOSAE Caesalpinia bonduc Canavalia ensiformis Desmodium velutinum Dialium sp. Dioclea reflexa Erythrophloeum suaveolens Erythrina sp. Pentaclethra macrophylla Pterocarpus soyauxii Tetrapleura tetraptera |
Littoral forest Littoral forest Savannah Forest Forest Forest Forest Forest Forest Forest |
Seeds Seeds Leaves Fruit Seeds Bark Bark Bark & seeds Wood Pod |
Ritual Ritual Medicinal Edible Ritual Ritual Medicinal Ritual Cosmetic Medicinal |
LOGANIACEAE Mostuea hirsuta |
Forest |
Roots |
Aphrodisiac |
MARANTACEAE Marantochloa sp. Megaphrynium sp. Sarcophrynium sp. |
Forest Forest Forest |
Leaves Leaves Leaves |
Wrapping Wrapping Wrapping |
MELIACEAE Carapa procera |
Forest |
Seed |
Ritual |
MORACEAE Dorstenia scabra Trilipisium madagascariensis |
Forest Forest |
Roots Leaves |
Aphrodisiac Vegetable |
OLACACEAE Coula edulis |
Forest |
Seeds |
Edible |
OXALIDACEAE Biophytum petersianum |
Savannah |
Whole plant |
Medicinal |
PALMAE Cocos nucifera Elaeis guineensis Eremospatha spp. Laccosperma secundiflorum Raphia spp. |
Littoral (& cult.) Forest (& cult.) Forest Forest Forest (swamp) |
Nut and fibre Fruit, seeds, rachis & sap Stem Stem Sap, Leaf fibre |
Artisanal, edible & cosmetic Palm wine, cosmetic, edible, artisanal, ritual Artisanal Artisanal Palm wine, crafts |
PANDACEAE Panda oleosa |
Forest |
Seeds |
Ritual |
PENTADIPLANDRACEAE Pentadiplandra brazzeana |
Forest |
Roots |
Aphrodisiac |
MENISPERMACEAE Penianthus longifolia |
Forest |
Roots |
Aphrodisiac |
PIPERACEAE Piper guineensis |
Forest |
Fruit |
Medicinal & condiment |
RUBIACEAE Brenania breyeri Crossopterix febrifuga Gardenia tenuifolia Nauclea latifolia |
Forest Savannah Forest Forest |
Fruit Roots Stem & fruit Roots and fruit |
Fish poison, ritual Medicinal Ritual Medicinal |
SAPOTACEAE Autranella sp. |
Forest |
Seeds |
Ritual |
SIMAROUBACEAE Quassia africana |
Forest |
Roots |
Medicinal |
STERCULIACEAE Cola acuminata C. nitida |
Forest Forest |
Seeds & bark Seeds & bark |
Stimulant, medicinal & aphrodisiac |
TILIACEAE Glyphaea brevis |
Forest |
Fruit |
Medicinal |
VERBENACEAE Lippia adoensis |
Savannah |
Leaves |
Tea |
ZINGIBERACEAE Aframomum melegueta A. stipulatum A. sp. 1 A. sp. 2 |
Forest Savannah Forest Forest |
Fruit Fruit Fruit Fruit |
Aphrodisiac & medicinal Edible Ritual Ritual |
