VOLUME 3, TOPIC 15
A. K. Mukerji1
NON-WOODY FOREST PRODUCTS FROM REMOVAL TO INITIAL MARKETING
Alain Pénelon1 and Mendouga
Mebenga2
The humid forest of the equatorial zone is characterized by considerable biological
diversity. Some resources have been exploited since ancient times while in the case of others
exploitation has been recent and intensive. This paper considers how nonwoody resources, long held in
low regard on account of the priority accorded to commercial timber, are viewed by forest populations.
The timber industry has triggered many social conflicts by exploiting the timber of several
species used for their bark, their fruit or the caterpillars they carry. Beyond these conflicts, it is the
economy of households which has been changed by a reduction in own consumption to the benefit of
sales, with the modification also - and especially - of the rules governing the removal of, access to
and control of resources.
The study is taking place in the Province of East Cameroon, a feature of which is an
imposing stand of 7.5 million ha of semideciduous, sempervirent forest in its southern twothirds and
grassier formations with gallery forests in its northern part. The study, conducted among 40
households from 4 villages, is intended to ascertain the socioeconomic importance of nonwoody
forest products in the local economy. To achieve the lasting management of this combination of
resources, intensifying the present system of barter based on harvesting cannot be envisaged. In fact , it
would be liable to cause certain species, particularly the rarest, to disappear. Yet others are still
greatly underutilized on a commercial basis.
1 Agronomist on the API 1 Dimako project, Coopération Française/CIRAD Forêt Campus Baillarguet,
MontferriersurLez, BP 5035, 34032 MONTPELL1ER CEDEX1, FRANCE
2(Luc)Agronomist on the AP1 Dimako project, Eastern Agriculture Delegation, CAMEROON
Previous Section Next Section
Download the Pdf file for
this topic (182 K)
What is
a Pdf file ?
|