Identification of main Non-Timber Forest Products and related stakeholders in its value chain in the Gribe village of southeastern Cameroon

Although viewed as low-power income product, trade in Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) in rural communities represent a major source of income for local residents who depend on them for revenue and subsistence. This study is based on monitoring and quantitative recording of each NTFP gathering by villagers. The results revealed that the main products collected include: Irvingia gabonensis, Aframomum spp., Pentaclethra macrophylla; Ricinodendron heudelotii, and Afrostyrax lepidophyllus. The main stakeholders in NTFPs value chain were identified as: collectors, local traders, semi-distributors, intermediaries, and wholesalers (Nigerian and Malian Settled in the village). The prices of these NTFPs fluctuate between 0.09 – 0.67 USD per kilogram (kg) at village level. However, these products are generally resold between 0.67 – 4.44 USD per kg in urban market. The commercialization of NTFPs is less beneficial to rural collectors compared to the other stakeholders involved, whereas they are the main contributors of NTFPs value chain. The main reason for this are the poor organization of collectors, low access to market information, low power in price negotiation, lack of storage and drying facilities, ambient poverty in rural areas as well as the high purchasing power of wholesalers who intervene in the value chain. The strengthening of the capacities for local population on drying, conservation and processing techniques; pricing; the principle of group sale of NTFPs; the creation and empowerment of collectors organization; their networking with buyers; the development of market information systems; and an enabling environment that facilitates market access to local collectors will improve the profitability of NTFP value chain in the area.

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