Trade on non-timber forest products (NTFPs) between South West Cameroon and Nigeria

Abstract

The study assessed the Non–Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) of the Ejagham Forest Reserve and its Adjoining Forest in general and those traded between Cameroon and Nigeria in particular. This was carried out within a period of ten months, December - April 2006 (for the dry season) and June - October 2007 (for the wet season). The line transects questionnaires, and a selection of some Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools were used for the collection of data while the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for data analysis. The study identified about 36 NTFPs species in the area that are sourced by local people for local and external trade and household consumption. From the list of 36, Irvingia, Gnetum, Carpolobia, Masularia, and Ricinodendron species were identified as the five tradable NTFPs of the study area involved in Trans-boundary trade between Cameroon and Nigeria. These NTFPs were observed to be sourced from the primary and secondary forests, fallow and farm lands. The collection, harvesting and gathering methods for these NTFPs were observed to be traditional and associated with resource degradation.

Keywords: NTFPs, Trade, Trans-boundary, Ejagham, Forest Reserve.