Abstract
More than 710 non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are harvested in Cameroon, with 16 products generating an annual income for producers of about USD 64.7 million. This indicates the potential for NTFPs to support a bioeconomic transition, but there is limited understanding of the associated challenges. Using three NTFPs – bamboo, rattan, and bush mango – this chapter analyses the economic and socio-environmental contributions of NTFPs, and explores the opportunities and challenges linked to an NTFP-based bioeconomy transitioning in Cameroon. The resource base and economic potential of the three NTFPs are reviewed and complemented by a structured survey of 563 randomly selected households across Cameroon. The three NTFPs contributed USD 44.7 million annually in unprocessed forms and USD 44.1 million in processed products. Also noteworthy is that the NTFP sub-sector still requires more favourable policy support, encouraging NTFP-based development at multiple scales. Development of the NTFP-based bioeconomy is challenged by actor fragmentation, limited organisation among NTFP collectors, and overlapping responsibilities for institutions regulating NTFPs. The development of NTFP enterprises should be prioritised in Cameroon’s forest-based bioeconomy transition efforts, including policy revisions.
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