The valorisation of forest resources in Central Africa : current status and development prospects for non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

This doctoral research in geography is geared towards terrorial development and starts from the observation of a transition of the traditional way of life of « hunter-gatherers » subjected to growing demographic pressure which disrupts ecosystems towards contemporary, more ecological and sustainable practices. The study insists on the valuation of « non-timber forest products » (NTFPs), spontaneous products of plant and animal origin (other than timber), resulting from the traditional harvesting carried out by rural gatherers in the region, huge forest ecoregion of Central Africa. These products, which are culturally shared among the peoples of region, feed into intense and varied forms of consumption, making them a « safety net » for many poor rural and urban households. They therefore constitute an undeniable source of food, treatment for tropical diseases, energy, construction and income, and even job creation, involving 80 % of women in the essentially informal commercial sectors. NWFPs are gradually appearing today as a territorial resource and are posed as an alternative to end the crisis or to end local endemic disease. The main hypothesis of the research therefore considers that « the valuation of NWFPs from Central Africa could contribute to territorial developpement », a hypothesis verified in particular from the case study of two priority products (honey and Gnetum spp.) in the province of Uíge (northen Angola) and supported by documentary research which made it possible to carry out a preliminary overview of the situation of these products in Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.In this geography thesis, it was a question of understanding the modes of access to NTFPs resources by rural communities, the socio-economic and environmental impact of these in the face of continuous demographic and urban growth, associated with a strong demand and strong pressure on natural environments due