Socioeconomic Dependence on Non-timber Forest Products in the Bloc Kébé Research Forest, East Cameroon
Obadia Tchingsabe *
The Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Nkolbison, B.P. 2067 Yaoundé, Cameroon., Régional Centre of Scientific Research and Innovation of Adamaoua (CRRI-AD), Ngaoundere, B.P. 65 Ngaoundere, Cameroon and Department of Biological and Biology of Plant Organisms, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, B.P. 24157 Douala, Cameroon.
M. A. Laminou Mamadou
Régional Centre of Scientific Research and Innovation of Adamaoua (CRRI-AD), Ngaoundere, B.P. 65 Ngaoundere, Cameroon.
J. G. Ndje Mbile
The Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Nkolbison, B.P. 2067 Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Mathurin Tchatat
The Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Nkolbison, B.P. 2067 Yaoundé, Cameroon
Din Ndongo
Department of Biological and Biology of Plant Organisms, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, B.P. 24157 Douala, Cameroon.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: This study aimed to quantify the socio-economic importance of the Bloc Kébé research forest, East Cameroon) to riparian livelihoods by assessing non-timber forest products (NTFP) collection patterns, use types, income generation, and perceived dependency for food security and health.
Study Design: A cross-sectional household survey was conducted across six villages at varying distances (0.5–7.66 km) from the forest boundary, with stratified proportional sampling yielding 86 households.
Methodology: Semi-structured questionnaires captured collection, use type (subsistence/commercial/both), annual income (FCFA), and perceived food and health dependency (Likert 1–5) over a 12-month recall period. Analyses included mixed-effects logistic regression (GEE), multinomial logistic regression, Kruskal-Wallis with Dunn's post-hoc tests, Cumulative Link Mixed Models, Spearman correlations, and two-way ANOVA.
Results: Overall NTFP collection rate was 74%, commercialization rate 59%, and mean annual income 12,097 ± 17,773 FCFA. Distance to forest was the dominant predictor of collection probability (OR = 0.52 per km, p < 0.001), income, and both food (β = –0.15, p < 0.001) and health dependency. The closest village outperformed the farthest across all metrics (collection: 94% vs. 71%; commercialization: 82% vs. 64%; income: 22,200 vs. 5,563 FCFA). Irvingia gabonensis was 12.55 times more likely commercialized than used for subsistence alone (p = 0.018); Strychnos toxifera showed dominant health dependency (3.98 vs. 1.34, d = –2.55). Five of six focal species had significantly greater food than health dependency (d = 0.77–1.79, p < 0.001). Income, collection, and commercialization were tightly coupled (ρ = 0.686–0.868, p < 0.001), but interspecific income differences were non-significant (χ²(4) = 7.52, p = 0.111). Significant village-level spatial heterogeneity emerged for Termitomyces spp., Cola spp., and Trichoscypha abut.
Conclusion: Forest dependence is high, multidimensional, species-specific, and spatially structured by distance, with proximity-driven inequalities in income and food-health outcomes. Conservation zoning must integrate these differentiated dependencies.
Keywords: Congo Basin, distance decay, forest dependency, livelihood security, non-timber forest products.