Harvesting and Marketing Pattern of Monodora myristica and Afrostyrax kamerunensis in Wabane Sub-division in the South West Region of Cameroon

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are an integral part of development and survival of people living in and around forests areas which constitutes a major livelihood activity for them. This study was carried out from April to July 2017, with main objective to know the harvesting and marketing pattern of Monodora myristica and Afrostyrax kamerunensis in six selected villages namely Babong, Banteng, Bechati, Mbechoh, Talung and Tabot of Wabane Sub-division. Monodora myristica and Afrostyrax kamerunensis are popular aromatic spices widely used in traditional system of medicines and also in preparation of traditional dishes in Cameroon. In order to meet the set objectives, participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools were used to source information on the harvesting and marketing pattern of selected species in the study area. A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the harvesting pattern, marketing channels and price of Monodora myristica and Afrostyrax kamerunensis. The results showed that 50.05 tons and 25.7 tons of Monodora myristica and Afrostyrax kamerunensis were harvested, respectively while 45 tons and 24.98 tons of Monodora myristica and Afrostyrax kamerunensis were sold, respectively. The annual trade value of Monodora myristica was observed to be 40,228,600 FCFA and 44,378,000 FCFA for harvesters and retailers, respectively. While, the values for Afrostyrax kamerunensis were 22,375,160 FCFA and 25,788,000 FCFA, respectively. It has been observed that men were actively engaged in production while women in trading process of selected NTFP’s yielding tree species. A bucket of 15litres (25kg) of Monodora myristica on an average costs 22,000 FCFA while that of Afrostyrax kamerunensis costs 25,000 FCFA. Market prices were found to be determined by the forces of demand and supply, rate of production and seasonal variations. The study concluded that Monodora myristica and Afrostyrax kamerunensis are important sources of income to the local communities and making an important contribution to their livelihoods.