Fisheries in the Southern Border Zone of Takamanda - Impact ...
Fisheries in the Southern Border Zone of Takamanda - Impact ...
Fisheries in the Southern Border Zone of Takamanda - Impact ...
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Box. Large-scale exploitation <strong>of</strong> non-timber forest products<br />
(mostly medic<strong>in</strong>al plants) is subject to obta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g a permis<br />
d’exploitation. This permit determ<strong>in</strong>es <strong>the</strong> quantities to be<br />
exploited or collected with<strong>in</strong> a specified geographic area. The<br />
length <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> exploitation permit usually does not exceed one year<br />
(National Forestry Law no. 94/01; article 56; October 1994),<br />
except by special arrangement.<br />
The volume or amount <strong>of</strong> material allowed for exploitation<br />
depends on <strong>the</strong> desired material (fruits, bark, leaves, etc.). This<br />
quota is set by Cameroon’s Department <strong>of</strong> Forestry. However,<br />
even <strong>the</strong> most rudimentary basel<strong>in</strong>e and monitor<strong>in</strong>g data for<br />
estimat<strong>in</strong>g potential susta<strong>in</strong>able yield is woefully <strong>in</strong>complete for<br />
most, if not all, taxa.<br />
Exploitation permits also apply to special products such as eru.<br />
Even if special products are found on lands belong<strong>in</strong>g to private<br />
<strong>in</strong>dividuals, <strong>the</strong>y rema<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> property <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> state, except where<br />
<strong>the</strong>y have been “acquired” by <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dividual concerned (although<br />
it is not specified how acquisition may take place).<br />
<strong>in</strong>itiatives at plant<strong>in</strong>g bush mango have proved relatively<br />
successful, and <strong>the</strong>re is considerable opportunity to<br />
improve <strong>the</strong> varieties planted through early-yield<br />
cultivars <strong>of</strong> bush mango developed by Dr. Jonathon<br />
Okafor. This could alleviate an <strong>of</strong>ten-heard concern <strong>of</strong><br />
many community members that <strong>the</strong>y bush mango takes<br />
many years to beg<strong>in</strong> to bear fruit.<br />
In addition to bush mango, many residents <strong>of</strong> TFR<br />
showed enthusiasm for grow<strong>in</strong>g eru <strong>in</strong> home<br />
compounds. A number <strong>of</strong> <strong>Takamanda</strong> village Chiefs who<br />
visited Limbe Botanic Gardens <strong>in</strong> late 2000, where eru<br />
cultivation is well advanced, <strong>in</strong>dicated considerable<br />
<strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> this possibility.<br />
4.9.6 Product diversification<br />
The heavy reliance on just a few forest resources for<br />
<strong>in</strong>come at TFR can pose considerable hardship for some<br />
communities. The Matene area, <strong>in</strong> particular, is primarily<br />
dependent on <strong>the</strong> bush mango resource for access to <strong>the</strong><br />
cash economy, leav<strong>in</strong>g villagers vulnerable dur<strong>in</strong>g years<br />
<strong>of</strong> poor production. Product diversification would make<br />
a huge difference <strong>in</strong> this community and o<strong>the</strong>rs that also<br />
rely on two or three key products. For example, <strong>the</strong><br />
Matene people have historically ga<strong>the</strong>red honey for sale<br />
to o<strong>the</strong>r TFR communities, and <strong>the</strong> current value <strong>of</strong> this<br />
product (1,000 CFA/liter or about $1.30) could make this<br />
a viable <strong>in</strong>come-generat<strong>in</strong>g activity.<br />
4.9.7 Gender issues<br />
In contrast to <strong>the</strong> NTFP sector <strong>in</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r areas, <strong>the</strong>re is<br />
considerable equity <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> division <strong>of</strong> forest resource use<br />
and management at TFR. Women are active <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
harvest and sale <strong>of</strong> NTFPs, particularly eru (harvest<strong>in</strong>g<br />
only) and <strong>the</strong> harvest and local sale <strong>of</strong> njabe oil, njansang,<br />
and bush onion. Local development <strong>in</strong>itiatives aimed at<br />
promot<strong>in</strong>g and develop<strong>in</strong>g household strategies for<br />
improv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>comes from NTFPs (for example, provid<strong>in</strong>g<br />
basic mach<strong>in</strong>ery for crack<strong>in</strong>g njabe nuts and tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />
eru cultivation) would likely have a better chance <strong>of</strong><br />
success if targeted to women’s groups with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
communities.<br />
5 Conclusions<br />
Forest resources such as Carpolobia and Randia that are<br />
harvested by non-<strong>in</strong>digenous peoples are removed with<br />
very few, if any, benefits accru<strong>in</strong>g to TFR communities.<br />
Although harvest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se resources is unsusta<strong>in</strong>able at<br />
current rates, MINEF has too few resources to protect<br />
<strong>the</strong>se species. The rudimentary village systems for<br />
controll<strong>in</strong>g forest resources (for example, Chiefs, village<br />
councils, and youth groups) are not fully capable <strong>of</strong><br />
ensur<strong>in</strong>g that an equitable share <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> NTFP trade and<br />
benefits accrues to local communities. In addition, <strong>the</strong><br />
highly porous Cameroon-Nigeria border and <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong><br />
adequate guidel<strong>in</strong>es for taxation <strong>of</strong> and revenue<br />
collection from <strong>the</strong> trade <strong>in</strong> NTFPs means that trade<br />
benefits are focused <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> “<strong>in</strong>formal” economy.<br />
The current rate <strong>of</strong> harvest <strong>of</strong> most NTFPs exceeds<br />
<strong>the</strong> ability <strong>of</strong> many species to regenerate, and <strong>the</strong> harvest<br />
<strong>of</strong> a number <strong>of</strong> species can be regarded as unsusta<strong>in</strong>able.<br />
This is obvious for species such as Carpolobia and<br />
Randia, but <strong>the</strong>re may also be deleterious long-term<br />
effects on regeneration from seed removal (bush mango)<br />
and <strong>the</strong> pluck<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> leaves (Gnetum spp.) that may be<br />
unquantifiable <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> short term. Long-term monitor<strong>in</strong>g