Cameroon’s tropical forests possess many resources, including Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). The present research therefore aims to highlight the contribution of NTFPs to household income and food security in the Sanaga-Maritime Division where the destruction of this resource has been observed for the benefit of oil palm production. Specifically, the aim is to identify the different NTFPs exploited in the sub-divisions of Dizangue, Ngwei and Pouma; – to estimate the contribution of NTFPs to household income; – to analyze the contribution of NTFPs to household food security and to identify the constraints related to the exploitation of NTFPs in these localities. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaires administered to the different categories of NTFP household users. A total of 104 households were interviewed, including 90 operators, 02 traders and 12 consumers. The SPSS 14.0 software and the Excel spreadsheet was used to analyze the data collected. Descriptive statistics as well as econometric logistic regression model combined with the Access Scale tool determining household food insecurity was used to realise the objectives of the study. The results show that the most exploited NTFPs were the leaves of Gnetum africanum, the fruits of Dacryodes edulis and Irvingia gabonensis. Therefore, agriculture remains the main source of income for the households surveyed (32%). However, NTFPs harvested contribute 19.5% of household income. The logistic regression model demonstrated that the consumption of NTFPs from picking, although not significant, positively influenced food security of surveyed households. Factors such as income and household size significantly affect food security. Despite the fact that users of NTFP faced some constraints, some of them still put in place strategies to ensure the sustainability of those resources.
Keywords: Food Security, Household, Income, Non Timber Forest Products
