CF Note 6: The Major Significance of ‘Minor’ Forest Products: The Local Use and Value of Forests in the West African Humid Forest Zone













Table of Contents


Prepared by
Julia Falconer

Edited by
Carla R. S. Koppell

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Rome, 1990

Reprinted 1993

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Table of Contents


PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

THE PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE STUDY

PART I: ANALYSIS OF THE LITERATURE

1. THE HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION OF FOREST RESOURCES

1.1 The consumption of wild animals

1.1.1 Commonly consumed bushmeat species
1.1.2 The consumption of gathered animal resources
1.1.3 The nutritional value of bushmeat
1.1.4 Seasonal changes in bushmeat consumption
1.1.5 Regional variations in bushmeat consumption

1.2 Household consumption of forest plant foods

1.2.1 Diversity of forest foods consumed by rural households
1.2.2 The contributions of forest foods to diets
1.2.3 Oil palm foods
1.2.4 The seeds of Irvingia gabonensis

1.3 The use of forest resources in traditional medicine

1.3.1 Plant resources used as medicines
1.3.2 Studies of plant medicines used by specific groups of people
1.3.3 The day-to-day use of plant medicines
1.3.4 Rules for plant medicine production and use
1.3.5 The extent of plant medicine use
1.3.6 Effectiveness of plant medicines
1.3.7 Availability of plant medicine resources

1.4 Household consumption of fuelwood
1.5 Forest resources used for house construction
1.6 Household equipment and utensils made from forest products

2. THE SUPPORT ROLE: THE USE OF FOREST RESOURCES IN OTHER PRODUCTION SECTORS

2.1 Support for agricultural production
2.2 Support for fishing and hunting activities
2.3 Support for livestock production

3. THE CULTURAL AND SYMBOLIC IMPORTANCE OF FOREST RESOURCES

3.1 The tree’s significance as a link to culture and belief
3.2 The forest as a location for social, cultural and religious activities
3.3 The symbolic and sacred significance of particular forest resources
3.4 The judicial function of trees
3.5 The use of forest products in social, cultural and healing ceremonies

4. FOREST RESOURCES AS A SOURCE OF CASH INCOME: THE MARKETING OF GATHERED AND PROCESSED FOREST PRODUCTS

4.1 The production and marketing of bushmeat

4.1.1 Bushmeat markets
4.1.2 Production of bushmeat for cash income

4.2 Gathering and marketing of other forest foods

4.2.1 The markets for forest foods
4.2.2 The marketing of the fruit and seeds of Irvingia gabonensis

4.3 Production and marketing of palm wine
4.4 The market for medicinal products: The case of chewing sticks
4.5 Fuelwood production and marketing
4.6 Cola trade and production
4.7 The export of forest and tree resources from the humid zone region: Medicinal plants and animals
4.8 Processing enterprises: a source of household income from forest products

4.8.1 Palm oil processing activities
4.8.2 Rattan, cane and raphia processing activities
4.8.3 Cloth dyeing activities

5. CHANGES IN FOREST RESOURCE USE

5.1 The impact of commercialisation and urban growth on resource use
5.2 The impact of forest degradation on forest resource use
5.3 Use of forest tree species on farm lands
5.4 Changes in usuary rights to forest products

6. ASSESSING THE VALUE OF NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS TO LOCAL PEOPLE

6.1 People’s responses to resource degradation
6.2 The value of forest resources as reflected in tenure and usuary rights
6.3 Indication values: the markets and market prices
6.4 Studies which examine the contribution of income from forest products to the household budget
6.5 Studies which estimate the quantity or frequency of forest product exploitation and consumption
6.6 Studies of the uses and distribution of farm and fallow land trees
6.7 Assessing the value of forest resources by their functions

6.7.1 Seasonal variation in the use and importance of forest products
6.7.2 The emergency or buffer role of forest resources

6.8 Evaluating the importance of forest resources by examining those who rely on them most: Women and the rural poor
6.9 Evaluating the importance of non-timber forest products at the regional and national levels

7. GEARING FORESTRY ACTIVITIES TO MEETING PEOPLE’S NEEDS AND SATISFYING THE DEMAND FOR NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS

7.1 Management of natural forest areas for wildlife and other products
7.2 Management of fallow lands and farm trees
7.3 Forest plantations and non-timber forest products
7.4 The marketing of non-timber forest products: Problems and potentials

APPENDICES

Appendix 1 - Commonly Consumed Wildlife Species

Appendix 2 - Nutrition Composition of Some Forest Animal Species

Appendix 3 - Commonly Consumed Forest and Farm Tree Foods in the West African Humid Zone

Appendix 4 - Forest Species Commonly Consumed in a Ghanaian Village

Appendix 5 - Medicinal Plants in Common Use in West Africa

Appendix 6 - “The Careless Hunter” - The Forest - A Vital Source of Plant Medicines

Appendix 7 - Quantities of Firewood Collected, Consumed and Sold by Rural Households in Sierra Leone

Appendix 8 - Species Commonly Used as Fuelwood in the West African Humid Forest Zone

Appendix 9 - Species Commonly Used in House Construction in the West African Humid Forest Zone

Appendix 10 - Commonly Exploited Forest Species used for Household Equipment and Furnishing

Appendix 11 - Some Forest Species Commonly Used for Making Canoes in West Africa

Appendix 12 - Forest Species Commonly Used for Fodder

Appendix 13 - Cultural and Symbolic Uses for Forest Plants in Ghana

Appendix 14 - Forest Species Common in West African Sacred Groves

Appendix 15 - Comparative Seasonality of Firewood Collection and Agricultural Labour Requirements in Rural Sierra Leone

Appendix 16 - Seasonal Availability of Forest (and Wild) Foods in a Southeast Nigerian Market

Appendix 17 - Woody Species in Compound Farms in Southeastern Nigeria and Their Functions

PART II: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

1. OVERVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

1.1 Accessibility of information
1.2 A guide to the references
1.3 A view of the literature

2. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY