Abstract

Edible non-timber forest products (NTFPs) like other environmental resources play a crucial role on the provision of subsistence and income to people’s livelihoods, especially the poor and marginalized communities. The objective of the study was to undertake user surveys to determine the actual quantities of harvested edible NTFPs, and to do an economic analysis of their direct use values. The methods used include literature research, community consultations, household visits and interviews, household profiles and economic valuation models. The findings indicated that there were significant differences between sites in annual quantities harvested per household for edible NTFPs, in annual quantities harvested per household between communities, between sites in annual value per household, and in annual values per household between communities. Edible species were harvested in spring and summer over 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 weeks. Only 57 species were reported as highly preferred species, across the four study sites. The key factors determining the variability in harvested quantities and values per household are: the wealth status, variability of species per site, season and duration of harvesting, commercialization, number of accessible natural woodlands within a site, need and demand, the household profile with regard to gender and age, and farm gate price differences.                          

Key words: Non-timber forest products (NTFPs), economic value, natural forest, natural woodland, sustainable, economic valuation, user surveys.