Abstract

The forest, besides timber, contains many useful goods and services of subsistence and commercial value called Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). Falconer defines NTFPs as all forest goods and services, excluding commercial timber, that sustain rural people and rural economies. Massularia species as an NTFP is the stem of an ever green perennial shrub from the family Rubiaceae (G. Don) Bullock ex Hoyle. It is harvested from the study area and processed into local tooth brushes (chewing sticks). In a strive to meet set objectives,questionnaires and a selection of some participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools were used to source information from NTFPs harvesters and traders on the occurrence, marketing and market channels for Masularia species in the study area. One species of Massularia (Masularia acuminata) was identified to be sourced and processed for the market from the study area. Harvesting and processing techniques for M. acuminata were characterized by the use of crude tools associated with resource degradation. Market prices were determined by a few buyers who had a monopoly of the M. acuminata market information system. ANOVA and t-test analysis showed no significant differences in quantities harvested within and between zones and the two seasons at p<0.05 level. Between 2003 and 2010, a total of 10,677,661.5 metric tons of M. acuminata were harvested from the study area and marketed. This was valued at about 14,728,775 FCFA (US$ 24241.65) internally generated revenue (IGR) to the economies of Cameroon and Nigeria. In conclusion, the natural stock of M. acuminata in the study area is on a sharp decline due to unsustainable harvesting and poor land use patterns.

Key words: Massularia acuminata, harvesting, marketing, NTFPs. forest, products.