Resource Development and Market Value for Non-wood Forest Products of the Banyang-Mbo Sanctuary of Nguti, Cameroon

Abstract

The research begins with a brief history of the Banyang-Mbo Sanctuary (BMS) of Nguti, its demographic and geographic dispersion. Next, we aim to identify and analyze the various non-timber forest products, which range from plants, animals, birds and marine species. With the aid of write-ups from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Cameroon, the spatial distribution of these products, vis-à-vis their proximity to surrounded villages is presented. Effort is equally made to know the activities of the villages and other environmental factors that affect the growth and existence of these products. Three objectives and three hypotheses were formulated to give direction to the study. Convenient and purposive sampling techniques were used in the study with the help of questionnaires for data gathering. The population of the study comprised 141 households in Nguti vicinity and a sample size of 105 respondents obtained with the use of Yaro Yamen’s formula. The statistical tools used for data analysis were frequency, mean and tables of percentages to organize the data collected. The instrument was validated by three experts and reliability justified by a coefficient. The study recommended that education on the development of non-wood forest resources should be practically oriented and existing markets should be sustained while new ones be sought for the sales of the final products.