August 2014: The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) published a comparative analysis on the use of non-timber forest products (NTFP) in Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria. The report summarizes the relationship between resilience and NTFP, the contribution of such products to rural livelihoods, and their importance for food and nutrition security.

Overall, the report gathers information from over 1000 households living in rainforest areas in the three study countries. The data indicate that remote communities are more reliant on NTFP for income generation, and that this reliance increases during times of stress.

Based on the findings, the report suggests that poverty reduction in remote rural communities may be best achieved through a focus on NTFP exploitation during times of economic or climatic difficulty. The report also notes that population growth, changes in agricultural practices, climate change and other shifts may reduce the availability of NTFP, thus further marginalizing the poorest communities.

Finally, the publication highlights the importance of the integrated management of landscapes, treating them as multi-functional units delivering a variety of goods and services. CIFOR is a part of the CGIAR consortium. [CIFOR Press Release] [Publication: Non-Timber Forest Products Income from Forest Landscapes of Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria: An incidental or integral contribution to sustaining rural livelihoods?]