Integrating Customary and Statutory Systems. The struggle to develop a Legal and Policy Framework for NTFPs in Cameroon

1. egrating
stomary
d Statutory
stems
ruggle to
op
al and Policy
ework for NTFPs
meroon
gress of the International Society of Ethnobiology, Montpellier
42 Effective and equitable law and policy for NTFPs

2. A struggle….
Diverse & many >700 NTFPs
olicy
nd not….
egulated
nd not…
raded
nd subsistence

3. Cameroon: plural tenure
yers of tenure

4. ource rights
oit d’usage
ustomary user rights
ee usufruct rights
id rights access for
3 Special Forestry
oducts
licy and regulatory
cus on timber

5. ws
restry Laws
gricultural & Livestock
ws
pecial Forestry Products
uotas & permits
ommunity & council
rests

6. mal
Permits
Market trade
Regeneration
Taxation
• Corruption
– Permits
– Transport

7. brant NTFP sector exists – larger than
mber sector
eps taken to develop regulatory and policy
amework
urrent situation characterised by
ncomplementary pluralism
ustomary law dominates for majority of
TFPs
sufficient protection for products with high
ommercial demand and traded in large
olumes
esult in regulatory framework that
ndermines sector , livelihoods and
ustainability
eneficiaries are powerful few, urban and elite
cost of many, local and small scale forest
Conclusions

8. Recommendations
he range of NTFP values acknowledged. Subsistence use
cognized & with small scale local trade, exempt from taxation
intervention
and tenure and resource rights rationalized.
ustomary law respected & complementary to statutory law.
egulatory framework streamlined and clarified. NTFP laws
etter elaborated and defined
onsultations inform legal & policy framework
ational, legitimate and just taxation
egulatory framework for NTFPs streamlined and made
ear.

9. Thank you !