Suivis socioéconomiques et environnementaux d'agroforêts dans le Parc National d'Odzala-Kokoua en République du Congo

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize the consumption, budget and food security of nine cocoa-growing households in two villages on the northern outskirts of the Odzala-Kokoua National Park (OKNP) in Congo. An inventory of the mammalian communities present in the village agroforests was carried out. These are home to at least 14 species of mammal, particularly small mammals such as rodents. As a result, the agroforests are defaunated. Households consume more fish than bushmeat. Household consumption can be explained by the greater availability of fish compared with bushmeat. Similarly, household preferences and the lower cost of fish compared with bushmeat explain the higher consumption of fish. The majority of animal protein consumed by households was purchased. All households derived a large part of their income from plantain sales. In some cases, income from plantain sales exceeded that from cocoa. Cocoa contributed more than 20 % of income for only four households. Households' main expenditure is on labor, followed by food. The contribution of bushmeat to income is low, with the exception of the household that did not harvest cocoa during the study. Labor costs for cocoa harvesting are four times higher than for the harvesting of food crops.NTFPs are not an important source of household income. . However, self-consumption of Gnetum spp, palm nuts in the form of mouambe and chilli pepper (Capsicum sp) is very important for households. The Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) showed that a third of households were food-secure, while the others experienced periods of stress. According to the proportion of the household budget spent on food, all households are food-secure.The state of food security was independent of household wealth.