Impacts de la déforestation et de la dégradation des forets sur les produits forestiers non ligneux en république centrafricaine : cas de la commune de Mbata

Abstract

This thesis explores the consequences of deforestation and forest degradation on the availability, access, and marketing of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) in the Mbata commune of the Central African Republic (CAR). NTFPs are vital for local survival and the economy; however, Mbata's forests face increasing anthropogenic pressure, mainly from slash-and-burn agriculture, logging, and urbanization. The main objective of this study is to identify and analyze the impacts of these threats on the NTFP value chain, an essential source of food security and monetary income for riverside communities. The study relies on a hypothetico-deductive approach combining a diachronic analysis of forest cover evolution (1995-2024) based on satellite imagery processing ; household surveys, direct observations, interviews with key informants along the NTFP value chain (harvesters, resellers, NTFP consumers), and the use of Leopold's impact matrix. The results of this research show that Mbata's forests are under increasing pressure. Their areas decreased by 9.89% between 1995 and 2024, while cropland areas increased by 15.36% over the same period. This pressure underlies the negative impacts on NTFPs, whether of animal or plant origin: reduced NTFP production potential through limited regeneration, remoteness of collection sites and difficult access to these resources, decreased quantities of available NTFPs (72% of respondents complain about this), food insecurity, decline in rural household incomes, and increased NTFP selling prices on markets (for example, Gnetum africanum prices multiplied by 5 and caterpillar prices by 2.5 between 1997 and 2024). There is also a noted advancement in the sedentarization of the A’ka indigenous peoples and their progressive access to basic social services. The thesis proposes management measures to mitigate the identified negative impacts.