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Evaluating Dependence on Wildlife Products in Rural Equatorial Guinea

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Evaluating Dependence on Wildlife Products in Rural Equatorial Guinea Evaluating dependence on wildlife products in rural Equatorial Guinea Sophie M. Allebone-Webb 2009 Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Imperial College London, University of London Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London Abstract Abstract It is often stated that wildlife is extremely important to poor rural households, particularly in tropical forest regions, and many have proposed that rural populations depend on wildife. There is evidence that the harvest of forest products such as bushmeat is highly unsustainable, and so there is a need to assess this dependence on forest resources in order to evaluate the potential impacts to people following a reduction in forest offtake whether due to declining wildlife populations or to management. There is clear evidence that the use of forest products, including bushmeat, wild fish and forest plants, is widespread, but the more ambiguous term ‘dependence’ is harder to demonstrate. I show that two rural villages in continental Equatorial Guinea consume, produce and earn significant amounts from wildlife resources, particularly bushmeat. I show that the consumption of wild foods, particularly plants, increases during the lean season, implying that wild plants reduce vulnerability to food shortages in times of stress, and are therefore important for food security. Production and income from wildlife is highest for poorer, food insecure households, and this represents a significantly higher proportion of their income than for the rest of the population, suggesting that these vulnerable households with few livelihood options rely on wildlife for regular income. The less accessible village is more food insecure and has fewer income sources, and is also more reliant on forest resources, particularly bushmeat for income. Finally, I give evidence to demonstrate that monitoring sales of wildlife products in urban markets is a useful way to assess changes in offtakes. However, these markets may represent only a small fraction of the total harvest, and may underrepresent vulnerable taxa such as primates that have a relatively low price for their size. The data suggest that bushmeat harvest in continental Equatorial Guinea is likely to be unsustainable. This study has used a number of different approaches to explore dependence on wildlife in rural Equatorial Guinea, and I conclude that poorer families in the more remote village are indeed dependent on a range of wildlife resources, both for income and consumption. This must be taken into account in any policy responses to unsustainable harvests. Allebone-Webb, S.M. (2009) Evaluating dependence on wildlife products in rural Equatorial Guinea 2 Acknowledgements Acknowledgements During this PhD I have had the pleasure of meeting a huge number of fascinating, fun and admirable people and for this and the incredible times I’ve had along the way, I am immensely grateful. My first massive thanks go to my three supervisors, Dr Marcus Rowcliffe, Professor E.J. Milner-Gulland and Dr. Guy Cowlishaw. They made this thesis possible and I am very grateful for their invaluable comments and support, as well as their positive outlook and patience in the face of ever delayed deadlines. My sincere acknowledgements and thanks go to the Economic and Social Research Council for funding and opportunity for this PhD. I received additional funding for computer equipment, and accommodation in Bata from Conservation International, and student funds from the Institute of Zoology, for which I am also grateful. For support in Equatorial Guinea, I am very grateful to the Ministerio de Bosques y Infrastructura, INDEFOR, particularly the then director Crisantos Obama, and to ECOFAC, particularly Nicolas Ngomo, director at the time. My research assistants were all an unfailing source of hard work, patience, and village gossip, and for all of these I’m very grateful. In particular, Francisco Javier Nsue Ondo for his endless work despite at one point a fractured arm, and Marcus Ncogo for his huge attention to detail and wonderfully diplomatic way of explaining about “complicated” situations. In addition, I’d like to thank Norberto Nñam, Miguel Rodriguez Nsogo Ncogo, Alfredo Nse Ndong, Ramon Edu and Bienvenido Ndong Ondo, Candido Micha and Cristobal Nguema for data collection in Teguete, Beayop and Bata. Next, I would like to give my huge gratitude to my three volunteers, all of whom worked extremely hard and coped well and with humour with any situations I threw at them!:- Jessica Weinberg for amazing photos, Caroline Baker for long late night chats and unexpected laughs, and for Fredi Devas for endless fascinating conversations and bringing new enthusiasm into the whole project. I’m very grateful to Janna Rist for accompanying me on the roller-coaster ride that was Equatorial Guinea. My huge thanks go to Jason Dubois, Badir, Hussain and Heidi for the good company and keeping us sane whenever we returned to the city, as well as the place to stay in times of need! In addition, Steve McNally, Barry, Jim, Svend and all the other guys at Hess Allebone-Webb, S.M. (2009) Evaluating dependence on wildlife products in rural Equatorial Guinea 3 Acknowledgements Transocean for the good company, and logistical (and financial) help in providing transport between Bata and Malabo and letting us use their office whenever in Bata. The photocopying costs alone would have been out of control without this help. Back in London, a big thanks to Noelle Kumpel for the thousands of conversations about (among other things) Equatorial Guinea, and the good advice that accompanied it. I’m also grateful to Nick Isaac for answering my endless ‘small’ stats questions, and Lizzie Boakes for proof-reading, and all the wonderful people at ZSL that have made this such a great place to work. My greatest thanks of all go to the people of Teguete and Beayop, who welcomed me so completely, and who were so generous with their time and support, and were so patient with my questionnaires and first attempts at Fang (even if they were always accompanied by gales of laughter). I’m especially grateful to Paula and Constantino, Francisca, and Constancia and Diosdado for welcoming me into their families so wonderfully. In addition, my thanks to Diosdado, Santiago, Simon and Baltasar, among others for kindness and interesting conversations. Finally, I’d like to thank all my family and friends for their love, support and entertainment always, but particularly during my thesis. My eternal thanks go to my Mum for her support, the many ‘small’ favours I continue to ask of her and for her bravery in coming to Africa for the first time (and to Gillian for coming with her!). Other massive thanks go to Tom for being the face of humour and cynicism that always out-weighs my own, to Dad, Helen, Becky and Harri for providing a welcome retreat in Yorkshire, full of good food and the tales of the outback that inspired me to adventure, and to Ben for making me happy. Allebone-Webb, S.M. (2009) Evaluating dependence on wildlife products in rural Equatorial Guinea 4 Table of contents Table of contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................2 Acknowledgements....................................................................................................... 3 Table of contents.......................................................................................................... 5 List of figures............................................................................................................... 9 List of tables............................................................................................................... 10 List of supplementary tables (in Appendices)............................................................. 12 List of supplementary figures (in Appendices)........................................................... 15 List of Acronyms........................................................................................................ 17 Chapter 1. Introduction.......................................................................................... 18 1.1 Dependence on wildlife resources ...............................................................................19 1.2 Sustainability of wildlife harvests ...............................................................................20 1.3 The importance of wildlife resources to people ..........................................................22 1.4 Food security and nutrition.........................................................................................23 1.4.1 Definitions...........................................................................................................................23 1.4.2 The impacts of food insecurity .............................................................................................24 1.5 Research questions ......................................................................................................25 1.6 Thesis outline ...............................................................................................................26 Chapter 2. Study site and methods.......................................................................... 29 2.1 Study area: Equatorial Guinea ...................................................................................30 2.1.1 Geography and climate ........................................................................................................30
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