1. Assessing the limiting factors of the Tetracarpidium conophorum
(Müll.Arg.) Hutch. & Dalziel (Euphorbiaceae) seeds production in
the southwest region of Cameroon
KENTATCHIME Fabrice*.1; JIOFACK René.1, 2; TCHOUNDJEU Zac.
CHOUNGO Patrick 1
Background
Forest contributes to local and regional economics. It could contribute substantially to life
improvement through the sale and consumption of Agroforestry Tree Products, Non Timber
Forest Products (NTFPS), energy, medicines, environmental services etc... Non-timber forest
products usually have great values in the forest zone where they are abundant. With the
domestication program developed by ICRAF and partners for the last 20 years, some NTFPs
are having huge potentials on local, regional and international markets. Tetracarpidium
conophorum, commonly called Conophor vine is a liana of the Euphorbiaceae family found
in the humid tropic. This vine is among the important NTFPs of the West and Central Africa
region. Smallholders farmers are more and more involved in production and marketing of
Tetracarpidium conophorum seeds which have a huge contribution in the household
incomes (Jiofack & al., 2012). But unfortunately there are some factors that limit an optimal
production of the conophor seeds in Cameroon.
The current study aims at assessing factors that hinder an optimal production of the seeds
in order to ensure an efficient production to small farmers and a sustainable management
of the species in Cameroun in particular and in the Congo Basin in general.
Methodology
Study site
Characterizing exploitation of T. c resources
 Producers survey
 Number of investigated villages: 06
 Number of interviewees: 106
Agroforests characterisation
 Trees inventories
 N P= 14
 T A= 1.4 Ha
Results
Characterizing exploitation of T. conophorum resources
Seeds are the most used part of T. conophorum. Seeds are used by 83 % of local
population while leaves are used by only 14 % of them. The remain 3 % interviewees
are using roots bark and husk for many reasons. Different vine’s organs are also used
for different purposes among other nutritional and medicinal purposes.
 Use of the resource
53 % of seeds production are marketed whereas 47 %
are used for house consumption
 Treats for seeds production
They are many animals involved in the predation of the conophor’s seeds but the porcupine is the most heckled
follow by the rat.
Agroforests characterisation
conclusion
T. Conophorum is a NTFP with potential to improve the farmers livelihood but for that to be effective, is needed to:
• Train farmers on vegetative propagation
• The choice of the host tree will be made while cultivating the vine
• And the farmers need to plan the vine in farm.
• Market need to be developed in the region to allows farmers to commercialise their production.
Key references
1-Higher Institute of Environmental Sciences (HIES).
2-Université de Kinshasa, Ecole Régionale Postuniversitaire d’Aménagement et de Gestion Intégrés des Forêts et
Territoires Tropicaux, ERAIFT, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
3- World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
*Corresponding author E-mail: fabkenta7@yahoo.fr
Jiofack T., J. Lejoly, Tchoundjeu Z., Guedje N. 2012. Agroforestry and socioéconomic potential of a non-
conventional liana: Tetracarpidium conophorum (Müll. Arg.) Hutch. & Dalz. In Cameroon. Bois et Forêt des
Tropiques N° 313 (3), 35-45
Jiofack T. 2014. Gestion des populations d’un produit forestier non ligneux à usage multiple: Tetracarpidium
conophorum (Mull. Arg) Hutch. & Dalz. (Euphorbiaceae) dans les systèmes d’aménagement forestier au
Cameroun. École Régionale post-universitaire d’aménagement et de gestion intégrés des forêts et territoires
tropicaux. 288 p
There is highly significance difference between the quantity of seeds produce
in agroforest and those from the forest ecosystem P = 0.071.
Division Harvesting
place
Number
of
producers
Minimum
production
(kg)
Mean
production (kg)
Maximum
(kg)
Total production
(kg)
Manyu
Agroforest 24 6 576 2340 11520
forest 24 6 288 1080 7020
Agroforest
and forest 7 18 324 720 2268
Mémé Agroforest 15 12 756 3240 11412
Agroforest
and forest 1 720 4320 4320 4320
There is not real conophor seed market in the manyu division while in the Meme division, seeds are globally marketed
and there is a great evidence that this local and neighbouring trade has an impact on the seeds availability .
Results reveal that 70 % of vine found in agroforests are hosted by common fruits trees with a diameter less than 35
cm. Because of the heavy weight of this vine, it usually prevent the support tree to grow normally. Famers to
prevent that use to cut down and break down the productivity. Compered to the model developed by Jiofack (2014),
the vertical structure of the agroforests surveyed are not suitable for the cultivation and this impact the productivity
of the vine. T. conophorum