Effects of the Diversification of Nontimber Forest Products on Human Development in Congo: The Case of Gnetum, Marantaceae and Rattan

The objective of this paper is to analyze the effects of the diversification of nontimber forest products (NTFPs) on human development in Congo. An error correction model (VECM) is used to achieve this objective. The estimates are based on data from the statistical yearbooks of the Ministry of Forest Economy (MEF) from 2018, UNDP in 2019, World Bank in 2020 and FAO 2018. The results show that in the Congolese context, particularly in the forestry sector, NTFP diversification has no effect on human development in the short term. In contrast, in the long term, the effect of NTFP diversification on human development is positive and significant. These results suggest the need for, on the one hand, the implementation of policies for the conservation, protection and rational exploitation of forests and, on the other hand, the continued implementation of initiatives to combat the abusive exploitation of NTFPs.