Forests have historically contributed immensely to influence patterns of social, economic, and environmental development, supporting livelihoods, aiding construction of economic change, and encouraging sustainable growth. The use of NTFP for the livelihood and subsistence of forest community dwellers have long existed in Liberia; with use, collection, and local/regional trade in NTFP still an ongoing activities of rural communities. This study aimed to investigate the environmental and economic approaches that lead to the sustainable management exploitation and development of NTFP in Liberia. Using household information from different socio-economic societies, knowledge based NTFP socioeconomics population, as well as abundance and usefulness of the resources were obtained through the use of ethnobotanical survey on use of NTFP in 82 rural communities within seven counties in Liberia. 1,165 survey participants, with 114 plant species listed as valuable NTFP. The socioeconomic characteristics of 255 local community people provided collection practice information on NTFP, impact and threats due to collection, and their income generation. Traditional and environmental sustainable harvesting methods on the collection of two leading NTFPs – Griffonia simplicifolia and Xylopia aethiopica – were conducted and assessed. Results show an environmental sustainable harvesting method that minimizes damage/destruction to plant species and population yet allows for efficient product harvest and yield procurement. Domestic value chain study for three leading NTFP in Liberia: Griffonia (Griffonia simplicifolia), West African Black Pepper (Piper guineense) and Country Spice (Xylopia aethiopica), investigated 140 stakeholders who were mainly agents and subagents through survey interviews to provide comprehensive knowledge on selected NTFP from collection to consumer. Resource inventory of Griffonia simplicifolia in Liberia concentrated on the distribution, abundance and the population structure of Griffonia, thereby providing full ecological inventory information on Griffonia as fundamental for assessing conservation status of wild populations. Enhancing germination of Griffonia simplicifolia seed for forest enrichment was assessed using simple tools for seed germination. Seedlings were also introduced in natural habitat to monitor growth habits of transferred plant into local habitat and found that Griffonia has high survival (92% - 95%) in new habitat. Developing quality standards and new products, physico-chemical characterizations of the Liberian spices were analyzed along with those from Ghana. These qualities could set standards for trading of individual product that are used as spices in Liberia and other West African countries. X. aethiopica seeds were chemically characterized for new product development.
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
Plant Biology
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Non-timber forest products--Liberia
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
Identifier
ETD_8239
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
electronic resource
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
1 online resource (xviii, 268 p. : ill.)
Note (type = degree)
Ph.D.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Note (type = statement of responsibility)
by Larry C. Hwang
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
School of Graduate Studies Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore10001600001
Location
PhysicalLocation (authority = marcorg); (displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.