Forest, Plantation Crops or Small-scale Agriculture? An Economic Analysis of Alternative Land Use Options in the Mount Cameroon Area

Abstract

This paper presents the key findings of a study, funded by the Department for International Development of the UK, into the economic costs and benefits of alternative land use options in forested lowland of the Mount Cameroon region. Detailed analysis of the total economic value of sustainable forest use, small-scale agriculture and plantation agriculture is undertaken using rich sources of primary data. These values are then examined in terms of local, national and international beneficiaries, to see 'who gets what' from alternative land uses. This helps to explain why local people face incentives to convert forest land.