Exploitation and commercialisation of Prunus africana (Hook. f.) Kalkman in North Kivu (DR Congo): analysis of the local value chain and contribution to the livelihoods of forest communities

Prunus africana (Hook. f.) Kalkman is an important medicinal plant regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The socio-economic impacts of informal logging and trade in this species on forest communities are poorly documented. The aim of this study is to identify the local value chain of P. africana in North Kivu in eastern DR Congo and assess its contribution to the livelihoods of forest communities. Between July 2022 and August 2023, questionnaires were administered to 58 farmers in four forest areas in North Kivu. An ethnographic method was used to understand the organisation of the sector. Snowball sampling was used to identify informal actors. The results show that the local value chain is characterised by the dominance of men (94.8%) who participate in informal exploitation in two ways: the sale of standing trees (11.58 ± 5.89 USD/tree/year) and the sale of dry bark (0.78 ± 0.45 USD/kg). The annual gross margins range from 604.4 USD for bark harvesters to 7745.5 USD for middlemen. This income enables households living below the poverty line (USD 0.40/person/day) to buy property (motorbikes: 61.8%, housing: 50.9%) and send their children to school (21.8%). Although 76% of farmers are in favour of agroforestry, land scarcity and lack of technical resources limit its use. The study shows that the utilisation of P. africana contributes significantly to the livelihoods of forest communities, but its sustainability requires better structuring of the sector and support for agroforestry initiatives based on this species.