Impact Analysis of an Innovative Extraction Process for Ndjansang (Ricinodendron heudelotii) Seeds on the Welfare of Local Producers in Nyong and Mfoumou Division, Cameroon

Ndjansang is a non-timber forest product (NTFP) that is part of the traditional medicinal, cosmetic and gastronomic practices of populations in sub-Saharan Africa. Although its price has increased considerably in recent years, making it an essential source of income for farming households, its production level remains low due to the arduous extraction of almonds, making the production process laborious and burdensome. The introduction of innovation such as the almond crushing machine to ease hired conditions and improve the welfare of producers seems indispensable. Therefore, this article assesses the impact of the adoption of this innovation on producers’ income in Cameroon’s central region. The non-experimental method of assessing impact using propensity scores was used on a sample of 216 producers selected in a reasoned manner. The results reveal that producers who adopted the innovation in the production process experienced a considerable increase in their income per kilogram in Ndjansang (US$ 0.16 per kg) with a statistically positive and significant effect of 1%, compared to manual production. Seed quality has also been greatly improved, as some manually ground almonds have been broken or transported under dangerous conditions. This allows producers to spend more time on other income-generating activities. Variables such as membership of the farmer organization, quantities produced, household size, and the Ndjansang bowl price are the main determinants of the adoption of this innovation. Indeed, the farmer organization’s membership is an essential factor in adoption because the producer who is enrolled in a farmer organization can have access to more innovations, information, resources, and training. In order to ensure sustainable income and welfare for producers, it is then essential to introduce and disseminate this innovation through value-adding policies in the Ndjansang value chain.

• The extraction of this product is very laborious, as it requires large quantities of seeds for little oil. This difficulty is characterized by the lack of agricultural innovations such as crushing machines for some rural producers.

• The crushing machine introduced here in each intervention village is a technological innovation that consists of the mechanization of the crushing process. With a value of US $ 3500, its production capacity used in an optimal way (8 hours/day) is 600 Kg.

• The producers who adopted the innovation in the production process experienced a considerable increase in their income per kilogram in Ndjansang (US$ 0.16 per kg) with a statistically positive and significant effect of 1%, compared to traditional (manual) production.