The Role of Bushmeat in Urban Household Consumption: Insights From Bangui, the Capital City of the Central African Republic

Abstract

In the Congo Forest Basin, hunting provides a major source of protein for rural household consumption. In the context of increasing urbanisation, an understanding of bushmeat consumption in urban settings is needed to both address food security issues and design biodiversity conservation strategies. This paper provides insights into bushmeat con- sumption patterns in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, through an analysis of household expenditures and market prices. A survey of approximately 4,000 households combined with 3 years (2005-2008) of mar- ket price monitoring was used to estimate the consumption of bushmeat and alternative proteins. The results showed the presence of a diverse range of animal proteins on the Ban- gui market, including meat from domestic and wild animals. The taxonomic composition of the bushmeat mainly included common, sed- entary wildlife species that are highly resilient to hunting pressure, while protected species were rarelyobserved. The householdconsump- tion survey showed that 54% of daily meals contained beef, 35% contained fish and 19% contained bushmeat. Fish and bushmeat con- sumption decreased in the rainy season, and caterpillar consumption increased. Smoked proteins (bushmeat, fish), were cheaper than all fresh meat except for caterpillars. The con- sumption of proteins and bushmeat increased with wealth; fresh proteins were consumed more by wealthy consumers, while smoked bushmeat was consumed by the poorest. Total consumption of protein and bushmeat was highest in rich households, but the rela- tive proportion of bushmeat in the total pro- tein intake was highest for poor households. Overall, the results confirm the importance of bushmeat in the diet of urban consumers, especially in poor households. However, the patterns of consumption suggest that bush- meat is less popular than alternatives, which may potentially limit an increase in bushmeat consumption, particularly if cheaper, alterna- tive meat can be made available.

Mapping the availability of bushmeat for consumption in Central African cities

“…City dwellers may eat bushmeat as a means of culturally re-connecting to their place of origin, where they or their parents consumed bushmeat (Luiselli et al 2017(Luiselli et al , 2018(Luiselli et al , 2019. Although consumers in some provincial towns (particularly isolated ones) may buy bushmeat because it is the cheaper meat and more readily available (Van Vliet et al 2010, Fargeot et al 2017), bushmeat in metropolitan cities is more of a luxury item and status symbol (Drury 2011, Ngoc and Wyatt 2013, Shairp et al 2016, Wilkie et al 2016. As a luxury commodity, city dwellers pay higher prices than rural consumers for the same animal.…”

From the Forest to the Dish: A Comprehensive Study of the Wildmeat Value Chain in Yangambi, Democratic Republic of Congo

“…Our study provides an example of a bushmeat trade chain in a medium-sized catchment area around the town of Yangambi. In the studied location, the trade contributes significantly to local food security and constitutes the most affordable and available source of animal protein, as also observed in Kisangani in 2002(van Vliet et al, 2012 or in Bangui (Fargeot et al, 2017).…”

Ethnozoological Knowledge and Local Perceptions about the Reintroduction of the North African Ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus Linnaeus, 1858) in the Koutous, Niger

“…Whilst the exploitation and consumption of wild animals vary with the natural conditions, resources availability and food preferences in each country, the bushmeat remains the main, if not the only source of protein for thousands of people in Africa [3,4]. The volumes actually consumed are difficult to evaluate, but the practice yields important socio-economic benefits for the studied populations [5,6,7]. Consequently, socio-cultural issues play an important role in the sustainability of non-timber forest products (NTFP) and cannot be overlooked when planning the reintroduction of a game species [8].…”