Drivers of timber supply in an archetypical African economy, Cameroon: some policy implications for sustainable development

Abstract

Timber features as an important commodity in the trade portfolio of some African countries as it is accessible, lucrative, and necessary for construction and development. For these reasons, the supply of timber has implications for sustainable development. This research evaluated the determinants of the supply of timber in Cameroon. Since time series data were employed, an econometric technique via the Autoregressive Dynamic Lag approach was used to establish the relationship between annual hardwood harvest and observed economic conditions. The conditional unrestricted equilibrium correction model showed a positive and significant correlation between timber supply and prices, and between income and road infrastructure. The findings captured the dynamic nature of the country’s forest sector and enumerated the drivers of a sustainable timber supply. There is a need for policies and programmes aimed at enhancing and guiding timber harvest rates and supply, and for investments in road infrastructure and other broad-based interventions that ensure guided access to concession sites.