Marketing, culture, and conservation value of NTFPs: Case study of afro-ecuadorian use of piquigua, heteropsis ecuadorensis (Araceae)

Abstract

This chapter explores the pros and cons of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in relation to three major aspects: (1) economics, (2) culture, and (3) conservation, through a case study of the Afro-Ecuadorian use of a fiber plant, piquigua, Heteropsis ecuadorensis (Araceae) Kunth, in the Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve. The reserve is located in northwestern Ecuador, in the province of Esmeraldas. This chapter addresses the collection, management, use, and marketing of the plant, with particular emphasis on basketry. For these particular forest residents, the plant has minimum economic value and high cultural value, both of which lend themselves to the importance of this plant in terms of conservation. Afro-Ecuadorians, although a minority in the reserve, represent a significant group actively using and managing the forest. The role that piquigua plays in their lives and for the forest can help inform the NTFP discussion involving rural areas in the developing world.