Year of publication 2021

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are goods originating in forest that are not directly related to timber production; the term encompasses any product harvested - formally or informally - in the forest other than timber. This literature review explores the case for multiple-use forest management in natural tropical production forests in which NTFPs help make the economic case for natural forests. The report presents three examples of well-established NTFPs in humid tropical forests: Brazil nut; rattan; and rubber. For each, it examines the factors and strategies that have enabled the sustainable harvesting of the NTFP and are now supporting continued success and the challenges that have arisen in maintaining a sustainable NTFP management regime. The report also describes six promising NTFPs that grow in tropical forests - two each from tropical Africa (allanblackia and African plum), Southeast Asia (agarwood and damar resin) and the Amazon (açaí and wild cocoa) - and for which the potential is yet to be fully realized.