Insects as food, traditional medicine and cultural rites in the west and south regions of Cameroon

Abstract

In Cameroon, non-timber forest products of animal origin, poorly exploited by the population can be an importantsource of food. We carried out a study on the importance of edible insects in five divisions: Koung-khi, High-Plateaus, Menoua (West Region), Mvila, Dja and Lobo (South Region). We conducted individual semi-structured surveys on489 persons, from December 2014 to March 2015. Participants were aged between 8-91 years. Results showed that, nine groups of insects are eaten in the two regions: beetles (89.57%), termites (70.76%), grasshoppers and locusts (49.90%), crickets (44.17%), katydids (42.94%), caterpillars (31.80%), bees (8.38%), variegated grasshopper (8.18%) and ants (6.54%). These insects are mainly consumed: (1) in sauce (caterpillars); (2) fried (crickets, termites, beetles, grasshoppers and locusts, variegated grasshopper and ants); (3) raw (bees); or (4) roasted (crickets). The majority of people (72.49%.) consume insects mostly for their good taste and then for medicinal properties. The intervieweementioned that insects and their products could be used to improve expression in children aged between 2 to 3 yearsand to treat vomiting in infants, rheumatism, chickenpox, spleen inflammation, the large navel, lumbago, mumps, cramps, weak bones. Apart from ants and bees, most edible insects are sold in local markets. Termites (42.94%), grasshoppers and locusts (36.20%), and beetles (34.36%) were the most commercialised. In local markets, they are mostly sold in cups, bottles, glasses or heaps. Ants and bees are sold directly by the traditional healers. Most of theseinsects are harvested throughout the year, except variegated grasshoppers that appears to be seasonal.