The research results require dissemination as the economic costs and benefits (particularly environmental costs and benefits) of forest versus agricultural use in tropical Africa are not well known. There is a general lack of firm data on which to base estimates of likely rates of return to project, or policy interventions in this area. This is a case where better information is a key requirement for governments in developing countries to make the best use of their natural resources.

There is also a broader on-going debate concerning the rationale for donor financing of environmental projects, the appropriate mechanisms for this finance (trust funds, debt-for-nature swaps, etc.) and the costs of changing incentives that currently lead to environmental destruction. This research contributes to the debate by identifying who receives the net benefits from alternative land use options as well as the size of these net benefits.

Two sets of research users can be identified:

* Policy makers and donor agencies concerned with poverty alleviation and maintaining biodiversity.

* Academic researchers in this field.

The original research was undertaken to meet the particular requirements of the DFID-funded Mount Cameroon Project (MCP). This project has sought to develop greater capacity to implement a participatory biodiversity strategy in the Mount Cameroon area. A key objective of commissioning research into the economics of alternative land use options was to contribute to the environmental impact assessment of potential expansion of plantation agriculture in the area. However, the issues tackled in this research are of interest to a significantly wider audience. Hence, this application for funding is concerned with dissemination of the results in an appropriate form.

To disseminate the results of a recent DFID project, "The economics of alternative land use in the Mount Cameroon project area", together with recent comparable research, to researchers and policy makers.

• Literature review
• Regional seminar
• Key policy implications publication
• Seminar at DFID
• Seminar at EC
• Key policy implications publication
• Seminars at 2 UK universities
• Article in an international journal.