Utilization of non-timber forest products as alternative sources of food and income in the highland regions of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

•Precarious socioeconomic situations in forest-adjacent areas is often the main cause of deforestation and forest degradation in eastern D.R. Congo.•The use of NTFPs holds potential to provide alternative income sources to local communities around protected areas.•This study emphasizes the necessity for the promotion of NTFPs to alleviate pressure on the forest's natural resources.•Structural policies and legislative measures are crucial to unravel NTFPs full potential for food and income security for communities living close by protected areas.