1) The document discusses forest-poverty-commodity links in the Congo Basin, focusing on non-timber forest products (NTFPs) value chains and their significance for livelihoods.
2) Fieldwork was conducted from 2007-2010 in Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo on 9 NTFP chains involving interviews with over 4,300 actors.
3) The research found that NTFPs make meaningful economic contributions to actors' livelihoods, especially for women and rural communities, but that overexploitation and lack of sustainable practices threaten the long-term viability of these resources and livelihoods.
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Forest-poverty-commodity links in the Congo Basin: A value chain perspective
1. Forest-povertycommodity links
in the Congo
Basin: A value
chain perspective
NATURE INC?
QUESTIONING
THE MARKET PANACEA IN ENVIRONMENTAL
POLICY AND CONSERVATION
International Conference
30 June – 2 July 2011
ISS, The Hague, The
Netherlands
Verina Ingram
Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Central Africa
v.ingram@cgiar.org
THINKING beyond the canopy
THINKING beyond the canopy
2. Background
FORESTS
•
POVERTY
•
DEVELOPMENT •
COMMODITIES •
•
Congo Basin Forests
High forest cover (67%), globally 2nd largest intact humid
forest, rich & unique biodiversity, low but increasing
degradation & deforestation
Low levels development, 61% >$2 day, 46% population
in/near forests
High corruption, fragile states, weak governance, high
inequality, difficult business environment
Economic resource: commercial logging = export
revenues 87.5 million US$ (1-6% of GDP), 23% forest
cover allocated to timber leases
NTFPs long history as commodities but hidden: value and
resource availability largely unknown. Fears overexploitation. Conflicting conservation–development
interests
THINKING beyond the canopy
3. Aims & Research Questions
Gnetum africana
Aim
Explore forest-poverty-commodity link using NTFP value chains to assess (sustainable)
livelihoods of those engaged in the chains originating from the Congo Basin.
Questions
1. What is the significance of NTFPs to the livelihoods (economic, socio-cultural &
environmental) of actors in value chains?
2. How sustainable are NTFP species, chains and livelihoods?
THINKING beyond the canopy
4. North & Extreme
North
Northwest
&
Southwest
Study sites
Adamaoua
9 NTFP
Chains
Honey
Littoral
Centre, South,
East
Gnetum
spp.
Oriental
Irvingia
spp.
Prunus
africana
Bamboo
Cola spp.
Raffiia spp.
Bandundu
&Équateur
Gum
arabica
Dacryodes
edulis
Bas Congo
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
THINKING beyond the xx
canopy
5. Selection
Field
work
VCA
2007-2010
PAR
Analysis
Outputs
• Literature review - NTFPs in Cameroon and VCs
• Actor sample and production zones selection – Stakeholder interviews (2007)
• Prunus Inventory - 3 zones (2007-2008)
• Prunus Bark regeneration post-harvest study – 4 zones (2009)
• Botanic survey melliferous plants – 2 zones (2008, 2010)
• Structured actor household interviews (25% sample of actors in chains ) = 4370 actors (including 703
consumers), 288 villages, 178 markets
• 40 focus group interviews & 7 problem analysis workshops in 4 cities (2006-2009)
• Market surveys – 5 major markets (2007-2010)
• Participatory action research: SWOTs, stakeholder analysis, participatory Prunus management plan,
chemical and physical analysis of honey, wax and propolis, entrepreneurial skills training, setting up a
Honey Export Scheme for the European market, Geographic Origin Indication, national honey profiling
and pilot Market Information Systems.
• Capacity building events; Group organisation, business skills, harvesting, production & processing
(honey & Prunus) training, legal framework awareness & revision
• Data analysis SPSS and Excel, TIAMA, interpretation satellite images, SWOT, GIS mapping
• Preliminary findings verified in meetings /workshops & peer cross-checked
• Value chain maps: visualisations, MIS systems
• Reports: Problem analyses workshop reports, Baseline Chain reports Prunus Inventory &
Management Plan Guideline, Assessment sustainable harvest methods, Harvest and inventory norms
(GTZ + CIFOR), Botanic survey melliferous plants, Summary actors recommendations Revision of
Forestry Laws
• Actors’ groupings: Prunus Platform, Scientific Group supporting CITES Authority, Honey Federations
• Policy briefs: NTFPs in Cameroon & DRC Product sheets: 5 Cameroon & 3 DRC
THINKING beyond the canopy
Methodology
Review
6. Assessing multiple commodity
values
Acacia spp.
Wilkie 1999; Clark and Sunderland 2004; Zapfack and Ngobo 2001
Low
Score
1 =
Value
Subsistence or low level own/local consumption (for cultural,
medicinal, food, tools, construction use etc.)
Irvingia spp.
2 =
Multiple use species (own consumption)
Limited trade (Local trade or barter/exchange)
Gum arabic
2.5 =
Multiple use and local regional trade
3
Wide scale trade (important revenue source for livelihoods,
regional to national and international trade)
Multiple use species (consumption and trade)
Major consumption (important cultural, medicinal, food, tools,
construction use)
Species classified as protected or vulnerable
=
4 =
High
Major consumption and wide scale trade nationally and/or
internationally and/or protected species
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7. Average use of 9 NTFPs in Cameroon & DRC by
harvesters
Values
% Perished
% barterd
% given as gifts
% Consumed
% Sold
0
10
20
30
40
50
% of total production
60
70
12
Multiple values score
10
Number of uses
80
Subsistence
&
income
08
Score
06
04
02
00
Apiculture: Beeswax
THINKING beyond the canopy
8. 11563
8953
10437
8629
10000
8000
3000
NTFP incomes chain actors Cameroon & DRC
Risk taking, processing &
collective action add value:
up to 50% higher profits
2500
Annual averaged household income (2007-2009) US$
2000
1500
1000
500
Retailer
Exporter
Wholesaler
Processor
0
Harvester
Average Cameroon US$ 2968
NTFP Chain & Country
Xx
THINKING beyond the canopy
Average DRC US$ 1065
9. Annual market value NTFP chains DRC & Cameroon 2007/2008/2009
TOTAL DRC
Apiculture
Safou
Fumbwa
NTFP chain
Livelihoods
Employment
& Production
TOTAL CAMEROON
Rhapia NW W E
Cola NW W E
Bamboo NW SW C Litt
Gum arabic EN
Irvingia SW, C, S, L, E
Prunus NW SW
Apiculture NW, SW, A
Gnetum SW Lit
-
5,000,000
10,000,000
15,000,000
20,000,000
25,000,000
30,000,000
Annual market value US$
Num bers of actors per regional NTFP m arket chain
TOTAL DRC
Apiculture
Safou
NTFP chain
Fumbwa
TOTAL CAMEROON
Rhapia NW W E
Cola NW W E
Bamboo NW SW C Litt
Gum arabic EN
Irvingia SW, C, S, L, E
Prunus NW SW
Apiculture NW, SW, A
Gnetum SW Lit
-
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
No of direct actors per chain
30,000 THINKING
35,000
beyond the canopy
35,000,000
10. Further from the forest..... income increases
Images: Apiculture chain, Cameroon
Harvester
Processor
Wholesaler
Exporter
Retailer
Averaged (2007-2009) contribution of 9 NTFPs in DRC & Cameroon to annual household income (US$)
382
416
2293
9715
1276
THINKING beyond the canopy
11. Contribution
to
livelihoods….
long term contribution to livelihoods Av. 7
& increasing newcomers SD. 5
years
Important for women, involved in high
income stages & chains
Majority NTFP income used for basic needs
Easy cash
Increasing demand
5
years
55%
Actors,
57% total
income
Av.
89%
75-95% for food,
education,
housing,
medical needs
Low entry costs
& barriers
THINKING beyond the canopy
12. Beyond the forest.... dependence increases
Images: Gnetum spp. chain, Cameroon
Harvester
Processor
Wholesaler
Exporter
Retailer
% ranking specfic NTFP as primary source of actors’ annual household income
38%
23%
37% Xx
42%
52%
THINKING beyond the canopy
13. Going beyond the forest... opportunities decrease
Images: Prunus africana chain, Cameroon
Harvester
Processor
Wholesaler
Exporter
Retailer
Averaged (2007-2009) number of sources of income for actors in 9 NTFP chains in DRC & Cameroon
6
5
4
2
THINKING beyond the canopy
4
14. Moving beyond the forest..... uses decrease
Images: Irvingia spp. chain, Cameroon
Harvester
Processor
Wholesaler
Exporter
Retailer
Averaged (2007-2009) number of uses of NTFPs by actors/consumers 9 NTFP chains in DRC & Cameroon
6
5
4
2
THINKING beyond the canopy
4
15. and in the forest.... sustainability decreases
• 55-57% use destructive techniques vulnerable products (barks, leaves)
• 10%-26% use unsustainable techniques
- less vulnerable (honey, bamboo)
• Low levels & recent domestication in
high value chains (Gnetum)
• Higher domestication levels in long
established chains (cola, raffia, safou, gum)
• Domestication too recent to cope with
increased demand
• Negative indicators last 5 years:
• Increasing demand for all products
• Increasing distances to harvest
• Increasing time spent searching
• Reduction in volumes harvested
• Increasing newcomers to trade
especially ‘foreigners’
• Bans & trade suspensions (Prunus, honey)
Photo: K Stewa
Prunus africana
THINKING beyond the canopy
16. RESULTS: Cause for concern?
Yes! when combined with context of the NTFP chains :
• Little chain wide communication between actors on prices & availability
• High urban demand
• Easy to access
• Destructive harvest techniques used
• Other anthropogenic threats exist
• Largely open access resource
• Low levels of cultivation & domestication
• Variable governance voids/excesses:
–
–
–
–
Little or ineffective formal regulations
Unenforced
Largely unkown
Absent customary governance
• High levels of corruption
THINKING beyond the canopy
17. Conclusions: A panacea for some…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Positive livelihoods impacts of forest dwellers, rural & urban chain actors
Multiple roles = multi-use, cash, safety net, gap filler and cushion
Some traded NTFPs can lift people out of poverty
But also poverty traps: reliance on a dwindling resource
Wide variances in history & sustainability of chains
Short term profit seeking & unsustainable harvest practices threaten long
term livelihoods
Actors further from forest uninformed & un-engaged in chain custody for
long term, sustainable supply.
Overlapping, conflicting bricolage of customary, regulatory, certification &
‘’project’’ governance hinders sustainable management
In this context, wild harvest = unsustainable harvest
Harvest techniques, cultivation & domestication increased sustainability &
profit + changed values
Stakeholders open to participate in formulating policy & practical
measures to address both ‘’beauty’’ and ‘’beast’’ when aware of risks
Garcinia kola
.
Dacryodes
edulis
.
Irvingia spp.
Gnetum spp.
THINKING beyond the canopy
18. Thank you!
www.cifor.cgiar.org
v.ingram@cgiar.org
The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
is one of the 15 centres supported by the Consultative
Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)
THINKING beyond the canopy
THINKING beyond the canopy