WORKING PAPER IMF EOF '-'1=1.11111WalEPARIMINIMPI_ I II I The bamboo production to consumption system in Cameroon Verina Ingram Julius Chupezi Tieguhong Eric Maturin Nkamgnia Jean Paul Eyebe Mathew Ngawel Mm-le re0-11LEL, itIFOR WORKING PAPER 50 The bamboo production to consumption system in Cameroon Verina Ingram Julius ChupeziTieguhong Eric Maturin Nkamgnia Jean Paul Eyebe Mathew Ngawel Working Paper 50 © 2010 Center for International Forestry Research All rights reserved Photos: Verina Ingram, Julius Chupezi Tieguhong, Ilse Pelkmans, Martin Lieber, Katrin Ingram Ingram, V., Tieguhong, J.C., Nkamgnia, E.M., Eyebe, J.P. and Ngawe, M. 2010 Bamboo production to consumption system, Cameroon. CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia CIFOR JI. CIFOR, Situ Gede Bogor Barat 16115 Indonesia T +62 (251) 8622-622 F +62 (251) 8622-100 E [email protected] www.cifor.cgiar.org Any views expressed in this publication are those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the views of CIFOR, the authors' institutions or the financial sponsors of this publication. This study was financed by the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) as part of a Common Fund for Commodities project 'Enhancing Opportunities for Market-Led Bamboo and Rattan-based Development in West and Central Africa'. A presentation of initial results was made at the International workshop in Yaounde, Cameroon, 23-25 November 2009, organised by the (INBAR, the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife of the government of Cameroon. Contents INBAR's bamboo and rattan development programme vi Abbreviations viii Acknowledgements ix Summary x 1.Introduction 1 Objectives 1 Rationale for the study 1 Background to Cameroon 1 Review of bamboo sector in Cameroon 5 Markets 15 2.Methodology 19 Definition of the Production to Consumption System 19 Study areas 19 Data collection parameters 20 Sampling techniques 21 3.Results 23 Overview of the PCS 23 Actors 23 Location of production and consumption zones 24 Trade circuits 24 Processing 24 Stakeholders 30 Actors in the PCS 33 Bamboo harvesters 33 Description of the bamboo harvest system 33 Processors 38 Bamboo traders 45 Consumers 50 4.Development of the bamboo sector in Cameroon 51 Problems, constraints and opportunities in the bamboo sector 51 5.Policy and institutional framework for the bamboo sector 55 Policy environment 55 Regulations 55 Customary rules 55 Institutional and administrative framework 57 6.Development opportunities and ways forward 59 Developing the Cameroon bamboo sector 59 Recommendations 59 References 63 Appendices 67 Appendix 1. List of actor and stakeholder interviews 67 Appendix 2. Questionnaires 71 Appendix 3. Terms of Reference 93 iv Verina Ingram, Julius Chupezi Tieguhong, Eric Maturin Nkamgnia, Jean Paul Eyebe and Mathew Ngawel Tables 1. Cameroon Human Development Indices 3 2. Cameroon forest key figures 4 3. Bamboo species in Cameroon 6 4. World bamboo and rattan export and imports 16 5. Bamboo PCS actors interviewed 21 6. Geographic location of bamboo production, processing and consumption in Cameroon 26 7. Education level of harvesters 34 8. Socio-economic profile of harvesters 36 9. Ownership status of bamboo stands per region 36 10. Types of harvesters associations and objectives 37 11. Quantity of stems harvested per year and species 38 12. Preferred bamboo species and reason 38 13. Factors determining bamboo quality 38 14. Income sources for bamboo harvesters 40 15. Harvesters' expenditure 40 16. Distribution of bamboo processors by region 40 17. Income generation sources for bamboo processors 41 18. Processors' associations 42 19. Objectives of processors associations 42 20. Derived/expected benefit from associations 42 21. Bamboo products and species 43 22. Price determinants for processed bamboo 43 23. Processors'annual sources of household income 43 24. Income from different bamboo products 43 25. Processors' expenditures 44 26. Processors raw material costs 44 27. Processors' equipment costs 44 28. Processors' miscellaneous costs 44 29. Processors' household expenses 46 30. Traders associations in Cameroon 46 31. Objectives of traders associations 46 32. Proportion of traders and bamboo products 46 33. Bamboo products and markets 48 34. Product price determinants 48 35. Traders'preferred species and reasons 48 36. Trader's income sources 48 37. Expenses incurred by bamboo traders 49 38. Uses of bamboo per region 49 39. Quality comparison of bamboo vs. other products 50 40. Consumer ranking of potentially interesting bamboo products 50 41. Problems faced by bamboo processors 52 42. Problems and practical solutions 52 43. Legal and regulatory issues and recommendations 56 The bamboo production to consumption system in Cameroon v Figures 1. Raphia mambilensesor Indian bamboo 5 2. Stratification of Kilum Ijum forest, NW Cameroon 10 3. Yushina alpina groves in Kilum Ijum forest, Northwest 10 4. Bambusa vulgaris 11 5. Yushania alpina 11 6. Oxytenanthera abyssinica 11 7. Ochlandra travancorica 12 8. Bambusa vulgaris vitatta 12 9. Oxytenanthera abyssinica 13 11. Bambusa vulgaris 13 10. Yushania alpina 13 12. Global bamboo and rattan export and import market shares 1989-2007 17 13. Bamboo market traderYushina alpinastorage 'jars', Oku, Northwest 17 14. Bamboo(Bambusa vulgaris),Korup, Southwest 19 15. Map of main bamboo harvesting areas in Cameroon 20 16. The bamboo PCS in Cameroon 23 17. Bamboo(Bambusa vulgaris),Yaounde-Edea road 24 18. Major bamboo production zones in Cameroon 25 19. Major bamboo production zones in the Northwest region 25 20. Major trade circuits 30 21. Bamboo herb drying rack, Babungo, Northwest 30 22. Bamboo processing in Cameroon 31 23. Bamboo and mud wall, Oku, Northwest 31 24. Traditional bamboo spear, Oku, Northwest 31 25. Bamboo clad restaurant and furniture, Buea, Southwest 32 27. Frequency of bamboo product types/uses in Cameroon 32 28. Bamboo based paper making process, Oku, Northwest 32 26. Bamboo and rattan chairs, Douala, Littoral 32 29. Stakeholders in the bamboo PCS Cameroon 33 30. Sources of income for bamboo harvesters 35 31. Stated profession of bamboo harvesters 35 32. Land ownership status 37 33. Samples of bamboo species found in Cameroon 38 34. Determinants of quantity of bamboo harvested 39 35. Motivation to enter bamboo processing 41 36. Bamboo and rattan processor craftsmen, Yaounde 41 37. Bamboo traders'major income sources 47 38. Minor income sources for bamboo traders 47 39. Roadside bamboo furniture marketing, near Mbalmayo 50 40. Problems faced by bamboo harvesters 51 41. Constraints faced by traders 53 42. Solutions to problems faced by traders 53 43. Development opportunities proposed by actors 59 Exchange rates At September 2009 1.00 Euro = 655.957 CFAF / 1 CFAF = 0.00152449 EUR 1.00 USD = 441.192 CFAF/ 1 CFAF = 0.00226658 USD INBAR's bamboo and rattan development programme This study is part of the INBAR and World specific. The national studies will help the experts Agroforestry Centre project 'Enhancing opportunities decide the priority areas for study at local, national and for market-led bamboo-based development in West regional levels. This in turn will help INBAR clearly and Central Africa from 2008-2009, financed by define its role within these countries as a facilitator and the Common Fund for Commodities. The project coordinator. produced studies of the bamboo Production to Consumption Systems in Ghana and Togo, Cameroon, INBAR has developed an outline for these national Nigeria and Sierra Leone. The findings were presented studies, to which this study conforms. The outline at a regional workshop in Yaounde, 23-25 November serves two purposes. Firstly, it is meant to facilitate the 2009, to develop national and regional actionable data collection process and, secondly, it should assist recommendations for market-led, bamboo-based in formulating case study reports. The framework also development in the region. guarantees that comparable information is provided in each national study. Information covered includes: The application of bamboo and rattan in enhancing general information on the country (geographical, the economic and ecological wellbeing of resource- topographical, climate, demography, political, dependent communities in Asia has been extensive. environmental); the bamboo and rattan sector Systematic studies of the potential of bamboo (biodiversity, production, utilisation, socio-economics, and rattan, previous and current uses, and the marketing, legislation); the institutional capacity at social, cultural and political perspectives of these the national and local level; previous, ongoing and resources have been invaluable in promoting their upcoming research and development interventions in development through innovative and sustainable use. the bamboo and rattan sector; and, finally, conclusions The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan and recommendations. (INBAR) plays a pivotal role in advancing the bamboo and rattan sector and has facilitated and coordinated After defining priority areas, case studies are research (including action-research) on biodiversity and undertaken in a number of carefully chosen, highly genetic conservation, production systems, processing representative, locations within the country to and utilisation and socio-economic and policy, while collect raw data on all aspects of the present state of promoting capacity building at the national level. the bamboo and/or rattan sectors. The case studies A number of rural development programs are being investigate the Production