Carpena, Pietro, TREE AID

Supporting the development of locally controlled small-scale enterprises based on non-timber forest products in : TREE AID’s experience

Authors: Pietro Carpena - TREE AID; Désiré Ouedraogo - TREE AID; Alexis Sompougdou - TREE AID; Barthélémy Kaboret - TREE AID

In the fight against poverty the use of forest products are often quoted as having significant potential to improve the livelihoods of rural people living within or close to forest areas. TREE AID works in Africa’s drylands to unlock the potential of trees to tackle poverty and improve the environment.

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are an important part of traditional livelihoods in the drylands of . Communities generally have free access to communal forest resources, and NTFPs are already an important alternative source of income for rural households – especially women. However, marketing forest products to reduce poverty can be hindered by several factors including poor management and business skills, lack of investment, poor market access and information and dwindling natural resource base.

Over the last decade, through its programmes, TREE AID has guided the self-organisation of hundreds of village interest groups in Burkina Faso, and to develop and manage small businesses, also known as village tree enterprise (VTE) groups, based on NTFPs. With support from the Market Analysis and Development (MA&D) approach developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), TREE AID has provided the crucial structures that are necessary to achieve this empowerment.

The support to VTEs groups covers all aspects of the NTFP value chain by facilitating market linkages and introducing private sector approaches to marketing and customer retention to ensure that expanded agricultural enterprise is achieved. The main strength of VTE group model is its systematic consideration of the technological, commercial and financial aspects of a product alongside social and environmental concerns. The findings provided in this oral presentation form part of TREE AIDs integrated landscape approach to significantly contribute to poverty reduction in rural areas by increasing individual and community revenues while ensuring the sustainable management of forests.