A study of the Production-to- Consumption System of Rattan in Ghana
by
A. Oteng-Amoako (Dr.) Project Leader B. Darko Obiri (Mrs): Socio-Economist S. Britwum (Ms): Computer Analyst J. K Afful-Mensah (Mr.): Research Assistant J. Asiedu (Mr.): Research Assistant E. Ebanyenle (Mr.): Project Assistant
FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF GHANA
and
INTERNATIONAL NETWORK FOR BAMBOO AND RATTAN Executive Summary
Rattans are climbing palms native to tropical forest regions of South-east Asia, the Malay Archipelago and Africa. There are over 650 rattan species worldwide (UhI and Dransfield 1987). Rattans have a wide variety of both household and commercial uses. Recently, their importance in environmental management and conservation has also been recognized.
Rattans provide raw materials for the cane furniture industry. About 0.7 billion of the world’s population are involved in the trade of raw rattan materials and their finished products (Dransfield and Manokaran, 1994)., Rattan provides a means of livelihood for collectors, processors and traders in the rattan producing countries of Africa. In Ghana, rattan contributes 20% of the total revenue from NTFPs. Through the National Forest Policy the government of Ghana is promoting the development of NTFPs including rattan to curb rural poverty and ensure sustainable forest resources. Despite its environmental and socio-economic importance to the nation, the rattan sector lacks adequate authoritative basic data required to enhance its development.
The study was principally designed to provide a thorough understanding of the rattan production-to-consumption system in Ghana. It was also to identify constraints in the sector and recommend possible development interventions that will transcend these constraints and ensure sustainable development of the sector to particularly, improve the livelihood of the rural stakeholders in the country.
About 240 rattan collectors, processors and traders of raw materials and finished products from the Ashanti, Eastern, Greater - Accra and Western regions of Ghana were interviewed with structured questionnaires to provide the required data. Discussions on rattan resource availability and potential of the industry and of trade.were held with the Forestry Department, Plant Quarantine officers at the Ghana - Cote D’ Ivoire border and the only two large-scale rattan processors in the country.
The study identified three commercial rattan species as Eremospatha spp. (Mfea), Laccosperma spp. (Eyie) and Calamus spp. (Demere) from off reserve natural forests of Ashanti, Eastem and more importantly Western regions of Ghana. Rattan is usually harvested when it is 8 to 10 years old using cutlasses and machetes. The demand for Eremospatha spp. is very high and is fast depleting the natural resources and as a consequence collectors may walk more than 10 kilometers from their villages to harvest them.
Rattan stems are sold by collectors, ungraded and chemically untreated in bundles of 30 to 100, to processors and traders in urban centers. some of who
2 come from neighbouring countries of Togo and Cote D’ Ivoire. The profit margin of 10 to 30 percent of the selling price depends on the cost of transportation which may be as high as 50 percent of the selling price.
Rattan stems are processed manually into furniture, baskets, serving trays, babies-cots and other products by small-scale family-based entrepreneurs in urban centers who operate with very limited capital, usually not exceeding three hundred thousand cedis (about 100 US dollars). Rural processing largely involves the production of local farm baskets for transporting goods and for storage of food items. The sale of ungraded rattan products is done by either the processors themselves or by retailers who buy from the processors. Most of the products are sold locally with only two relatively large-scale companies export significant quantities to Europe. The profit margin for a finished product sold in the local market is about 20 to 50 percent and depends on the type of product, the location of the market and the season of sale. The profit margin for exported rattan products may be considerably higher, at about 50 to 100 percent of the selling price in Europe.
Although the rattan industry sector of Ghana is not well developed when compared to those of Asia countries, the future of the industry seems bright because of increasing demand for rattan products. However, the industry is being seriously threatened by a shortage of of raw rattan, especially Eremospatha, which is rapidly being depleted. Consequently, there is an urgent need to increase rattan stock in the country by way of establishment of plantation, enrichment planting and agro-forestry.
Other interventions needed to sustain the sector and improve upon the livelihood of especially rural stakeholders include improved harvesting techniques to promote natural regeneration: effective preservation methods to arrest fungal deterioration and insect infestationa dn the introduction of processing machines and better equipment to enhance productivity and quality of the finished products. Of equal importance is the need for a standard grading system for the sale of rattan stems and products, legislation to review the current permit system to discourage evasion of tax by collectors and processors, and a policy to intensify market promotion and give stakeholders financial backing.
3 TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2
Table of Contents 4 List of tables 6
1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 7
2.0 OBJECTIVES 8
3.0 METHODOLOGY 9
3.1 Definition of the Production - to - Consumption System (PCS). 9 3.2 Conceptual/Analytical Framework 9 3.3 Study Area/Sites 10 3.4 Data Collection 10 3.5 Data Analysis 11
Map of Ghana showing the main rattan harvesting area 12
4.0 BACKGROUND TO GHANA 14
4.1 Location and Extent 14 4.2 Demography 14 4.3 Topography 14 4.4 Land Use 14 4.5 Farming Systems 15 4.6 The Economy 15
5.0 THE RATTAN PRODUCTION -TO-CONSUMPTION SYSTEM (P-C-S) 16
5.1 Overview of the P-C-S 16 5.2 Rattan Collection System 16 5.2.1 Socio-demographic Profile of Collectors 16 5.2.2 Description of the rattan collection system 19 5.3 Local use, Processing and Manufacturing 26 5.3.1 Local uses of rattan 26 5.3.2 Processing and manufacturing 27 5.3.2.1 Socio-demographic profile of Processors 27 5.3.2.2 Processing technology, Practices/Methods 30 change no in text 5.4 Rattan Trading /Marketing 37 5.4.1 Socio-demographic profile of traders 37 5.4.2 Processed rattan trade 41 5.4.3 Variation in Price of Raw Rattan on Selected Markets 42 5.4.4 Value Addition and Profit Margins 43 5.5 Problems/Constraints in the Rattan P-C-S 48 5.5.1 Constraints in Rattan Collection 48 5.5.2 Constraints in Rattan Processing 49 5.5.3 Constraints in Rattan Trading/Marketing 51
4 6.0 DEVELOPMENT OF THE RATTAN INDUSTRY 53
6.1 Enhancing the Rattan Industry: Suggestions from primary stakeholders 53 6.2 Policy, Institutional and Administrative Framework for the Rattan Sector 56 6.2.1 Policy 57 6.2.2 Institutional and Administrative Framework 58
7.0 OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS IN THE RATTAN PCS AND IN THE WIDER CONTEXT
7.1 Opportunities in the Rattan PCS and in the wider context 61 7.2 Constraints in the Rattan PCS and in the wider context 62
8.0 DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTIONS - THE WAY FORWARD 62
Intervention 1 64 Intervention 2 64 Intervention 3 65 Intervention 4 65 Intervention 5 66
ANALYSIS OF CONSTRAINTS, CAUSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND INTERVENTIONS FOR THE RATTAN SECTOR IN GHANA 67
BIBLIOGRAPHY 71
Appendices 73
Appendix 1 73 Appendix 2 79 Appendix 3 89
NOTE a: 1 US Dollar = C 3,000 at the time of Data Collection. All prices/ costs in this report are in Cedis (C).
NOTE b: This report has been edited at INBAR and may differ slightly from the form in which it was presented to INBAR by the authors.
5 List of tables Page
Table 1 Survey locations 13 Table 2 Land use in Ghana 14 Table 3 Major occupation of rattan collectors 18 Table 4 Minor occupation of rattan collectors 19 Table 5 Rattan collection sites 20 Table 6 Rattan collection periods 21 Table 7 Rattan species collected and uses 23 Table 8 Nodal preference within species - collectors 24 Table 9 Diameter preference within species - collectors 25 Table 10 Factors affecting quantity of rattan harvested 26 Table 11 Local uses of rattan 27 Table 12 Educational status of processors 28 Table 13 Major occupation of rattan processors 29 Table 14 Minor occupation of rattan processors 29 Table 15 Tools and equipment used in processing 31 Table 16 Nodal preference within species - processors 32 Table 17 Diameter preference within species - processors 33 Table 18 Chemicals used in rattan processing 33 Table 19 Type of labour used by small-scale processors 34 Table 20 Wage rate for making major urban products by small-scale entrepreneurs 35 Table 21 Sources of finance for rattan processing 35 Table 22 Products manufactured by rural and urban processors 36 Table 23 Major occupation of rattan traders 39 Table 24 Minor occupation of rattan traders 39 Table 25 Raw rattan trade 40 Table 26 Varition in price of raw rattan on selected markets 42 Table 27 Value addition and price variation of processed rattan products in Accra and Kumasi 44 Table 28 Comparison of profit margins of selected rattan products in Kumasi and Accra 45 Table 29 Effect of Differences in value addition on profit margin in the Kumasi area 46 Table 30 Effect of differences in value addition on profit margin in the Accra area 47 Table 31 Problems/constraints in rattan collection 48 Table 32 Problems/constraints in rattan processing 50 Table 33 Problems/constraints in rattan trading/marketing 51 Table 34 Enhancing the rattan indistry in Ghana: Suggestions from primary stakeholders 55
6 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
Rattans are climbing palms that provide raw materials for the cane furniture industry. There are over 650 species worldwide belonging to 22 genera from the subfamily Calamoideae which belongs to the family Palmae (UhI and Dransfield 1987). They occur in the humid tropical forest regions of south-east Asia, the Malay Archipelago and Africa. The African rattans are represented by only 19 species from four genera (Calamus, Eremospatha, Laccosperma and Oncocalamus) are found in tropical humid forests of Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria Cameroon, Gabon, Congo and Chad (Sunderland, 1997a). All four genera are of the clustering type, producing numerous stems from a single rhizome.
Rattans are very important economic non-timber forest products (NTFPs). An estimated 0.7 billion of the world’s population are reportedly involved in trade of raw materials and their finished products (Dransfield and Manokaran, 1994). They can be used as alternatives to reduce pressure on the dwindling tropical timber resource and contribute to carbon sequestration. As a means for food security, rattans are potential resources for rehabilitation of degraded lands, conserving top- soil for watershed management and food production. In many African rattan- producing countries including Ghana, rattan cottage industries provide means of livelihood for collectors, processors and traders who operate with very limited capital under labour intensive conditions. Consequently, Africa’s share of the world’s trade in rattan, which is worth some 6.5 billion US dollars annually (ITT0 1997), is very insignificant - the trade is dominated by countries of South East Asia where the domestic market alone is estimated to be 2.5 billion US dollars annually (Manokaran, 1984).
National Significance
Ghana’s rattan sector currently contributes about 20 percent of total revenue from non-timber forest products. Consequently, the national forest policy of Ghana encourages local development and domestication of non-timber forest resources and seeks to provide assistance to communities to grow multipurpose trees including rattan. The national forest policy encourages and promotes development of industries based on non-timber forest products and supports forestry development initiatives that benefit rural communities. It encourages the involvement of private, and particularly local people, in forestry decision making and assists individuals, organizations and communities to grow, protect, manage and utilize their own forest resources. Ghana’s vision2020 recognizes and encourages deliberate and concerted efforts to eradicate economic, social, cultural and political factors that contribute to mass poverty (32 percent of Ghana’s population) within the framework of sustainable rural development.
7 Rationale
Notwithstanding its potential economic importance to the nation, Ghana’s contribution to the world trade in rattan is unknown, not even the value and volume of our domestic rattan market. Authoritative information on the profiles of collectors, processors and traders is wanting. Data on both subsistence and commercial trade in rattan on local and international markets are not available. The problems and constraints including training needs of various stakeholders have to be identified.
A thorough understanding of the rattan production-to-consumption systems in the rattan producing countries of Africa, and particularly in Ghana, could assist decision makers to identify most of the constraints in the sector. This could form the basis for possible development interventions to boost the industry and pave the way for Ghana’s fair share of the world’s annual rattan market of 6.5 billion US dollars. Sustainable development of the sector will be in consonance of Ghana’s national policy of encouraging community participation in forestry and promotion of industries based on non-timber forest products. Furthermore, it will partly fulfill Ghana’s vision 2020 to alleviate or reduce the 32 percent of her population who live in poverty.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
The development objective therefore is to study the production-to-consumption system of the rattan sector. of Ghana, identify problems and constraints and recommend potential development interventions to overcome the bottlenecks.
The specific objectives are as follows:
· To develop a comprehensive understanding of the production-to-consumption system of rattan in Ghana; · To provide detailed background information including, in particular, the socio- demographic profile of the host communities; · To identity problems and constraints which hinder development of the sector; · To recommend development interventions that will serve to transcend the problems and constraints and improve the livelihood of the rural stakeholders l To produce fully costed activity models for the recommended development interventions.
8 3.0 METHODOLOGY
3.1 Definition of the Production - to - Consumption System (PCS)
The term “production-to-consumption system” is defined by INBAR as the entire chain of activities from production of raw material through various stages of intermediate sales and processing, to the consumer of the final product (Belcher, 1995). The “systems” include the technologies used to process the material as well as the social, political and economic environment in which these processes operate.
3.2 Conceptual/Analytical Framework
The INBAR PCS concept was the framework adopted for conducting the study. The basic principle underlying the framework is the differentiation of the system flow into sub-systems. This is to enable the major bottlenecks hampering particularly the optimum economic performance of particular aspects of the system, to be identified for redress. The interventions developed to address the constraints must assist participants of the system to overcome the constraints and increase benefits earned from their enterprises and resources.
The framework recognizes the fact that various possibilities in production capacities and performances exit along the PCS. While some systems may be labour intensive and characterized with low intensity production with poor economic performances others may be capital intensive, characterized with high intensity production, and employing skills and techniques that lead to better economic performances. Similarly, some systems may be systematically and properly managed from raw material production to marketing of products, ensuring higher efficiency. On the other hand, others may be improperly organized and managed and are likely to be characterized with lower efficiency, poor quality and minimal outputs.
The rattan industry in Ghana is basically a cottage industry. It comprise a number of small-scale entrepreneurs engaged in uncoordinated activities from exploitation of raw rattan from the natural forest, manual processing of the rattan using simple tools into various products to marketing of products. The INBAR PCS concepts was adopted for appraising the rattan industry to ultimately develop suitable intervention for improving the socio-economic welfare of the numerous resource - poor entrepreneurs in the industry on a sustainable basis.
9 3.3 Study Area/Sites
The study of the rattan PCS in Ghana bordered on three main sub-systems, i.e. rattan collection, processing/manufacturing and marketing/trading. Four regions, namely Ashanti, Greater Accra, Eastern and Western Regions, identified to be major areas for rattan activities in the country were selected for the study. Western Region was selected mainly for rattan collection/ harvesting and rural trading. Ashanti and Greater Accra were mainly for urban processing and trading, while the Eastern Region was for mainly processing. Cities/towns and villages visited to collect data for the various stages of the PCS and corresponding number of respondents are presented in Table 1 below.
An urban survey was first conducted in Ashanti and Greater-Accra Regions. This was purposely to gather field data from processors and traders and obtain information from them on the local sources of raw rattan in the country. This was followed by a rural survey in the Western and Ashanti Regions for data on rattan collection. For the urban survey, a list of rattan processing and trading centers in Ashanti (Kumasi), Greater-Accra (Accra and Tema) and Eastern Region (Asamankese and Enyiresi) known by team members and those identified from past studies was prepared. Nearly all the listed sites were visited for data collection. Areas visited during the rural survey in the Western and Ashanti Regions were selected from a list generated from data on sources of raw rattan collected during the urban survey. The study villages/towns for the rural survey were selected based on accessibility and intensity of rattan activities undertaken in the area. The major areas identified were the Daboasi, Tarkwa, Prestea and Axim areas in Western Region and Nyinahin in Ashanti Region.
3.4 Data Collection
Formal or structured questionnaires were employed in gathering the necessary data on the rattan PCS for both the rural and urban surveys. Survey questionnaires are attached as appendices 1, 2 and 3. About 240 respondents, consisting of 80 rattan collectors, 86 processors and 71 traders were randomly selected for interviewing, ensuring that adequate sample size was selected from the population of each selected area.
Discussions were also held with District Forestry Officers in the Tarkwa area and Plant Quarantine Officers at Jewi-Wharf (Ghana-Cote D’ Ivoire border). Discussions with the Forestry Officers centered on overview of rattan collection activities in the Western Region, state of the rattan resource, harvesting regulatory measures and so on. The quarantine officers provided some information on the trade and movement of rattan goods from across the border to Cote D’ Ivoire.
10 The only two relatively large-scale private rattan-processing companies in Accra (AFWEL Ltd.) and Koforidua, Eastern Region (Good Export Company Ltd.) were also visited. Discussions with these companies were on the general overview and development of the rattan industry with respect to raw material availability, processing capacities and marketing scenarios both locally and externally. Financial and technical requirements as well as the production and economic potentials of the industry among other issues were also discussed. Photographs of raw rattan species, rattan processing and finished rattan products were taken.
Supplementary data on production costs and revenues for common rattan products identified from the survey were collected from selected processing sites in Accra and Kumasi. The data was used to examine the effects of value addition via variation in prices as raw rattan is converted into different non-standardized grades of products. Three levels of grades, low, medium and high were assumed after a close examination of products displayed for sale. The low grade of products had the least value addition with respect to processing inputs, and hence. had the lowest quality and beauty. The medium grade had moderate value addition while the high grade had the highest value addition with the most sophisticated designs as well as the best of quality and beauty.
3.5 Data Analysis
The data gathered from the survey has been analyzed descriptively, mainly by means and percentages, summarized and presented in tables, pie charts, bar graphs, etc. where necessary.
11 Map of Ghana showing the main rattan harvesting area
12 Table 1: Survey locations Rattan PCS Village/towns/cities No. of Respondents
Collection/harvesting Ashanti Region Kumasi, Nyinahin 5 Western Region Daboase, Wassa Adansi, Wassa Nkran Wassa Essamang, Gwira Banso, Aiyinase Ayawora, Eibi, 66 Bonsa No.2, Tetrenu Wassa Asikuma, Huniso, Nkwanta Kutukrom, Sikaneasem Eastern Region Enyiresi 1 Greater Accra region Accra, Tema 8 Sub-Total 80
Processing/Manufacture Ashanti Region Kumasi, Nyinahin 27 Western Region Takoradi, Wassa Essamang, Asunti, Eibi, Bonsa, Wassa 8 Asikuma Eastern Region Asamankese, Enyiresi 20 Greater Accra Region Accra, Tema 31 Sub-Total 86
Marketing/Trading/Consumption Ashanti Region Kumasi 11 Western Region Takoradi, Daboase, Wassa Adansi, Wassa Essamang, Sikaneasem, Wassa Asikuma, Banso, Agona 30 Nkwanta, Wassa Nkran, Huniso, Asunti, Jewi Wharf Eastern Region Asamankese, Enyiresi 4 Greater-Accra Region -Accra, Tema 26 Sub-Total 71
TOTAL 237
13 4.0 BACKGROUND TO GHANA
4.1 Location and Extent
Ghana is centrally located in West Africa. The country lies between 4’ 44’ and 11” 11’ N and between longitudes 3” 15’ W and 1” 11’ E. Ghana extends over a total land area of approximately 23.9 million hectares (239, 000 sq. km). It is bordered on the west by Cote D’ Ivoire, north by Burkina Faso, east by the Republic of Togo and south by the Gulf of Guinea (Quashie-Sam, et. al., 1990).
4.2 Demography
The population of Ghana was estimated to be 14.9 million in 1990. It currently stands at 17.10 million. The country has an annual population growth rate of about 3% (estimated for 1984- 1991) with an average population density of about 60 persons per sq. km. (PPME, 1991).
4.3 Topography
The topography of Ghana is predominantly undulating but gentle, with only a few areas reaching 700m above sea level. The prominent relief feature is the voltaian escarpment. It rises to 635m and runs virtually unbroken from east around Koforidua to a point west of Mampong-Ashanti (Obeng, 1989).
4.4 Land Use
The principal land use groups in Ghana are as presented in Table 2 below:
Table 2: Land Use in Ghana*
Land Use Area ('000 sq. km.) % of Total Forest Reserve 26 11 Wildlife Reserve 12 5 Unreserved High Forest 5 2 Savanna Woodlands 71 30 Tree Crops 17 7 Annual Crops 12 5 Unimproved Pasture 36 15 Bush Fallow and other use 60 25 TOTAL 239 100
*Source: Adapted from PPME, 1991
14 Thirty percent of the total land area of the country is savanna woodlands while 25 and 15% respectively are under bush fallow and other uses (including infrastructure) and unimproved pasture. Eleven percent are forest reserves and five percent are wildlife reserves. Unreserved high forest covers 2%, while tree crops (agricultural tree cash crops and forest plantations) and annual crops cover seven and five percent respectively.
4.5 Farming Systems
Traditionally bush fallow or shifting cultivation and slash-and-bum, using hoe and cutlass, are the main farming systems in Ghana. Mechanized farming is practiced but is not very common, while bullock farming is being increasingly practiced in northern Ghana. Agriculture is predominantly on a small-holder basis.
4.6 The Economy
Ghana’s economy is based mainly on agriculture, forestry and mining. Gross National Product (GNP) was estimated at 390 US dollars per capita in 1995. Agriculture is the single largest contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It accounted for about 46% of the GDP in 1995, 60% of the export earnings and employed 60% of the labour force in the country in 1990. The forestry sector contributes about 8% to the GDP with NTFPs contributing about 1.2% to the forestry GDP. Timber, the third most important export commodity after gold and cocoa contributes 6% of the forestry GDP, earns 11% foreign exchange and provides 30% export earnings. The forestry sector directly employs some 100,000 persons (timber industry employs 70%) and provides livelihood for some two million people who depend on it on a part-time basis.
15 5.0 THE RATTAN PRODUCTION-TO-CONSUMPTION SYSTEM (PCS)
5.1 Overview of the PCS
The rattan PCS in Ghana is essentially a low input labour intensive system characterized by the extraction of raw rattan from the natural forest, processing of the rattan at urban and rural levels into different products and sale of products mainly on domestic urban and rural markets. Some small quantities of the products may also be exported to Europe and neighbouring countries in the West African sub-region like Cote D’ Ivoire.
Rattan is extracted mainly from forest reserves, cleared of spines, leaves, etc. and bundled for sale in urban markets in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Asamankese. It can also be supplied directly to some processors in these areas. Collected poles may also be sold in rural markets for commercial processing and household use. Collectors based in rural areas may process some of the rattan for sale and/or use some of the rattan for their household needs. Middlemen and a few collectors may export rattan to markets in Cote D’ Ivoire, Togo and Nigeria for better prices. Traders from some of these countries in the West African sub-region may purchase rattan directly from collection areas, or from the urban markets for sale in their countries.
Processing of the rattan at both rural and urban levels is largely on a small-scale basis. The same entrepreneur does both primary and secondary processing/ manufacture manually. Furniture, shopping and laundry baskets, serving trays and other handicrafts are the major products from urban processors while carrier and storage baskets are the main products at the rural level.
The urban products are sold mainly to urban consumers consisting of locals, expatriates and tourists. A small quantity may be exported to Europe. At the rural level, local carrier and storage baskets may be sold on domestic urban and rural markets. Some is also exported to markets in coffee and cocoa growing areas in Cote D’ Ivoire.
5.2 Rattan Collection System
5.2.1 Socio-Demographic Profile of Collectors
Categories of Rattan Collectors
Two categories of rattan collectors, urban and rural, were identified. The urban collectors form the majority of collectors interviewed. They may be based in rural
16 or urban areas, but collect raw rattan purposely for sale and use in urban areas such as Accra, Kumasi, and Takoradi. Rural collectors on the other hand, were solely rural-based, collecting raw rattan for sale to middlemen and processors, or for use within the rural areas.
Both categories of collectors could operate as individuals and/or in a collection team. The average number of people in a collection team was five, ranging from two to 15 people. The team was referred to as “Gang” among collectors. A gang may be made up of individuals responsible for financing their own collection operations with respect to payment of royalties, permit fees, food and transport, etc. but who pool raw rattan collected together in bulk to facilitate transportation to centers for processing or sale.
Alternatively, a gang could consist of a leader (referred to as “master”) and his subordinates (known as “boys”). The master finances all expenses incurred in the collection process (payment of royalty fee, food and transport and others) while the boys do the actual rattan collection/harvesting from the forest. The boys are remunerated by the master from proceeds realized after sale of the harvested rattan.
Origin, Age and Gender of Collectors
Forty-seven percent of the collectors interviewed were natives of the rattan collection areas mostly in the Western Region of Ghana, belonging to the Wassa, Ahanta and Nzema ethnic groups of the region. Thirty-six percent were settlers who have settled in the collection areas from other parts of the country purposely to engage in farming whereas 17% were migrants from urban and other rural areas. Such migrants moved from one collection area to another depending on the availability or ready access to rattan resource.
The largest proportion (35%) of the rattan collectors interviewed were aged between 30 and 39 years. The average age was about 37 years, ranging from 22 to 78 years. Ninety four percent of the collectors were male.
Education and Marital Status of Collectors
Ninety percent of the collectors were educated. The level of education ranged from primary school (22%) through Middle/Junior Secondary (67%), Secondary/Senior Secondary School (10%) to Polytechnic (1%). About 78% of the collectors were married. Majority (95%) of them had single spouses with 3% and 2% having 2 and 3 spouses respectively.
17 Household Size, Composition and Age Distribution
The average household size among collectors was about six people. It ranged from one to fourteen people and comprised about 23% men, 19% women, 28% boys and 30% girls. The majority of the men (75%) and women (84%) were aged between 20 and 39 years, while most of the boys (57%) and girls (62%) were aged between 0.3 and 9 years.
Household Involvement in Rattan Collection
In a very few cases (about 1.3%) household members were involved in rattan collection. This was made up of mostly men (54%), women (32%) and boys (14%).
Occupation
Farming was the major occupation for about 53% of the collectors with an average net income of C130, 000 per season. The major occupation for 40% of the collectors was rattan collection, which could yield a mean monthly income of about C413, 000. Other major occupations engaged in by collectors were trading, tailoring, auto-mechanics/ fitting and mining (table 3).
Table 3: Major Occupation of Rattan Collectors
Percentage of Major Occupation Average Income (C) Collectors Farming 129,1 80.00 53 Rattan Collection 413, 000.00 40 Trading 2, 000, 000.00 3 Tailoring 15, 000.00 3 Mechanic/Fitting 150, 000.00 1 Mining -- 1
Rattan collection was the minor occupation for 66% of the collectors, with an average income of C378, 000 per month, whereas the minor occupation for 27% of them was farming, earning an average net income of C48, 000.00 per season. Rattan processing, labourer work and machine operatorship were other minor occupation undertaken by collectors (table 4).
18 Table 4: Minor Occupation of Rattan Collectors
Average Income Percentage of Minor Occupation (C) Collectors Rattan Collection 377, 770.00 66 Farming 48, 000.00 27 Rattan Processing 370, 000.00 4 Labourer 150, 000.00 1 Operators 54, 000.00 1
1 US Dollar = C3,000 at the time of Data Collection
Income Status
The mean gross income from rattan collection per month was estimated as C443, 000. Income from other sources, principally farming, trading, remittance, masonry, labourer work and sewing/tailoring, was about C213, 000. Farming was the major alternative source of income for the majority (81%) of the collectors.
Membership of Rattan Collection Association
Most (61%) of the collectors interviewed were not members of any rattan association. Thirty nine percent were members and the average duration of membership was 5 years, with the range from 2 to 10 years. These associations were mainly rattan collectors, suppliers and traders associations with membership from 10 to 500 people. Nearly all the associations mentioned were formed in the 1990’s, except two, which had been in existence since 1984 and 1989.
The main objective of these associations was to look after the welfare of members through fostering unity and good relation among members, provide financial assistance and control/regulate prices of raw rattan goods. Other objectives were promoting the rattan industry, regulating rattan harvesting to protect the rattan stock and improving the rattan stock to ensure sustained production from the natural forest.
5.2.2 Description of the Rattan Collection System
Rattan Collection and Permit System
The raw rattan collection system in Ghana is typically labour intensive where. The material is collected mainly from wild sources in natural forest reserves with a
19 permit from the government’s Forestry Department (FD). The procedure for obtaining a permit for the collection of commercial quantities of rattan is as follows:
I. The prospective collector first identities the area for collection. II. Application for permit addressed to the District Forest Officer is tiled. III. Forestry Department (FD) staff verify the availability of rattan at the proposed area/site. IV. Request approved upon satisfactory report from inspection of site. V. Payment of royalty/permit fees by successful applicant. VI. Permit with a validity period of a day per bundle of rattan is issued after payment of royalty fee. VII. Rattan is collected under the supervision of FD staff. VIII. A conveyance certificate is issued at a cost of C10,000 with a validity period of three days before transporting collected rattan to its destination. The amount paid depends on species type and quantity to be collected. Official rates are as follows:
Species Quantity Amount (C) Eyie(Laccosperma spp) One bundle/headload(10 pieces) 8,000 Mfia(Eremospatha spp) One bundle/headload(30 pieces) 6,500 Demere(Calamus sp.) One bundle/headload(20 pieces) 7,000
Sometimes a small cash fee (from C5, 000 onwards) and/or drink (gin, schnapps) might also have to be paid to the traditional chief or council of the area before collection.
Raw rattan can also be collected from fallow farmlands and community forests off-reserves with permission from Chiefs who are custodians of these areas. For the extraction of commercial quantities, a fee ranging from C5,000 to C20,000 and above, and/or a bottle of gin, is often paid to the landowners by outsiders before permission is granted for collection. The amount paid varies from one area to another. Natives and settlers of the area (insiders) normally do not pay any of these traditional charges. Table 5 shows the proportion of collectors collecting rattan from these sources.
Table 5: Rattan Collection Sites
Percentage of Site Collectors Forest Reserve 70 Community Land/Forest 20 Fallow Farmland 10
20 The majority of rattan collection areas or zones are found in the Western Region, located at the south-western comer of the country and within the Wet Evergreen Forest Zone. Some of the main areas selected for data on rattan collection were Daboase, Nkroful, Tarkwa and Prestea areas and their surrounding towns and/or villages. Some rattan is also collected in the Ashanti Region, notably around Nyinahin in the moist semi-deciduous forest zone, but this is on a rather smaller scale. The moist semi-deciduous forests found around Enyiresi area in the Eastern Region used to have rattan some years ago and were an important rattan training center. Excessive exploitation of the rattan stock without any regulatory measures for stock regeneration has led to the extinction of rattan species in the area. This has forced the majority of the inhabitants of the area who depended solely on the rattan industry for livelihood to migrate, particularly to Accra, where they have easy access to raw rattan supply from the Western Region for processing into rattan products.
Harvesting Seasons/Periods
Table 6: Rattan Collection Periods.
Collection Periods Months Collectors (%) All year round Jan-Dec 87 Dry season Oct-March 12 Rainy season April-August 1
The average number of months rattan collection is undertaken in a year was six, with the range from one to twelve months. About 87% of collectors collected rattan all year round while 12 and 1% collected only during the dry and rainy seasons respectively. Most collectors undertake all year round collection because rattan collection has become an important source of income to the household economies of collectors. It is also because of the increasing demand of raw rattan for the domestic processing industry as well as demand from neighbouring countries such as Cote D’ Ivoire, Togo, Benin and Nigeria in the West African Sub-region.
Some of the collection may be done only in the dry season because of easy access to the resource during this period. It may also be due to the fact that the period is off the arming season, thus labour could be diverted into other economic ventures to supplement household income from particularly farming.
Harvesting Procedure/Technique
The rattan harvesting process starts with the identification of the appropriate rattan stock and species. Species identification is based on the colour of the bark of the
21 stem, stem diameter, length of internodes and stem flexibility. The presence of thorns or spines, the nature of leaves (particularly, leaf size and arrangement/orientation) are also used.
The vegetation surrounding the desired species is then cleared and matured stems in a cluster selected for harvesting. The average age of matured rattan suitable for processing is about 10 years. Maturity of the rattan is determined from flexibility by bending a piece of the rattan stem. The more flexible a stem, the better the quality for processing especially, weaving. The colour of the bark of the stem, greenish-dark brown, is also used to assess maturity for harvesting.
Selected stems are then cut using a cutlass or machete at about 10cm from the ground and pulled down. The stems are cleaned of spines; leaves, insects and fungal infestation and all other unwanted parts. They are measured and cross-cut to the desired lengths, about 40m on the average but could range from 4 to 100m, depending on the species.
Infestation and Treatment
Insect damage, fungal decay and stains are the common infestations observed on some of the harvested stems. They are often simply removed with the cutlass by chopping or cutting-off infected portions or the whole stems rejected depending on severity of the infestation. No chemical treatment is applied.
Packaging and Transportation
The pieces of stems are packed into bundles/headloads of 10 to 100 sticks for transport to marketing and processing centers. The number of sticks in a bundle varies with species. The FD has approved for permit purposes 30 per bundle for mfia, 10 per bundle for eyie and 25 per bundle for demere. Due to problems of vehicle accessibility, the majority (91%) of the collectors first transport the bundles of rattan on their heads to an assembly point, usually near an access road or major route, before they are loaded onto trucks for their destinations. Where access is relatively good, the bundles are heaped at an appropriate point in the forest for direct loading by trucks. Some (11%) of the collectors (local) heaped the bundles at their homes before transporting to points of sale.
Grading
Essentially, no standardized grading is done before packing the stems into bundles About 36% of the collectors did some sorting and grading of the stems. Grading by visual means was used by 80% of them. Others used stem maturity, flexibility, size or beauty. The collectors who did not grade thought it unnecessary to do so.
22 Inputs Used
Tools The cutlass or machete is the major tool used for harvesting rattan. Other tools used are knives, rubber/plastic sandals (commonly called “Kayas”) or Wellington boots, hand gloves and hats. The cutlass is used for clearing bush and cutting and cleaning rattan stems, while the knives may be used for cleaning alone. The “Kayas” with socks, boots, hand gloves and hats are worn to protect the feet, hand and head from snake and insect bites, marshy grounds, and thorns or spines on the stems.
Labour The average number of people involved in rattan collection per trip was three, and ranged from one to 15 people. The duration of a trip on the average was about 21 days (3 weeks), ranging from one day to three months (90 days) depending on the type of collector (urban or rural), availability of the resource and the distance traveled to reach the resource. Urban-based collectors usually spend longer periods for collection per trip. Also, the scarcer the resource in a particular area the longer distances traveled into the forest and the more time spent per trip in search of suitable species for harvesting.
Finance About 79% of collectors financed collection from personal sources. Other means mentioned were; customer/client (8%), loan (8%), gang leader (3%), friends/relatives (1%) and rattan association (1%). Expenses incurred during collection usually include transport, permit/royalty/conveyance certificate, labour/food and tips.
Species harvested and Preferences
Table 7: Rattan Species Collected and Uses
Percentage of Species Local Name Main Uses Collectors Weaving, Eremospatha spp. Mfia House/Building 48 Laccosperma spp Eyie Frames, Weaving 45 Calamus deeratus Demere Frames, Weaving 7
Eremospatha spp. (Mfia) and Laccosperma spp. (Eyie) are the main rattan species collected for weaving. Mfia is sometimes referred to as Cane while Eyie is referred to as Wiiow among collectors. Calamus deeratus (Demere) is collected by a few of the respondents and may be used where the others are scarce.
23 According to the collectors, Mfia has the smallest diameter and there are at least two varieties. It is widely preferred for weaving baskets, fish traps and furniture production; house construction (making roofing mats and securing or tying them to roof structures etc.) and for making household utensils. This is because it is strong, flexible and can easily be split and woven. It also can be harvested in longer strands.
Eyie is the largest diameter of the three and is typically strong and inflexible. It is generally preferred for making frames or structures during basket and furniture production as well as house construction. Eyie may be split for weaving where Mfia is scarce or not available. Non-availability of 'Mfia" and “Eyie” in some areas, particularly in the Ashanti Region, has compelled the collection of “Demere”, a rather medium sized rattan species for making frames and weaving.
Within each rattan species, about 94% of the collectors showed a preference for poles with longer internodes, due to higher demand or preference (Table 8). This is because sticks with longer internodes are flexible and easy to work or process with respect to scraping, peeling, bending, splitting, etc. It is also because they make more beautiful products and are less susceptible to insect attacks. Some of the collectors were of the view that longer internodes illustrate maturity of the plant due to the cane’s flexibility.
Table 8: Nodal Preference within species - collectors
Percentage of Nodal Length Reasons for Preference Collectors Short 0 · Higher Demand Long · Easy to Work with/Use/Process Flexible, easy to split, bend, peel, scrape etc 91 · Make more beautiful products not easily susceptible to insect attack Maturity feature Both Same value 9
The few collectors who showed preference for both long and short internodes believed both features were of the same value, since some processors preferred both. Essentially, both small and large diameter plants of the desired rattan species are harvested by collectors because both are used or preferred by processors for different purposes, depending on the type of products being manufactured. Most often smaller diameter stems are used for weaving, while larger diameter ones are used for making buildings and furniture frames or supports. However, 55% of the
24 collectors preferred to harvest bigger diameter stems because most processors prefer them (Table 9). This is because they yield more pieces or fractions on splitting, are faster or easy to work (with respect to splitting and weaving) and make stronger and better quality products. Some collectors were of the view that the larger the diameter, the more mature the desired rattan species was for processing.
Table 9: Diameter Preference within species - collectors
Percentage of Diameter Reasons for Preference Collectors Small Customer by most Processors 20
Preferred by most Processors Yield more piece on splitting Large Work faster/Easy to work 55 easy to split, weave Make stronger and better quality Maturity features
·Both used for different purposes i.e. Both depends on work. 25
Quality Characteristics of Rattan Species
Factors collectors used to assess quality among rattan species include hardness, flexibility, roundness, smoothness, straightness and colour of the stem. Ease of splitting of the stem, its ability to withstand stress and the length of internodes are also taken into account. A good quality species should have a hard, flexible, round or cylindrical, smooth and straight stem with a brownish bark and longer internodes. The stem should also be able to withstand stress and be easy to split. According to the collectors, these characteristics are essential in facilitating processing and enhancing the beauty and quality of products manufactured.
Similarly, factors used to determine the quality of stems of the same species include stem hardness/toughness, flexibility, roundness, colour and diameter size. Also included are age or maturity of the stem or plant, ease of splitting of the stem, length of the internodes and the site where the rattan were found or located. Again, a good quality rattan stem within a species should possess hard or tough, flexible, (not break on bending) round, bigger diameter stem with brownish bark and longer internodes. The plant should be matured, the stem easy to split and should be located on good soil. Rattan stems found in streams or swampy and muddy areas are often not of good quality.
25 Factors affecting Quantity of Rattan Harvested
Resource availability and accessibility to rattan growing areas are the most critical factors that determine the quantity of rattan harvested for most of the collectors (Table 10). Larger quantities can be harvested where the desired rattan species is abundant, or at least is not scarce, and accessibility is fairly good, irrespective of the season or time of the year. Harvesting or collecting rattan during the dry season (November to March) is relatively easy. Consequently, more rattan is likely to be collected during this period. Quantities collected during the rainy season are limited by poor accessibility in the forest during this period.
Table 10: Factors Affecting Quantity of Rattan Harvested
Percentage of Factor Collectors Resource availability 28 Accessibility 27 Season/time of year 15 Level of infestation and decay 13 Labour availability 9 Harvesting technique 8
The level of insect infestation and fungi decay on the rattan stem also affect quantities harvested. The more the defects, the less is available for harvesting. Of course, larger quantities of rattan could be harvested with greater labour inputs, either in the form of more people or man-days per collection period. Rattan is normally harvested by cutting the stem at the base and pulling it down to the desired length. Nevertheless, the technique employed in pulling the stem (probably based on level of experience/skill, level of entanglement of the stem around other trees and insect infestation among others) could determine the quantity or lengths that could be collected. The more experienced the worker and the less entangled and less insect infestation of the stem, the easier the pulling will be and hence the higher the likelihood for a greater length of each stem to be harvested.
5.3 Local use, Processing and Manufacturing
5.3.1 Local uses of rattan
The major local uses of rattan at the collection or rural areas are for basket weaving (53%) and for construction of houses (48%) as in table 11. The main uses in house construction include building and mending or repair of houses, roofing and mending roofs. The baskets produced are used in storing and transporting
26 food items. Other uses are for making furniture, mats for sleeping and drying of food crops (especially cocoa), binding ropes, drying lines and fencing. Table 11: Local uses of Rattan
Percentage of Local Use Respondents Basket Weaving 53 House Construction 48 Furniture 5 Mat 5 Ropes/drying lines 5 Fencing
About 44% of the collectors use some of the rattan collected for these purposes at the household level (between 2 sticks to 10 bundles). They may sell some of the raw rattan on the local market to be woven into products like baskets, mat ropes and furniture.
5.3.2 Processing and Manufacturing
5.3.2.1 Socio-demographic Profile of Processors
Categories of Rattan Processors
Two categories of rattan processors, urban and rural, were identified. Rural processors produce products such as carriers and storage baskets, fish traps and furniture for rural markets. Some of the rural processors produced baskets for urban markets as well. Some of the collectors (about 40% of those interviewed) engage in rural processing. Urban processors are urban based and produce mainly furniture, shopping and laundry baskets, trays, etc. for urban markets.
Origin, Age and Gender of Processors
Seventy five percent of the processors interviewed were settlers and were predominantly urban processors based in the Kumasi, Takoradi, Accra and Tema Metropolis’s. The majority settled in these cities from rural areas where they have access to raw rattan supplies from the Western Region. They also settled here in order to have access to the urban domestic retail market, since these cities have the highest concentration of consumers such as tourists, expatriates, hotels, restaurants, offices and others who have desire for rattan products.
Twenty three percent of the processors were natives and two percent were migrants. The majority of the natives were based in Asamankese (Eastern Region) and in basket weaving villages in the Western Region. The average age of the
27 processors was about 37 years, ranging from 17 to 79 years and with the majority of them aged between 30 and 39 years. The processors were predominantly males. Out of the few female processors interviewed, only one engaged in the enterprise as a major occupation. The others were either giving a helping hand to their spouses or were apprentices learning the trade.
Education and Marital Status
Table 12: Educational Status of Processors
Educational Status Percentage of Processors Nil 8 Primary 8 Middle/J.S.S 61 Secondary/J.S.S 14 Training College 3 Polytechnic 5 Bible College 1
Ninety-two percent of the processors had received various levels of formal education (Table 12). Sixty-one percent had been educated up to Middle School/Junior Secondary School level.
About 68% of the processors were married with all of them having single spouses. The majority of the single processors were aged between 17 and 31 years.
Household Size, Composition and Age Distributions
The average household size among processors ranged from 1 to 11 people. The households consisted of 32% men, 20% women, 27% boys and 21% girls. Most of the men and women were aged between 20 and 39 years while the majority of the boys and girls were aged between l-5 and 11 - 15 years respectively.
Household Involvement in Rattan processing
Other household members, 59% of who were men were involved in rattan processing. 22% women, 6% and 13% for boys and girls respectively from the household also participated in rattan processing.
Occupation
Rattan processing was the major occupation of 85% of the processors interviewed, with an average gross income of C867, 000 per month, ranging from about C140, 000 to C2.5 million. Most of those earning smaller gross incomes were engaged in
28 basketry (carrier and storage) in rural areas. Farming, teaching, craftsmanship, rattan collection, accounting clerk and auto technician were other major occupations undertaken by the processors (Table 13).
Table 13: Major Occupations of Rattan Processors
Major Occupation Average Income (C) Percentage of Processors Rattan Processing 867,000.00 85 Farming 733,000.00 5 Teaching 224,000.00 4 Craftsmanship 300,000.00 3 Rattan Collection 400,000.00 1 Accounts clerk 150,000.00 1 Auto technician 150,000.00 1
Table 14: Minor Occupations of Rattan Processors
Minor Occupation Monthly Average Income (C) Percentage of Processors Rattan Processing 251,000.00 35 Farming 154,000.00 31 Teaching - 19 Driving 60,000.00 3 Auto-mechanics 200,000.00 3 Footballer - 3 Carpentry - 3 Electrician - 3
About 35% of the processors interviewed undertook rattan processing as a minor occupation while for 31 and 19% the minor occupations were farming and trading. The average monthly gross income earned from these minor occupations ranged from C60, 000 for drivers to about C250, 000 for rattan processors. The processors who engaged in trading, football, carpentry and electronics on a minor basis were unable to estimate incomes earned from these jobs. Rattan collection and processing appear more lucrative ventures, even when undertaken as minor occupations.
Rattan Processing Business
Seventy-five percent of the processors learnt the trade through apprenticeship from their masters. This also appears to be the most common way the majority of processors entered into the enterprise. Other means of learning the trade included formal education (especially at the J.S.S and Technical Training levels) while others learnt it from their spouses and relatives, friends, and through informal
29 training and observation activities.
Ninety-three percent of the processing enterprises were owned and run by the processors themselves. Chief apprentices, overseers or supervisors and managers were engaged to oversee the running of the enterprise in a few cases.
The processors have had varied number of years (between l - 42 years) experience of the rattan processing business, with an average of 14 years experience. Most of them have been in the business for about 1 - 20 years. Only seven percent of the enterprises had been registered with organizations like the Ghana Export Promotion Council, the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI), and other similar organisations for technical assistance.
Membership of Rattan Processing Association
About 30% of the processors interviewed belonged to one form of rattan workers association or the other. The majority (81%) of them have been members for the last five years and a few of them for the last 10 to 15 years. The associations have membership strengths ranging from 5 to 300 people. Most of the associations were formed in the 1990’s. A few of them have been in existence since the 1970’s and 1980’s.
The major objective of these associations is to improve or promote the industry. They are to serve as a mouthpiece for rattan processors, soliciting government assistance in the promotion of rattan products mainly for export. They are also to assist in the acquisition of permanent areas for working, for fixing common prices for products, attracting foreign contracts, assisting in improving processing techniques, particularly finishing of products, and providing financial assistance or loans to support business of members. Some of the associations seek to foster unity and good relationships among members and ensure the welfare of members, especially by assisting each other in times of need (bereavement, financially, in kind etc.). Some members reported benefiting mainly from loans or financial assistance, market promotion and a permanent working place from some of these associations.
5.3.2.2. Processing Technology, Practices/Methods
Categories of Processing
Rattan is processed in both rural and urban areas. The main distinguishing factor lies with the products produced. Carrier and storage baskets are produced mainly in rural areas, specifically in the rattan collection areas. These baskets are used for the transportation and storage of food staffs such as fish, vegetables, etc. and are
30 particularly important in the trading of these items.
Shopping baskets, fish traps and other similar items may also be produced at the rural level. On the other hand, urban processing involves the production of more sophisticated and higher value products like furniture (living room, dinning and garden sets, wardrobes, shelves, dressing mirror etc.); shopping, laundry and flower baskets and serving trays especially in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Asamankese. Twenty-nine percent of the processors interviewed engaged in rural processing while 71% engaged in urban processing.
Stages and Activities in Processing
The same entrepreneur or processor at both the rural and urban levels does both primary and secondary processing of the rattan. Primary processing usually entails cleaning of the rattan of spine, leaf, scales and curing in the sun by air drying for about a week. This is followed by fumigation in few cases with chemicals such as kerosene, dursban and DDT to control fungal and insect attack. About 58% of the processors, majority of who were rural processors did not fumigate. According to the processors, rattan used for the production of carrier and storage baskets needs not to be fumigated.
Table 15: Tools and Equipment Used in Processing
Tools/Equipment Uses Knife Scraping, peeling, cleaning cutting/crosscutting splitting, flattening Cutlass/Machete Peeling, Scraping, Cleaning cutting/cross cutting, flattening Cutter/Shears Cutting/Cross-Cutting Plywood Saw Cutting Plywood Hacksaw Blade Cutting/Cross-Cutting Chisel Cutting edges Tape Measure Measuring Gas Cylinder and Blower/Blower Lamp Bending, Straightening, Heating Hammer Nailing Mallet Tightening Weaving Pincers/Pliers Removing Nails Driller/Drilling Machine Drilling Holes Gas(LPG) Curing, Bending and Straightening Sand paper Sanding Sanding Machine Sanding Clamp Holding Frame
31 Brush Polishing or applying varnish/brushing File Filing, Smoothing Plane Planning Spraying Machine Spraying/Applying varnish Boring Pin Making Handles Screw Driver Application of Screws Angle Corner Fastening joints.
Inputs Species Used and Preference
As has been noted previously, mfia (Eremospatha spp.) and eyie (Laccosperma) obtained mainly from wet evergreen natural forests in the Western Region were the most common rattan species used among processors. occasionally, some may be obtained not in appreciable quantities from moist-deciduous natural forest in Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Eastern Region.
Species with both long and short internodes may be used depending on the type of product to be manufactured. However, majority (85%) of the processors interviewed preferred species with longer internodes.(Table 16) The major reasons being the fact that they are easy to work with, i.e. they are flexible, easy to split, bend, clean, straightened , etc. and enhance quality and beauty of products manufactured. The few processors who preferred species with shorter internodes believed such plants were flexible and thick growing giving extra strength to products.
Table 16: Nodal Preference Within Species - processors
Node Length Processors (%) Reasons Long Internodes 91 Easy to work with-flexible, easy to split, bend, peel, clean, straightened Short Internodes 9 Extra strength, flexible, thick
Both small and large diameter rattan plants within a species were preferred by 65% of the processors but usually for specific purposes in the manufacture of the same product (Table 17) Bigger diameter sticks of Laccosperma (eyie) were used in making frames or support while, smaller diameter ones used for weaving, although bigger diameter ones could also be split for weaving. About 20% of the processors, majority of who were rural processors preferred bigger diameter plants because they were more economical. The few processors who preferred the smaller diameter plants argued that the stem of such plants were flexible particularly for weaving purposes. Moreover, the type of product to be
32 manufactured determined whether to use bigger or smaller diameter stem or sticks.
Table 17: Diameter Preference Within Species - processors
Diameter Processors (%) Reasons Both Big and Small 65 Each used for specific part of product Big 20 Depends on work
Small 15 More fractions on splitting i.e.economical Flexible, depends on work
Features processors usually used to access quality of rattan acquired for processing whether between or within species included the length of internodes. the colour of the ,stem degree or extent of stem shrinkage, roundness and smoothness of the stem. The levels of fungal and insect infestations were also used. Good quality rattan sticks for processing should have stems with long internodes. The colour of the bark of the stem should be dark brown or reddish (signifying maturity) and the bark should be peeled easily. The stem should be flexible, i.e. should not break on bending and be smooth, round or cylindrical, hard or tough and free from stains or insect damage.
Chemicals Some chemicals used in rattan processing are listed below. They were commonly used in the manufacture of urban products. Glue and gum were used for fastening or bonding joints while petrol lacquer and thinner were used in diluting varnish. (Table 18) Lacquer, varnish and sanding sealer were for polishing finished products to enhance beauty, however, the sanding sealer gave a better finish than the ordinary varnish and lacquer while lacquers was also better than the varnish.
Table 18: Chemicals Used in Rattan Processing
Chemical Purpose/ Use Glue Fastening/tying/bonding of joints Petrol Diluting varnish, mixing with pesticide Lacquer Polishing, and diluting of varnish Varnish Polishing finished products Thinner Diluting varnish Sanding sealer Used as varnish to enhance quality Pesticides (Dursban, DDT, Gammalin 20) Preservation treatment Paint Product beautification Turpentine Mixed with varnish for painting Kerosene Mixed with pesticides Gum Fastening joints Dye Decoration, concealing cane defects
33 Petrol and kerosene were usually mixed with pesticides such as dursban, DDT, Gammalin 20 and with some prohibited insecticides to preserve the rattan against insect infestation. Paint, dye and turpentine (mixed with varnish) were used for beautifying products.
Labour
About 87% of the processors interviewed engaged in rattan processing on full time basis, usually throughout the month and the year. Similarly, 11% and 1% of the processors working on part time and subcontract basis respectively did so throughout the month and the year. Very few of the processors worked on piece- wise basis (i.e. as and when available). These and the contract workers were mostly hired labour, whereas the part time workers were mostly owners engaged in other businesses such as farming. Full time processors consisted of owners and their apprentices as well as hired or employed ones.
Sixty-two percent of the processors (particularly, the urban ones) had an average of three apprentices per enterprise, each earning an average allowance of C90, 000 per month (Table 19). The value and mode of payment of the allowance for individual apprentices varied from C1, 000 to 2, 000 per day to over C100, 000 per month, usually depending on work done or profit accruing from the business. Thirty-six percent engaged an average of two contract workers per enterprise, each earning a wage of about C227, 000 per month. Very few processors (2%) engaged about one piece-wise worker per enterprise, who could earn as much as C138, 000 per month, depending on the amount of work done at a time.
Table 19: Type of Labour used by small-scale Processors
Labour type Average Average Average Percentage of Number used number of wage/allowance Processors weeks available per month(C) Apprentice 3 4 90, 000 62 Contract 2 4 227, 000 36 Piece-work 1 3 138, 000 2
The wage rate for contract and piece-wise workers per day among small-scale urban entrepreneurs ranged from C4, 000 to about C10, 000, depending on the type of products. The more sophisticated the products, the higher the rate (Table 20).
34 Table 20: Wage Rate for Making Major Urban Products by Small-Scale Entrepreneurs
Average number of man- Products days to produce each item Average wage rate (C)
Living room furniture(set) 12 8,000 Dining set 7 8,000 Room dividers 6 5,000 Wardrobe 4 5,000 Shelf 3 5,000 Rocking chair 3 4,500 Baby's cot 3 5,000 Laundry basket/box 1 5,000 Shopping basket 0.5 1,500 Waste paper basket 0.1 500
The majority of the owner-processors did not often offer other fringe benefits to their workers. Very few offered about 5 to 10% of their sales or revenue to their workers as bonus in times of good business. Processors owning their enterprises expressed their cost of labour invested in the business as their food and/or transport costs spent each day. This also varied greatly depending on distances and tastes for food.
Finance/Capital
About 86% of the processors interviewed self-financed their processing business with an average capital of C108, 000. Other sources of capital for processing were from parents (6%) with C100, 000, relatives (4%) with C157, 000 and friends (2%) with C70, 000 on the average. 2% of the processors took bank loans (from presumably rural banks) of about C500, 000 at 20% interest rate to be repaid in 3 months (table 21).
Table: 21 Sources of Finance for Rattan Processing
Sources of Average Average interest Average Percentage of capital amount( ) rate(%) repayment Processors period(months) Self/personal 108,000 86 Parents 100,000 6 Relatives 157,000 4 Bank loan 500,000 20 3 2 Friends 70,000 4 2
35 Other Inputs
Plywood, gas, nails and sand paper were some other inputs used in processing. A few of the processors manufacturing furniture for higher value used tinted glass, foam and upholstery materials. Tinted glass was used in making compartments in room dividers and side-boards, whereas foam and other upholstery materials were used in making chairs.
Products manufactured
Carrier and storage baskets, commonly called farm/local baskets, were the major products manufactured by most rural processors. The average quantity of such baskets produced per processor is 85, and ranges from 16 to about 200 baskets. Such baskets are usually of various sizes. There was no standard size but there could be large, medium and various sizes of small baskets. The largest-sized baskets were about 36” -50” in diameter. These were mostly produced during the fish season from August to October when they are often in high demand. The medium sized baskets ranged between 18” to 24” in diameter. The production of these baskets is a major source of income for rural processors and supplements that from farming. One processor in the Asamankese area in the Eastern Region claimed he used proceeds from his basket production enterprise to purchase a motor vehicle which he uses for commercial purposes to generate extra income.
Table 22: Products manufactured by rural and urban processors
Products manufactured by rural processors Products manufactured by urban processors
Carrier and storage baskets. Furniture Living room set, dinning set, room divider, wardrobe, shelves, chair, rocking chair, lazy chair, baby's cot, dressing mirror, sideboard, T.V stand, bed. Furniture: Basket. (Living room suite, chairs, baby’s cot, Shopping, laundry, waste paper and flower shelves, beds, room dividers). basket. Laundry box. Laundry box. Waste paper basket. Serving tray. Shopping basket. Lamp shade. Wig stand. Rattle. Serving tray. Bottle rug. Palanquin. Toys. Hangers.
36 The other products such as furniture, laundry box, shopping baskets etc. were made by few rural processors most of whom resided at Enyiresi, a small village located along the main Accra-Kumasi road famous for rattan processing. The otherwise urban products made at Enyiresi are usually targeted at tourists/foreigners as well as the traveling public from Accra and Kumasi and beyond. These clients stop over at the village to make purchases of goods which are displayed along the roadside. In the case of some of the other rural areas, such products are usually made only upon request.
Wastes generated
Wastes commonly generated from rattan processing were peelings and scraps from the bark of rattan pieces or off-cuts from rattan and off-cuts and shavings from wood. These are often disposed through burning.
Technical Assistance
About 61% of the processors had at one time or other required technical assistance, mainly to improve the quality of products. Unfortunately, none of them had sought assistance recently, probably due to the absence of institutions providing such help or assistance.
5.4 Rattan Trading /Marketing
5.4.1 Socio-demographic profile of traders
Categories of Rattan Traders
Two major categories of rattan traders, i.e. unprocessed (raw) and processed rattan traders were identified during the survey. Raw rattan traders made up about 18% of the rattan traders interviewed. They comprise mainly rural and urban collectors as well as middlemen operating in rural and/or urban markets. About 82% of the traders interviewed dealt in processed or manufactured rattan goods. They consisted of mostly rural and urban processors and middlemen. Rural processors and middlemen may sell their goods (carrier and storage baskets) in either rural or urban markets. Some of the middlemen dealing in unprocessed and/or processed rattan goods may be foreigners from Cote D’ Ivoire, Nigeria or Togo, or could be Ghanaians transporting these goods to markets in these countries. Very few of the middlemen, particularly those dealing in urban manufactured products such as furniture, shopping/laundry baskets and trays, marketed their wares on European markets.
37 Origin, Age and Gender
The rattan traders interviewed were predominantly (74%) settlers. Natives and migrant traders constituted 18 and 8% respectively. The traders were 90% males with only 10% females. This is probably be due to the fact that collectors and processors who were predominantly males usually also marketed the rattan goods. The average age of the traders was 36 years, and ranged from 18 to 62 years. The majority of the traders were aged between 20 and 49 years old. Educational Status
About 91% of the rattan traders interviewed had had various levels of formal education. 65% had been educated to Middle /Junior Secondary School level. Twelve and nine percent had been educated up to the Secondary/Senior Secondary School and Primary School levels respectively, while 3 and 2% had Technical and Polytechnic education levels respectively.
Marital Status
Seventy three percent of the traders were married and 27% were single. Ninety-six percent of those married had one spouse while 4% had two spouses.
Household Size, Composition and Age Distribution
The average number of people per household among the traders was five, and ranged from 1 to 11 people. The household is composed of 24% men 21% women, 28% boys and 26% girls. Majority of the men were aged between 20 and 49 years while majority of the women were aged between 20 and 39 years. The ages of the boys and girls ranged from 0 to 19 years. An average of about 2 other household members (apart from the respondent) were also involved in rattan trading activities. Sixty-seven percent of these were men.
Duration in Rattan Trading and Occupation
The rattan traders interviewed had been involved in the business for an average of about 11 years, ranging from five months to 39 years. It is the major occupation for about 71% of these traders who earned an average income of about C738,000 per month.
The major occupations of the remaining 29% were rattan processing, farming, rattan collection, painting and hairdressing (Table 23). Rattan trading was the minor occupation of half the traders, who earned an average of C357,000 per month (Table 24). Other minor occupations were farming with an average income of C150,000 per season, rattan processing (C150,000 per month), rattan collection
38 (C300,000 per month) and as an estate agent (C150,000 per month).
Table 23: Major Occupation of Rattan Traders
Major Occupation Average Income (C) Percentage of Traders Rattan Traders 738, 000 71 Rattan Processors 500, 000 16 Farming 255, 000 10 Rattan Collection 600, 000 1 Painting 170, 000 1 Hair-dressing 30, 000 1
Table 24: Minor Occupation of Rattan Traders
Minor Occupation Average Income (C) Percentage of Traders Rattan Trading 357, 000 50 Farming 150, 000 29 Rattan Processing 150, 000 13 Rattan Collection 300, 000 4 Estate agent 150, 000 4
Rattan trading, collection and processing appeared on the average to be relatively the highest income sources.
Membership of Rattan Traders Association
Twenty-four percent of the traders were members of rattan associations. These comprise general rattan workers, suppliers and processors associations. Most of the associations were established in the 1990’s. Two of them were established in the late 80’s (1988 and 1989). Membership strength among the association varied greatly, ranging from five to 200 people. Seventy-one percent of the traders belonging to these associations have been members for the last 5-6 years. Average membership duration was about six years and ranged from 0.5 to 11 years.
The major objectives of these associations include uniting members to achieve a common goal, particularly in the area of controlling the supply of raw rattan and prices of rattan goods to ensure higher prices. It also includes acquisition of permanent places to work and sell rattan goods as well as lobbying for government assistance (financial, promotion of products on international market, shelter, etc.). Fostering unity among members is also to facilitate cordial/good relationship among members and seek the welfare of members especially provision of financial assistance for various purposes (payment of royalty fees, social functions, etc.). It will also help in protecting the natural forest against rattan depletion and promoting the establishment of rattan plantations.
39 Members reported of enjoying various benefits from the association. The majority of the members have benefited from financial assistance. Others benefited from provision of work and market space, market and price controls (especially raw rattan dealers), exhibition of products during some trade fairs and arrangements for marketing raw rattan in neighbouring countries.
5.4.2 Raw Rattan Trade
Table 25: Raw Rattan Trade Quantity of % Raw Market type Market Location Clients Destination (s) Bundles Rattan Traded/month Traders Rural Aiyinase, Urban processors, Accra, Kumasi, Essamang, Middlemen Rural Takoradi, 85 20 Agona- Processors, Sekondi, Nkwanta Individuals, Anyinase, Nkwatia, Foreign Essamang, Agona Daboasi etc. Middlemen and Daboasi, Cote D' Jewi Wharf Processors, Ivoire
Urban Accra, Urban processors, Tema, Accra 767 73 Kumasi, Foreign Kumasi Takoradi, Takoradi, Middlemen and Sekondi, Sekondi, Retailers Asamankese Asamankese Cote D’ Ivoire, Togo, Nigeria, Benin
Foreign Cote D' Retailers Cote D’ Ivoire, 200 7 Ivoire Processors
Raw rattan is traded on domestic rural and urban markets and on foreign markets as well. Seventy-three percent of the rattan traders interviewed sell rattan in urban markets in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Sekondi and Asamankese. Nearly 70% of the traders market their wares at the Kokomba and/or Agboghloshie markets in Accra. These two markets are well known and are active raw rattan trading centers.
Rattan trading on these markets appears better organized than at other locations. Different groups of rattan suppliers from the main collection areas run a two-week shift to supply rattan to these markets to help check glut and for better prices. Consumers or clients patronizing these markets include urban processors from Accra, Tema, Asamankese (Eastern Region). Foreign middlemen and retailers from Cote D’ Ivoire, Togo Benin and Nigeria also patronize these markets. Data
40 from market toll collectors at the Agbogbloshie markets showed an average of about 900 bundles of rattan traded monthly. In Kumasi, the popular marketing center for raw rattan was situated at the Cultural Center and also close to the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, commonly called “Gee”.
The majority (71%) of the raw rattan traders interviewed were collectors retailing directly on the market. 21% of them were also collectors wholesaling their wares to retailers stationed in the market while 7% were middlemen. Twenty percent of the raw rattan traders interviewed market their wares in rural markets, notably at Aiyinase, Essamang, Daboase, Agona-Nkwatia, Jewi- Wharf, and others all located in the Western Region. Clients patronizing these markets included urban processors, middlemen and retailers from Accra, Takoradi, Sekondi and Kumasi. Rattan processors, individuals, local gin (akpeteshie) distillers and fishermen in and around the marketing centers in the rural areas attended the markets. At Jewi- Wharf, the border town between Ghana and Cote D’ Ivoire, the clients included middlemen, processors and retailers from Cote D’ Ivoire. Seven percent of the raw rattan traders reported of marketing their wares on some markets in Cote D’ Ivoire. They comprised mainly of rattan collectors and normally retailed their goods on these markets.
5.4.2 Processed Rattan Trade
Processed or manufactured rattan products may be marketed in rural or urban markets. Twenty percent of the processed rattan traders interviewed sold their wares in rural markets located at Tarkwa, Prestea, Essamang, Agona-Ahanta, Daboase, Enyiresi, Nyinahin and Jewi-Warf (Ghana-Cote D’ Ivoire border) among many others in rattan producing areas. The major rattan commodity marketed on these rural markets was local storage and carrier baskets. An estimated quantity of at least 366 of these baskets was sold per month by respondents.
Consumers/clients patronising these baskets comprise mostly foodstuff dealers, wholesalers and retailers from Axim, Tarkwa, Agona, Accra, Takoradi, Sekondi, Mankesim, Kumasi, etc. Farmers and other individual end users may also purchase some of these baskets for farming and household use in rural areas. Small quantities of other rattan products like furniture, laundry box or baskets, serving trays, shelves, etc. may be traded in rural markets. Some of these markets for instance at Enyiresi are daily markets situated along major trunk roads e.g. Accra-Kumasi trunk road. Consumers of such products include rural and urban end users, wholesalers and retailers.
Seventy-two percent of the processed-rattan dealers interviewed sold their goods in urban markets such as Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi, Takoradi. Asamankese,
41 Koforidua. The urban trade is dominated by products such as furniture, laundry, shopping and flower baskets.
About 2% of the dealers who are rural and urban wholesalers as well as urban retailers, traded in local carrier and storage baskets in the Agbobloshie, Asieduketeke and Konkonba markets in Accra; Kejetia and Kumasi Central markets in Kumasi; Sekondi, Takoradi and Asanamkese markets. Consumers of local baskets in these urban markets include local urban retailers, individual urban and end users and foodstuff dealers, particularly fish and vegetable dealers. Foodstuff dealers, especially fishmongers from Northern Ghana (e.g. Tamale, Blogatanga, Bawku) were other clients.
5.4.3 Variation in Price of Raw Rattan on Selected Markets
Table 26: Variation in Price of Raw Rattan on Selected Markets
Market Location Region Price per Bundle Mfia (Eremospatha spp.) Eyie (Laccosperma spp.) Urban Accra Gtr. Accra Kumasi Ashanti 30,000-40,000 20,000-28,000 Takoradi Western 20,000-23,000 16,000-18,000
Rural 20,000-25,000 15,000-16,000 Dabosa Western 10,000 6,000 Axim Western 15,000 Essamang Western 15,000 Aiyinase Western 30,000 Jewi-Wharf Western 45,000 Nyinahin Ashanti 20,000
Mfia : 50-70 sticks/bundle Eyie : 20 sticks/bundle
Mfia (Eremospatha spp.), the most preferred rattan species, was more expensive than eyie (Laccosperma spp.) irrespective of market location. Prices were higher in the urban markets than in the rural areas except for Aiyinase and Jewi Wharf. Jewi Wharf is a very busy Ghana-Cote D’ Ivoire border market with a lot of patronage from Cote D’ Ivoire. Prices in Takoradi and Kumasi were lower than those in Accra. This could be explained by the fact that the raw rattan market in Accra (Kenkomba and Agbobgloshie markets) were more busy, attracting lots of consumers from Accra and Tema Metropolis, Koforidua, Asamankese and Enyiresi in the Eastern Region as well as from Togo, Nigeria and sometimes Benin. Moreover, middle men operate Konkomba and Agbobloshie markets. They buy from collectors in bulk and retail them in the market to urban processors.
42 5.4.4 Value Addition and Profit Margins
Generally, profit margins increased with increasing sophistication from simple waste paper baskets to complex living room furniture, in both Kumasi and Accra. Within the same product type, the more value added it was, the higher the profit margin. In other words, the profit margin usually increased as the product grade improved from low to high. The differences in value addition during processing was brought about by the type and the amount of materials used to improve on the quality especially, the design and finishing of the product. More raw rattan was also used as quality improved and with increased sophistication.
Profit margins were slightly higher in Accra than in Kumasi for some products, because the prices of rattan products were higher in Accra than in Kumasi. One major reason was that Accra being the capital city of the country has a higher living standard and is one of the high price areas in the country. This is because it is the seat of the government and is inhabited by lots of foreign dignitaries. It is a brisk business centre with lots of businesses or companies both local and foreign. It was also because products in Accra were of better designs, had more value addition with respect to chemical preservation and finishing than those generally found in Kumasi. It must be noted that Kumasi is generally, a moderate price area with respect to trade or business compared to Accra.
In Kumasi prices were highest at the cultural centre, and were comparable to those in Accra. Again. it was discovered that the products had more value addition with respect to chemical preservation (e.g. treatment against borer infestation) and finishing (e.g. use of sanding sealer, glass, etc.). It was also because the cultural centre was highly patronized by tourists. To enhance quality of products, the processors also often engaged the services of specialists like weavers, carpenters, etc. It was observed that prices of products were often priced in US dollars.
In Accra, the highest prices were found at AFWEL Company limited. This company produced for both local and export markets. High cost of production due to more value addition was attributed to the high prices. For instance, AFWEL had employed a graduate artist to design its products. It had also engaged other specialists like carpenters. weavers. sprayers, etc. to manufacture relevant parts of the products. AFWEL’s production for the local market was also targeted at high- class patronage. The products were beautifully displayed in the company’s showroom and were priced in US dollars.
Table 27: Value Addition and Price Variation of Processed Rattan Products in Accra and Kumasi (see next page)
43 Kumasi Accra Item/Product Selling Prince Grade Production Cost (C) (C) Profit Margin (C) Production Cost(C) Selling Price (C) Profit Margin (C) Living Room Furniture Low 182,750 280,000 97,250 286,500 380,000 93,500 Medium 252,000 350,000 98,000 324,500 420,000 95,500 High 633,000 800,000 166,600 714,200 1,800,000 1,085,800 Dining Set Low 167,150 250,000 82,850 111,000 200,000 89,000 Medium 244,000 350,000 106,000 142,900 300,000 157,100 High 532,900 850,000 317,100 539,920 1,500,000 960,080 Room Divider Low 100,250 100,000 -250 117,000 180,000 63,000 Medium 26,200 400,000 138,000 154,250 250,000 95,750 High 40,400 650,000 245,500 421,700 600,000 178,300 Wardrobe Low 30,500 35,000 4,500 125,000 150,000 25,000 Medium 75,800 200,000 124,200 122,600 200,000 77,400 High 255,000 350,000 95,000 527,300 650,000 122,700 Shelf: Low 26,340 50,000 23,660 36,100 30,000 -6,100 Medium 37,350 65,000 27,650 53,300 80,000 26,700 High 109,500 195,000 85,500 98,810 150,000 51,190 Rocking Chair Low 24,000 25,000 800 52,700 60,000 7,300 Medium 60,700 80,000 19,300 84,300 100,000 15,700 High 121,000 180,000 59,000 118,500 250,000 131,500 Baby cots: Low 11,350 18,000 6,650 - - - Medium 12,610 40,000 27,390 31,000 45,000 14,000 High 136,500 180,000 43,500 36,100 70,000 33,900 Laundry Basket Low 3,250 5,000 1,750 7,066 10,000 2,934 Medium 13,960 25,000 11,040 18,900 30,000 11,100 High 17,200 30,000 12,800 43,500 60,000 16,500 Shopping Basket Low 2,700 3,000 300 4,033 5,000 967 Medium 5,320 10,000 4,680 9,266 10,000 734 High 7,100 8,000 900 28,000 45,000 1,020 Waste paper basket Low 1,239 3,000 1,761 1,980 3,000 - Medium 4,300 4,500 200 - - - High 4,500 5,000 500 - - -
44 Item/Product Grade Kumasi Accra Table 28: Living room furniture Comparison of profit margins of Low 53 33 selected rattan products in Medium 39 29 Kumasi and Accra High 26 152 Dining Set Low 50 80 Medium 43 110 High 60 178 Room Divider Low -0.3 54 Medium 53 62 High 61 42 Wardrobe Low 15 20 Medium 16 63 High 37 23 Shelf Low 89 -17 Medium 74 50 High 78 52 Rocking Chair Low 3.3 14 Medium 32 19 High 49 111 Baby cot Low 59 Medium 217 45 High 320 94 Laundry Basket Low 54 42 Medium 79 59 High 74 38 Shopping Basket Low 11 24 Medium 88 8 High 13 61 Waste paper basket Low 142 52 Medium 5 - High 11 -
45 Table 29: Effect of Differences in Value Addition on Profit Margin in the Kumasi Area
Product Cost of Raw Profit Item Grade Rattan Used (C) Processing Cost(C) Selling Price (C) Margin (C)
Living Room furniture Low 66,000 116,750 280,000 97,250 Medium 100,000 152,000 350,000 98,000 High 122,500 510,900 800,000 166,600 Dining Set Low 66,000 101,150 250,000 82,850 Medium 96,000 148,000 350,000 106,000 High 120,000 412,900 850,000 317,100 Room Divider Low 28,800 71,450 100,000 -250 Medium 42,500 219,500 400,000 138,000 High 42,500 362,000 650,000 245,500 Wardrobe Medium 2,200 73,600 200,000 124,200 High 27,500 227,500 350,000 95,000 Shelve Low 4,000 26,500 35,000 4,500 Medium 9,800 27,550 65,000 27,650 High 25,000 84,500 195,000 85,500 Rocking Chair Low 8,940 17,400 50,000 23,660 Medium 22,500 38,200 80,000 19,300 High 31,000 90,000 180,000 59,000 Baby cot Low 4,000 20,200 25,000 800 Medium 2,860 9,750 40,000 27,390 High 29,000 107,500 180,000 43,500 Laundry Basket Low 1,100 10,250 18,000 6,650 Medium 1,760 12,200 25,000 11,040 High 3,300 13,900 30,000 12,800 Shopping Basket Low 1,100 2,150 5,000 1,750 Medium 2,000 5,100 8,000 900 High 1,320 4,000 10,000 4,680 Waste paper basket Low 660 579 3,000 1,761 Medium 800 1,900 3,000 300 High 1,400 2,900 4,500 200 Farm/storage basket 2,500 2,000 5,000 500
46 Table 30:Effect of Differences in Value Addition on Profit Margin in the Accra Area
Cost of Raw Rattan Processing Cost Selling Price Profit Item Product Grade Used (C) (C) (C) Margin (C)
Living Room furniture Low 115,000 171,500 380,000 93,500 Medium 134,000 190,500 420,000 95,500 High 255,000 459,200 1,800,000 1,085,800 Dining Set Low 42,000 69,000 200,000 89,000 Medium 54,000 88,900 300,000 157,100 High 231,000 308,920 1,500,000 960,080 Room Divider Low 30,000 87,000 180,000 63,000 Medium 36,000 118,250 250,000 95,750 High 157,000 264,200 600,000 178,300 Wardrobe Low 56,000 69,000 150,000 25,000 Medium 30,000 92,600 200,000 77,400 High 132,000 395,300 650,000 122,700 Shelve Low 12,000 24,100 30,000 -6,100 Medium 22,800 30,500 80,000 26,700 High 19,500 79,310 150,000 51,190 Rocking Chair Low 26,400 26,300 60,000 7,300 Medium 27,600 56,700 100,000 15,700 High 24,000 94,500 250,000 131,500 Baby cot Low Medium 18,000 13,000 45,000 14,000 High 18,000 18,100 70,000 33,900 Laundry Basket Low 4,800 2,266 10,000 2,934 Medium 6,400 12,500 30,000 11,100 High 9,000 34,500 60,000 16,500 Shopping Basket Low 2,400 1,633 5,000 967 Medium 4,000 5,266 10,000 734 High 4,500 23,500 45,000 17,000 Waste paper basket Low 1,600 380 3,000 1,020
47 5.5 Problems/constraints in the Rattan P-C-S
Many problems exist in collection, processing and marketing of raw rattan and products.
5.5.1 Constraints in Rattan Collection
About 28% of rattan collectors interviewed mentioned harassment by Forestry Department Staff and/or expensive and cumbersome permit system administered by the department for exploitation and conveyance of rattan as constraints to rattan collection , (Table 38). According to the collectors, the procedure for the acquisition of the permit and conveyance certificate is bureaucratic. Furthermore, permit and conveyance fees are expensive. An amount of 10,000 cedis is paid for the issuance of a conveyance certificate with a validity period of three days. These coupled with their short validity periods (one day per bundle of rattan permit and three days for conveyance certificate) discourage majority of collectors from acquiring them, leading to evasion. Consequently, Forest Guards/District Forest Officers often harass evaders, sometimes impounding their goods. Sometimes processed rattan products en route to the market were impounded if the owner did not secure a conveyance certificate.
Table 31: Problems/constraints in Rattan Collection.
Problems/Constraints % Collectors Harassment and Expensive Permit System by 28 Forest Department Accidents/Injuries 28 Depleting/Scarce Rattan Resource 18 Labour Intensive Harvesting 9 Inadequate Finance/Capital 8 Expensive Transportation 7 Ineffective Rattan Association(s) 1 Police Harassment 1
Accidents or injuries sustained during collection were another problem encountered by 28% of the collectors. These ranged from bites from snakes, insects especially bees, etc.; pricks from thorns and spines on the stem of rattan plants, cuts with cutlass or knives to even gunshots in a few cases. About 18% of the collectors complained about depleting rattan resource leading to scarcity in some areas. Most collectors have to walk/travel long distances (sometimes not less than 10 kilometers) into the forest in search of desirable and marketable species.
48 Nine percent of the respondents complained about the labour intensive harvesting of rattan. This is because the plant is a climbing palm or a liana and uses other trees as a support. A lot of difficulty is encountered in pulling down the thorny stem after cutting at the base since it could be twisted or entangled around the branches and stems of other trees. Harvesting during the rainy season is also a problem due to poor accessibility to the resource and its transportation after harvesting. Apart from the general wetness of the forest environment, most rivers flowing through the forest over flow their banks and the ground becomes soggy or marshy in most places retarding accessibility. The problem is heightened when the identified or desired species to be harvested is situated in a marshy area.
Collectors also complained of inadequate capital to finance rattan collection. Most collectors self-finance their rattan collection operations. According to about eight percent of them this is done from their meager financial resources. This makes it difficult to engage additional labour for harvesting and transporting goods to distant markets for better prices as well as honour tax obligations with the Forestry Department etc.
Expensive transport costs was another constraint to rattan collection. Increasing fuel prices and poor access roads in collection areas were some reasons attributed to this problem. Although some rattan associations are in existence, few of the collectors believe they have been ineffective in properly organizing members as well as seeing to their welfare with respect to financial support, lobbying for a favourable permit system and the general well being of members.
A few, about one percent, of the collectors claimed that Police Personnel at police check points on highways sometimes do harass them by extorting money from them during transportation of the rattan by road to major marketing centers.
5.5.2 Constraints in Rattan Processing
The majority of the processors reported a general scarcity or unavailability of adequate raw rattan for processing. This often results in irregular supply of raw rattan and occasional shortage (Table 35). The situation is worsened during the rainy season when accessibility is poor and some collectors divert their labour into farming and other economic ventures. The rattan processing industry in the country comprises predominantly small-scale processors employing purely manual processing methods. This makes processing labour intensive or tedious and slow, as long periods of time are spent in the manufacture of products. Some processors complained of waist pain, back aches, dizziness and general weakness they encounter from processing. Processors attributed inefficiency of tools currently used, lack of mechanized equipment or machines and lack of technical know-how for operating such machines as major contributing factors.
49 Table 32: Problems/Constraints in Rattan Processing.
Problems/Constraint Processors (%) Unavailability/scarcity of raw rattan 25 Labour Intensive Processing method 15 Accidents 14 Improper Shelter 13 Inadequate Finance/Capital 11 Expensive/High Input Costs 8 No proper grading/standardization 8 Inadequate technical know-how 5 Harassment by Metropolitan Assemblies 1
Accidents and/or injuries encountered during processing also do constrain production. These comprise gas burns, knife wounds, wearing out of the fingers, blisters at fingertips among others. Such accidents/injuries generally slow down processing when they occur. Hence, extra care must be employed during processing, adding up to slowness in processing.
Lack of permanent place or shelter and hygienic environment to be used as workshops by processors was another problem mentioned. Normally, most urban processors are located at vantage points major routes usually working under trees and other temporary shelter. Apart from suffering threats of ejection and other forms of harassment from the Metropolitan assemblies, processing is also disrupted, especially during the rainy season. Storage of raw rattan and processed products is also a problem as they get infested with fungus and insects, reducing their value and income.
Complains of inadequate capital were also made. Processors claimed they had inadequate financial resource to support their business particularly in the acquisition of extra labour to speed up processing and adequate materials inputs to enhance product quality among others.
The cost of inputs employed in processing, i.e. raw rattan labour, chemicals (aloe, lacquer, varnish etc) gas, nails, plywood etc. were reported to be high. According to processors, raw rattan and labour are the two major cost items contributing significantly to this problem. Increasing decline in rattan resources, expensive permits and transportation costs were some of the factors attributed to the high cost of raw rattan. Processing is done manually and is slow, leading to high labour costs.
There is generally no standardized or proper grading of both raw rattan and manufactured products in the rattan sector. Very often collectors mix up defect or
50 poor quality raw rattan (i.e. immature, fungal and insect infested, etc.) with good ones for sale to processors. These are often not easily detected (when the sticks are tied up in bundles and are fresh) during the time of purchase. With poor storage, fungal and insect infestation become a problem. The immature ones shrink and break easily during processing. The loss of rattan leads to higher production cost. In the manufacture of products, processors reported great variation and hence no standards for manufactured products. Very often grading of such products is done visually, based on beauty and size. The use of manual processing methods leading to a lack of proper precision and difficulties in carrying out operations like peeling, bending, etc. of the rattan was one ascribed to this problem.
A generally poor or inadequate technical knowledge of rattan processing was also reported. Particular mention has made of lack of proper chemical treatment/preservation/fortification methods against fungal and insect attack, cracking of rattan (frame) during processing/manufacture and changes in weather conditions, fading, etc. Poor finishing methods and a generally lack of knowledge in the use of higher standard processing tools and equipment were mentioned as well.
5.5.3 Constraints in Rattan Trading/Marketing
Poor and irregular demand for processed rattan goods was mentioned by 59% of the traders as a constraint to rattan trading/marketing (Table 36) This is particularly, so far urban processed goods like furniture, laundry and shopping baskets, baby cots, etc. The major reason attributed to this problem was the general non-availability of a ready market for these rattan products in the country.
Table 33: Problems/Constraints in Rattan Marketing/Trading
Percentage of Problem/constraint of Traders Poor and Irregular Product Demand and Prince 59 Improper Shelter 25 Harassment by staff of Forestry Department 7 Scarce/Depleting Rattan Stock 5 High Marketing Cost 2 Inadequate Finance 2
Traditionally, most Ghanaians are used to timber or wood products for furniture, in house construction and so on. The principal uses of rattan until quite recently had been for making baskets, fish traps, lopes, whips, wig stands etc. Consequently, the appreciation of rattan furniture locally is quite low. The upsurge in the use of plastic furniture baskets aggravates the problem as does a lack of a well-developed export market for rattan products. Some traders were of the view
51 that the major obstacle to the development of an export market for rattan products has been the general poor quality of products that do not meet international or world market standards produced by local artisans.
Demand for rattan products might appreciate during certain occasions such as Christmas, Easter and other festivities but flop drastically afterwards. It might also be good in some years but it may be by chance and cannot be predicted. Poor and fluctuating demand obviously leads to poor and fluctuating prices for products. Capital used for the business could also be locked up with poor demand as products remain for long periods before they are sold or may not be purchased at all. Such products may depreciate in value due to poor protection against insect and fungal damage, fading of polish etc. or could even become outmoded thus reducing price.
It was also mentioned that individual processors and traders set their own prices for products. The absence of a standardized grading and pricing system makes price control difficult, ultimately leading to poor and variable prices for rattan products.
Lack of proper shelter or places for marketing raw rattan and processed rattan products is another problem that cripples the rattan industry. Most of the marketing of processed rattan goods, especially in the urban areas, is done in the open by processors at their processing sites. Products are thus exposed to the effects of the sun, rain, wind and dust. Prolonged exposure might ultimately reduce the value and hence, the price of products. Sun scorch and wind fades polish on the product, the rain enhances fungal development and fading, while dust settles and dirties the products.
Staff of the Forestry Department often harass both raw and processed (mainly baskets made in rural area) traders. This might occur on the highway during transportation of goods, or at markets and even at lorry stations where raw rattan and baskets are often sold or unloaded. This problem arose because of the massive evasion of royalty and conveyance certificate fees by collectors. To recover revenue lost due to evasion, the Forestry Department has resorted to the collection of the royalty and conveyance certificate fees from traders dealing in any form of rattan products. Non-compliance leads to confiscation.
Increasing scarcity in the availability of raw rattan was reported among traders. According to these traders, increasing prices and occasional shortages in the raw materials indicate the severity of this problem. The problem appears a general one besetting the industry and threatens its future and the livelihoods of the several dozens of people who depend on the resource in one way or the other, particularly rural dwellers.
52 Lack of adequate finance to support rattan marketing was yet another problem identified. The majority of the traders, particularly those operating on the domestic market are small-scale with poor capital base. Poor local demand and prices for rattan goods in addition do not generate enough income or profit to raise this capital base. These, coupled with the general lack of financial assistance (from both governmental and non-governmental institutions) to rattan entrepreneurs have resulted in insufficient capital base for the enterprise.
6.0 DEVELOPMENT OF THE RATTAN INDUSTRY SECTOR
6.1 Enhancing the Rattan Industry: Suggestions from primary stakeholders
Respondents made some suggestions for improving the rattan industry in the country. One most critical suggestion from 25% of respondents was the need to improve the rattan resource base to ensure constant supplies (Table 34). This could be achieved through the establishment of rattan plantations by the FD, individuals groups of collectors or even rattan associations. The FD and Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) could identify suitable rattan species for plantation development and produce seedlings for supply to interested persons, groups and communities for planting. The rattan stock could also be improved by employing appropriate management strategies for rattan stock in reserves and also through collaborative management of the natural stock with groups of collectors or communities living around the reserves.
Provision of financial assistance to the various segments of the rattan industry is also critical for its improvement. Appropriate government organizations, rattan associations, NGOs, interested private concerns and so on could support entrepreneurs in the rattan industries with loans and grants. This would assist in the expansion of rattan businesses, the acquisition of better equipment and the necessary raw materials for enhancing the quality of products, among others.
To circumvent the problem of poor demand, particularly for processed rattan products on both domestic and foreign markets, respondents identified a need for active market promotion to enhance the industry. This could be achieved through promoting the production of quality raw materials and processed rattan goods for export purposes. To enhance export production, it may be necessary to establish a direct link between producers and foreign markets. This will assist in cutting-out middlemen and other go-betweens to enhance income. In addition, freight charges for export products need to be reduced.
53 Promotion of rattan products on the local/domestic market is perhaps very important in the image of the rattan industry in the country. This could be done through the production of quality and attractive products, and advertising and exhibiting these products during fairs, etc. to increase awareness and appreciation for rattan products. Respondents believed the upsurge of hotels, restaurants, and other service centers and the increasing numbers of expatriates and foreign businesses, could increase local demand and called for the production of quality products, especially furniture, which are likely to be used by these concerns.
Of course, effective marketing calls for a well-organized marketing system with standardized products and prices. Some respondents suggested a centralized marketing system. This entails creation of central marketing centers or depot for rattan products.
Provision of proper shelter or permanent places to be used for processing and marketing rattan goods is also essential to enhance the industry. Of particular interest to processors were government controlled centrally organized rattan processing workshop/ village/ factory sites or depots. Apart from offsetting the adverse effects of the weather on production this provides a convenient environment for easily mobilizing rattan workers into associations for various purposes. It also protects rattan entrepreneurs from being subjected to harassment from Metropolitan and District Assemblies due to the improper siting of their workshops. Raw and processed rattan traders also called for a central area or depot to market their goods for similar reasons.
Technical assistance is urgently required, particularly to improve the quality of rattan products. This could take the form of technology transfers through training workshops and seminars for entrepreneurs in the rattan sector. Modern production techniques especially product designing or styles, chemical treatment for preservation and product finishing, are some of the areas that require prompt attention among processors. Knowledge and skills in the use of machinery in processing, and techniques for improving marketing of products are some of the other areas that need to be considered. To facilitate technology transfer, there is a need to establish training institutions or centers for rattan work or even to appoint and assist appropriate existing handicraft training centers to do so. Machine facilities for processing could be provided at such centers for trainees to become acquainted with their use. There is also need to introduce simple improved harvesting and processing equipment and/or tools (over the use of the present local ones).
54 Table 34: Enhancing the rattan industry in Ghana: Suggestions from primary stakeholders Issue Activity % Respondents Improve rattan resource base · Plantation by FD, collectors, rattan association. · Appropriate Management/Regulation/ Monitoring of natural harvesting 25 · Collaborative Management of natural forest. Financial assistance · Small loans/grants facilities from government, 17 rattan association, NGO’s Market Promotion/ · Promote export production of both raw and 13 Improve Marketing processed rattan · Direct link of producers with foreign markets · Reduce freight cost for export products. · Promote product locally – adverts, exhibition, etc. · Standardization of products and prices · Well-organized and centralized marketing systems. Proper Shelter/ · Central/organized processing workshop/factory 13 Permanent place for sites/depot. workshop and Marketing · Central area or depot for marketing raw and processed rattan. Technical assistance · Technology transfer through training workshops 12 and Seminars - Modern production techniques - Product design and styles - Chemical treatment/preservation - Product finishing - Marketing techniques - Use of machinery etc. · Improved Harvesting and Processing Equipment/tools. · Provide machine facilities · Establish training institutions/centers Rattan association · Co-ordinate activities 9 · Control/regulate/stabilize prices · Lobby for assistance - loans/grants - flexible permit system - technical assistance - shelter or place of work and sales, etc. Market promotion Review permit system and · Flexible permit system by FD. 8 cease harassment - Reduce Permit/Conveyance fees - Reduce bureaucracy - Validity period extended · Collectors to honour permit obligations Forestry, police and immigration personnel to cease extortion of money Encourage mechanical · Introduce processing machines on market 3 processing · Provide necessary training on use.
55 Enhancing the rattan industry would also require formation of properly organized rattan associations. These are necessary for coordinating the activities of rattan workers, including price controls for better income, lobbying for loans, grants, subsidies, flexible permit system, technical assistance and space to be used for workshops and marketing centers from appropriate institutions. Associations could embark on general market promotion on both local and foreign markets, as well as lobby for assistance from the government and other institutions to do so. Socially, rattan association could provide some welfare facilities such as financial assistance to support enterprises and other monetary needs of members; labour for development purposes and so on. A well-organized rattan association could rally resources from members for the acquisition of inputs such as machines/equipment, work space, etc. for general use.
The permit system for collecting rattan, and for that matter NTFPs, in the natural forest need to be reviewed. Respondents called for a flexible permit system by the FD to encourage collectors to honour their tax obligations and to avoid loss of revenue to the economy from evasion. This could be achieved through reduction of permit, royalty and conveyance fees and the bureaucracy encountered in the acquisition of the permit. The validity period of the permit for both collecting and conveying the resource must also be extended. If possible, permit offices should be decentralized to appropriate towns nearer to the resource to decrease the difficulty encountered in traveling long distances to acquire permit from District Forest Offices.
Personnel of the Police and Immigration Services Stationed at check and border points along major routes as well as forest guards monitoring collection in reserves need to cease frequent extortion of money from collectors and traders in rural areas. To this effect, collectors have been called upon to honour their permit obligations to minimize these harassments.
Finally, appropriate processing machinery need to be introduced on the market and the necessary training on their use provided to encourage mechanical processing. Respondents believed this would reduce labour, enhance quality of products for better acceptance on both the domestic and international markets to enhance demand.
6.2 Policy, Institutional and Administrative Framework For The Rattan Sector
Sustainability of rattan cottage industry sector of Ghana will depend among others on revamp of outmoded legislations for effective policies in a well-coordinated institutional and administrative framework
56 6.2.1 Policy
The recognition of the importance of NTFPs including rattan for the development of rural economies and the consequent need for policies to guide their use, management and/or development is relatively recent in Ghana. Until the promulgation of the current Forest and Wildlife Policy in 1994, policies or legislation on the forestry sector emphasized the supply of timber for the wood industry. NTFPs were not considered in forest management and planning. The only management tool was a short -term expensive permits system that did not encourage stewardship among gatherers.
The ultimate aim of the 1994 Forest Wildlife policy of Ghana is to ensure conservation and sustainable development of the country’s forests and wildlife resources for the maintenance of environmental quality and perpetual flow of optimum benefits to all segments of society. The attainment of this goal has been translated into a Forestry Development Master Plan prepared for the attainment of the Ghana “Vision 2020” objective (i.e. long term objective of attaining middle income status). Specific aspects of the master plan which borders on the development of NTFPs and for that matter rattan stated under section 3.2.3 are:
i) Manage the existing forest estate for sustainability of timber and non- timber resources and to expand the nation’s forest cover for increased yields of domestic and industrial products. ii) Consolidate protected area management and initiate sustainable utilization of wildlife resources for increased benefit to rural communities while conserving biological diversity.
The programme of action or strategies for the implementation of these objectives are mainly geared towards the following:
i) Promoting achievement of a 10% increase in the area of forest and tree cover through afforestation, reforestation, industrial plantations and agroforestry. ii) Section facilitating access, utilization and sustainable development of fuel wood and non-timber products by communities adjacent to the forest estate. iii) Section increasing public awareness especially of conservation and encourage involvement of individuals and communities in the protection and management of forest resources. iv) Increasing processing capability of plantation and non-timber products.
Increasing forest and tree cover would entail among other things an integrated reforestation scheme to re-stock concessions, demanded lands and establish timber
57 on savannas, farms, mining areas and private lands. Land and tree tenure systems would also be reviewed to entrench tree ownership rights in the any one who plant trees and industrial plantations promoted to provide adequate mix of incentives for encouraging private sector investments.
To develop fuel wood and non-timber products, planning and inventory of non- timber resources would be undertaken to determine sustainable use limits and streamline harvesting systems. Wood energy and non-wood energy potentials will also be reviewed to promote planned development for efficient and sustained utilization.
Increasing public awareness and involvement in forest resource management would involve public education and forestry extension to publicize value and benefits of forest conservation. Multiple resource management systems with involvement of local communities would be emphasized. Local people would be encouraged by allowing them to increasingly participate in decision-making on the management of the forest and to benefit from the use of traditional non-timber products from the forest. Such uses would be based on sustainable management systems and if possible enhanced by planting schemes that can expand the availability of raw material and generate income-earning and industrial opportunities.
The processing capacity for plantation and non-timber products would be enhanced through promoting processing of such products in co-operation with organizations like the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) in the development of value processing techniques for a diverse range of products. Specific industrial processing research would be commissioned to determine focus of feasibility studies and market promotion as well as a review of inventory of resources and their potentials to determine the focus of utilization research. Modernization of existing facilities would also be promoted to maximize income- generation and competitive advantage. Lastly, appropriate grading standards would be introduced and private capability developed to increase marketability of quality products.
6.2.2. Institution and Administrative Framework
The Forestry Department is the lead government agency responsible for implementing the objectives relating to the development, use and management of NTFPs embodied in the Forestry Development Master Plan. The Department has in place an inventory programme to identify and quantify available NTFPs including rattan in both on and off-reserve areas for the development of management and control strategies to help harvest NTFPs on sustained basis. Very little work has however been done in this regard. The department also has a
58 Collaborative/Community Forestry Management Programme which has begun a programme of improving NTFP production with local communities/groups at some pilot site in reserves.
Much of the department’s work with respect to NTFPs has been the regulation of harvesting/exploitation of these resources through a permit system. As has been stated above, the permit system is believed to be expensive and cumbersome, discouraging stewardship among collectors. Most of them would prefer to evade it to enhance profit, and to avoid frustrations associated with it bureaucratic nature. Some preliminary recommendations on modifications of the permit system is currently under consideration.
Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG)
The Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) has a mandate to conduct user- focused research for the management, domestication/cultivation, processing and marketing of NTFPs. The Institute currently has an NTFP programme examining some NTFPs like chew-sticks (Garcinia spp), mushrooms, rattan and bamboo among others.
Previous rattan research in FORIG has been on enhancing germination of rattan seeds and vegetative propagation of rattan seedlings using rhizomes. A cost effective inventory method for rattan has also been developed. More recently, a review of taxonomic identification of rattan species has been initiated in collaboration with the African Rattan Research Group in Cameroon and the Royal Botanical Garden in Kew. Studies of the anatomy of rattan stems to aid identification and understand their working properties have been initiated. Future user-focused research at FORIG should address the problem on how to sustain the rattan resource base and biodiversity through sustainable harvesting, enrichment planting and plantation development. Research on enhancing the processing efficiency and quality of rattan and rattan products through chemical preservation and improved processing technology is also needed.
Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC)
The Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) has a mandate to develop and promote non-traditional export commodities, including those of agriculture and forestry. The GEPC established a Rattan Processing and Production Training Centre at Accra in 1991 as part of its export diversification and development programme. The main objectives of establishing the center were to raise the quality and quantity of rattan products in Ghana for export, and to ensure the successful entry of Ghanaian rattan products into international/world markets. It was also intended to eliminate waste associated with hand/manual processing of
59 rattan to produce standard and ideal specifications for products. Essentially, the GEPC aimed principally to develop the export potential of rattan furniture.
The center is equipped with various electrically powered and specialized rattan and wood processing machines. Some local artisans and others interested in the rattan processing business were registered to undertake training at the center. However, technical and/or management constraints among others have grounded operations at the centre. A Ghanaian private rattan manufacturing company (AFWEL LTD) has entered into a lease agreement with the GEPC to run and manage the center. This is to enable the facilities at the center to be used for training local artisans in the use of machinery and to demonstrate modern or new methods of rattan production. The equipment could also be used to supply processed rattan materials to a large number of producers of rattan products and to offer apprenticeship and in-service training for improving production.
National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI)
The National Board for Small Scale Industries is a government institution established to generally oversee and assist in the development of small-scale industries in the country. It is an advisory center providing technical and managerial assistance to small-scale businesses. The centre could assist with the training of primary stakeholders in technology adopted from South East Asia. The centre could also assist in financial empowerment of rattan entrepreneurs through their Associations.
Other Institutions
Some institutions that could possibly assist in the development of the rattan industry but may not be involved with it currently include the Rural Enterprises Commission for the provision of finance and technical assistance and the Rural Banks. The Rural Banks are located in both urban and rural areas where they offer savings and loan services to the public. They have successfully provided small loans to small-scale entrepreneurs in most parts of the country.
Associations like the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Furniture and Wood Products Association of (FAWAG) and the National Association of Handicraft Exporters (NAHE, established to stimulate and sustain national interest in the appreciation of the handicraft in industry) could in one way or the other assist in enhancing or promoting the rattan industry.
Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) like Aid to Artisans, Ghana (ATAG), a local NGO established to create employment for local artisans and others such as AMEX International, Inc; a Washington D.C. based consulting from contracted by
60 the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to promote non-traditional exports in Ghana, could also help in the development of the rattan sector.
7.0. OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS IN THE RATTAN PCS AND IN THE WIDER CONTEXT
7.1 Opportunities in the rattan PCS and in the wider context
The rattan PCS in Ghana has been reviewed comprehensively and illustrated by Oteng-Amoako and Obiri-Darko 2000. In summary the rattan sector offers the following opportunities:
· Reasonably educated, enthusiastic and desirous primary stakeholders almost 80% of whom have at least 10 years of formal education.
· Primary stakeholders have reasonable knowledge on harvesting, processing, weaving and trading of rattan products.
· Adequate land is available for rattan cultivation.
· Existence of a national policy on rattan, although it may not seem friendly to the collectors.
· There is in existence a defunct inactive association with only few stakeholders as members.
· Existence of state institutions like Rural Banks, Ghana Export Promotion Council, National Board for Small Scale Industries, Private and Non- governmental Organisations which have the mandate to promote rural enterprises and non- traditional exports including rattan.
· There are local and international marketing outlets for raw rattan and rattan products.
· A democratic political structure with decisions flowing to and emanating from Unit Committees at the grass root level.
· A well-endowed forestry research institution with well-trained research scientists and a Forestry Service with qualified and dedicated civil servants.
61 7.2 Constraints in the Rattan PCS and in the wider context
Rattan collectors have to cope with serious constraints that hamper the development of an efficient and well-organised rattan collection. Firstly, the existing permit system administered by the Forestry Department is cumbersome and expensive for most collectors. It leads to evasion and
· Intensive manual harvesting resulting in accidents and depletion of rattan raw materials.
· Harassment of collectors by forestry officials for non-payment of royalties and permit fees.
· Expensive and cumbersome permit system for exploitation and conveyance of harvested rattans from forest reserves.
· High input cost and improper shelter for processors and traders.
· Inadequate knowledge of primary and secondary processing technology resulting in low quality of raw rattan and rattan products.
· Lack of standardisation and grading of raw rattan and rattan products for sale.
· Irregular demand and inadequate display centres for raw rattans and finished products.
· Lack of adequate capital to meet high cost of inputs resulting in low quality of finished products.
· Absence of formidable rattan association to promote the welfare of rattan primary stakeholders.
8.0 DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTIONS – THE WAY FORWARD
The study has identified a number of constraints that hamper the effective development of the rattan industry and for that matter, production to consumption system in Ghana. Therefore, some development interventions are urgently required to alleviate these constraints. These interventions should seek to sustainably enhance and manage the rattan growing stock, effectively process and utilize rattan stems, and profitably market quality rattans and rattan products in a competitive local and international market.
62 Five development interventions, highly ranked by the primary stakeholders which are urgently needed to improve the livelihood of rural collectors, processors, weavers and traders are identified as follows:
· Ensuring sustainable rattan resource base. · Efficient processing for quality finished rattan products. · Product promotion and improved marketing · Effective policy and legislation · Empowerment of primary stakeholders.
The activities needed and key players who will be involved to accomplish the recommended interventions are summarized below:
63 Intervention 1: Ensuring a sustainable rattan resource base
Activities: Organize primary stakeholders (of collectors, growers and processors) through workshops or other means in order to:
· Establish three community rattan nurseries in Gwirabanso (moist evergreen vegetation in the Western region), Enyiresi (moist deciduous in the Eastern region) and Nyinahin (moist semi- deciduous in the Ashanti region).
· Sustainably harvest and manage rattan stock in the wild
· Plant rattan seedlings in gaps in reserves under plantations or logged over forests through enrichment planting.
· Establish monoculture plantations of indigenous and exotic rattan species or in agroforestry with other trees and crops.
Key Players: District Assembly, village groups, Rattan collectors, Rattan growers Associations, Forestry Department, Forestry Research Institute as facilitator and non-governmental organizations
Intervention 2: Processing for Quality Raw Rattan and Rattan Products
Activities: Collectors and processors to be introduced to the following adaptable technology from South East Asia through workshops.
· Primary processing by ‘boiling’ raw rattan stems in diesel oil or other chemicals to enhance color and reduce moisture content of stem to prevent insect and fungi infestation;
· The use of efficient simple tools, processing equipment and techniques to enhance transformation of rattan stems into quality products.
· Establishment of rattan training centers and inclusion of rattan processing and weaving technology into the curricula of Junior Secondary Schools, vocational and trade institutions.
64 Key Players: Rattan collectors and weavers, non-government organizations such as Aid to Artisans of Ghana; National Board for Small Scale Industries, National Vocational Institutes, Ghana Export Promotion Council, Ghana Education Service, Furniture and wood Products Association of Ghana, National Association of Handicraft Exporters, Rural Banks, Rural Enterprise Commission Forestry Research Institute and Ghana Embassies in S. E. Asia Countries.
Intervention 3: Product Promotion and Improve Marketing
Activities: Establish more rattan product display centers in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and other rattan weaving centers by:
· Encouraging and giving incentives for primary stakeholders to advertise and exhibit their products in local and international fairs.
· Setting up marketing intelligence for producers to link directly with oversea exporters and consumers.
· Grading and standardizing the price of rattan raw material and finished products.
· Promoting bulk freight by road or sea to reduce selling price of local and export products.
· Assisting in packing of finished products for sale in local and international markets.
Key Players:All institutions, departments and agencies involve in promotion and marketing of non-traditional products including Ghana Export Promotion Council, National Association of Handicraft Exporters, Rural Banks, Rural Enterprise Commission, Ghana Trade Fare Company, National Board for Small Scale Industries.
Intervention 4: Effective Policy and Legislation
Activities: Organize primary stakeholders into powerful association to lobby rattan sector decision makers to review current policy and legislation
65 to allow for reduction of costs, bureaucracy and flexibility for issuing permit royalty and conveyance fees. They would also entice collectors to honour their tax obligations and stop illegal exhortation and harassment of collector.
Key Players:Parliamentary subcommittee on forestry, Ministry of Land and Forestry, Department of Forestry and National Board for Small Scale Industries.
Intervention 5: Empowerment of Primary Stakeholders.
Activities: Empower collectors, processors, weavers, and traders financially, socially, and politically by reorganizing them into Rattan Growers, Collectors, Processors, Weavers and Traders Association. The empowered rattan association will:
· seek loans and logistic support from Banking Institutions and non-governmental organizations.
· Lobby politicians and policy makers legislations and government policies on rattan sector
· Promote bulk haulage of rattans and rattan products to reduce cost of transportation.
· Promote sustainable harvesting, enrichment planting and establishment of plantation by members especially growers and collectors.
· Establish of at least three learning and display centers by the association in conjunction with secondary stakeholders and governmental institutions.
Key players:Non-governmental organizations, District assemblies, women groups, Trade Union Congress, Ministry of Education – Technical Division, National Vocational Centres A national forum on sustaining rattan as a cottage industry in Ghana is strongly and urgently advocated. All stakeholders including major key players should be invited to such a forum.
66 ANALYSIS OF CONSTRAINTS, CAUSES, OPPORTUNITIES AND INTERVENTIONS FOR THE RATTAN SECTOR IN GHANA
PCS Constraints Causes Data/findings/ Opportunities Interventions Output Indicators Collection No proper Lack of knowledge Low price of rattan Technical know-how Provision of grading Higher efficiency preservation or about chemicals due to poor quality of from FORIG and two rules from FORIG and higher price of grading of rattan rattan prone to fungal large rattan harvested rattan after harvesting and insect damage producers available offering income increase for collectors Depleting rattan Improper harvesting Increased transport Technical knowledge Sustainable Sustainable rattan resource costs from forestry harvesting resource base Poor management institutions Irregular supply Nursery Over exploitation Desire of collectors establishment Occasional shortage to cultivate and of stock manage Enrichment planting
Village unit Plantation committees and development NGOs Lack of an FD Illegal harvesting and Evasion and extortion More realistic policy A policy that focus policy for a inflexible permit and confiscation of working towards a on a sustainable sustainable system products win-win scenario for management of the rattan resource rattan resource base base Rudimentary Lack of suitable Accidents and injuries Availability of Improve harvesting Improved harvesting harvesting equipment and high wastage manpower/skills techniques and harvesting techniques and lack of expertise percentage equipment efficiency, Accidents and injuries minimized
67 Processing Poor processing Inadequate technical Low productivity Technical know-how Better processing Improved methods know-how and Accidents and from public and tools productivity and working capital injuries, private institutions quality of products poor quality and low Training/technology Lack of suitable quantity of raw Availability of transfer equipment material manpower/skills
Ineffective rattan Poor organization and Few members, Existing association Empowerment to Active and effective Association mobilization Inaction of executive mobilise active association formed members association
No investment Inadequate business Problems with Existing associations Establishment of an Loans for the capital available capital processing, storage, investment sector for purchase of quality Rural banks small rattan equipment and for Resulting in fungal manufacturers construction of attacks Selected NGOs processing and Lack of machines and storage facilities equipment National Board for Small Scale Industries
Ghana Export Promotion Council
68 Low quality of No standards for No standard products Existence of Official standards and Higher selling price processed which rattan to use Defects in the standards used by body that certificates benefit products Poor finishing products the leading business manufacturers methods companies Higher quality benefit client
Inputs represent Shortage of liquid Not enough use of Linking consumers’ Enough working a high costs for assets chemicals, bad quality demand with capital available to manufacturers of other inputs processing capacity manufacture high- to shorten storage quality products No money to pay extra workers when Higher selling prices needed, no Acquisition and usage of common facilities
Inadequate Lack of proper Poor quality raw Proper preservation Technology transfer Improved technical technical know- preservation and material, i.e. insect methods available at to Improve know-how how finishing methods and and fungi attack FORIG preservation and use of modern infestation and finishing methods for Improved quality of machinery finished products Use of modern better quality products machinery from two Machines not used in large scale processing processors
Existing educational level of the craftsmen
69 Marketing Irregular demand Lack of marketing Too long storage of Existing marketing Improve marketing Constant demand and low selling strategy - product finished products outlets strategy enabling price quality, price, place investments and and promotion Export Promotion business strategies Council Improper shelter Inadequate working Deterioration of products Some form of Establishment of Shelter for display for marketing capital being sold association for display or marketing and sale of products products primary stakeholders centres Primary Selling along the road exist No ‘market place’ stakeholders not where craftsmen well organized Rural banks and buyers can meet Ghana Export Promotion Council
Low appreciation Consumers’ Rattan mainly for Advertising and Development of a of rattan furniture preference for wood basketry promotion of rattan rattan furniture and plastic items products industry with major spin-offs for other rattan products
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72 APPENDICES
Appendix 1 FORESTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF GHANA SOCIO-ECONOMIC SURVEY OF THE RATTAN SECTOR IN GHANA Questionnaire for Rattan Collectors (Urban & Rural)
Questionnaire No.: C………… Interviewed by………………………………………….
Region……………………..District………………..Village/town……………..………...
Name of Respondent……………………………………Date of Interview………………
Socio-demographic Information
1. Age of respondent…………………Gender……………….M/F
2. Educational status: Nil ( ) Primary ( ) Middle/JSS ( ) Secondary/SSS ( ) Polytechnic/Training college ( ) University ( ) Others…………….
4. Origin: Native ( ) Migrant ( ) Settler ( )
5. Major occupation………………………………Gross income………………………
6. Minor occupation……………………..………..Gross income………………………
7. Marital status: Single ( ) Married ( ) No. of spouses………………….
8. Household size……………..:Men…………Ages:………………………………... Women…..……Ages:……………………………… Children: boys……….. Ages:…………………….; girls………Ages:………………
9. Number & gender of other household members involved in rattan collection:……… Men…………Women…………Children: boys…………girls………………..
10. Type of rattan collection activities household members engage in: Men Women Children
11. Gross income from rattan collection (per trip/week/month/annum)…………………..
12. Other sources of income (Please state)………………………………………………… Specify amount(s)…………………………………………………………………
13. What is the approximate area or size of your community land you collect rattan from?…………………………………………………………………………..
14. What proportion of the community land is covered by rattan? 100% ( ) >50% ( ) 33% ( ) <33% ( )…Others …….……………………… 15. What proportion of the community land covered by rattan is harvested every year?….
16. Who controls or owns the rattan land you exploit or work on? Chief ( ) Community ( ) Family ( ) Landowner ( ) Government ( ) No one ( )
73 17. Who has the right to harvest rattan? Natives only ( ) Any one at all( )
18. How do you obtain the right or access to harvest the rattan?………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………..
19. Do you own any rattan area? Yes ( ) No ( ) I. If yes, state the size of area owned……………………….
II. If no, how do you pay for the area harvested? Royalty ( ) Commission ( ) Tax ( ) Rent (….) Cane produce ( ) Nothing ( )
III. How much do you pay per year?……………………………….
IV. Whom do you make the payment to?…………………………………
V. What is your opinion of the level of payment?…………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………
VI. If nothing is paid give reasons………………………………………………... ………………………………………………………………………………………
20. How is the rattan stock locally regenerated ?…………………………….…………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………….
21. What local regulations and practices are there for managing the available rattan stock?……………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
22. Do you belong to any rattan association? Yes ( ) No ( ) I. If yes, what type of rattan association? Collectors ( ) Processors ( ) Manufacturers ( ) Others……….……………………………………………. II. What is the main objective of this association?……………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………… III. Number of people belonging to the association?………………………………. IV. Since when established?……………………………………………………… V. How long have you been a member?………………………………………… VI. Benefits gained or expected from the association?…………………… …………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………. Rattan Collection
23. Where do you or other members of the community normally collect rattan from? Forest reserve( ) fallow farm land ( ) Community land ( ) Others ………………
24. What time of the year do you normally collect rattan? Dry season ( ) Rainy season ( ) All year round ( ) Please specify the months…………………………………
25. How many months do you harvest rattan during the collection season?………………
26. Please state: (i) Number of trips in a month………………(ii)Duration of a trip…….
27. How many bundles of rattan do you collect per trip/week/month?…………………….
28. What are the most common rattan species collected?..Eyie ( ) Mfia ( ) Demre ( ) others………………………………………………………………………………
74 29. Which do you prefer within species? Sticks with shorter nodes( ) Sticks with longer nodes ( ) Why……………………………………………………………………. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………..…… 30. Which do you prefer within species? Sticks with smaller diameter( ) Sticks with bigger diameter( ) Why…………………………………………….………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
31. What factors determine good quality rattan species ?…………………………………. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………
32. What factors determine good quality rattan within a species?……………………...… ………………………………………………………………………………….…………. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………
33. How are you able to differentiate between species?…………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………..
34. What is the average length of rattan collected?……………………………...
35. List tools and other inputs required for rattan harvesting……………………………... ……………………………………………………………………………………………..... ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 36. Please describe the rattan harvesting process………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….
37. How do you transport the harvested rattan? Vehicle( ) Tractor ( ) Head ( ) Others ………………………………….…………………………………………. 38. How from your village is the rattan found?…………………………………………….
39. Where do you normally assemble the harvested rattan?……………………………….
40. How far from the point of assembly is the rattan found……………………………….
41. How much do you spend per person in collecting rattan per trip?……………………
42. What is the average number of people in a collection team?…………………………..
43. Where do you obtain finance for rattan collection?……………………………………
44. Do you sometimes reject rattan collected? Yes ( ) No ( ) · If yes, how much is rejected per trip?………………………………………… · Give reasons for the rejection…………………………………………………. 45. Do you sometimes use some of the rattan collected for household purposes? Yes ( ) No ( ) If yes, how much is used…………… …….Please state purpose(s)………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………….
46. What factors affect the volume of rattan harvested? Availability ( ) Harvesting technique ( ) Accessibility ( ) Season/time of year ( ) Level of disease infestation (
75 ) Labour availability ( ) Others…………………………………... …………………………………Why?………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………..
47. What kind of infestation do you normally see? Stain( ) Insects ( ) Decay ( ) Others………………………………………………………………………….…..
48. How do you treat the infestation?…………………………………………………….
49. What chemical(s) do you use for the treatment?…………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 50. What problems do you face with rattan collection & How do you solve or think these problems can be solved?
Problem Solution
51. List or state regulations or controls on rattan collection by government dept. or association, etc…………………………………………………………………………. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………
Costs & Revenues
52. Costs in rattan collection (per trip)
Activity/Item Amount (cedis) Labour No. / Rate
No. of people per trip No. of days per trip/trips per day Rate per day (food & transport) Rent/Fee/Royalty/Commission/Access tax Transportation (assembling point to market) Food ,, Tools Marketing (expenses incurred in selling) Other inputs Other expenses
53. Household Expenses (per month / year)
Item Amount (cedis) Food Clothing Rent School fees
76 Medical fee Funerals Entertainment Other social expenses
54. Revenue from rattan collection (per trip)
Average bundles of rattan Av. No. of trips per Selling price per bundle collected per trip day/week/month/year
55. Other Household Incomes (per month/year)
Item Amount (cedis) Farm production Trading Government work Labourer Remittances
Marketing of raw rattan
56. Where do you sell the rattan harvested? *Please name town/village………………….. Home ( ) Local market ( ) Collection point ( ) Urban market ( ) Others………………………………………………..
57. Who buys the rattan harvested? Processor ( ) Middle man ( ) Others………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………
58. What is the purchasing arrangement?………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
59. Are you satisfied with the income you earn from rattan collection? Yes ( ) No ( ) Give reasons………………………………………………………………………. ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 60. Do you grade the raw rattan before sale? Yes ( ) No ( ) Why?…………………. ……………………………………………………………………………………………. ……………………………………………………………………………………………
61. If yes, how is the grading done?……………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………..
Processing 62. Do you carry out any processing activities on the raw rattan? Yes ( ) No ( ) If yes, (i) specify type of activities…………………………..………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………….
77 (ii) Describe the process……………………………………………………………. ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… (iii) List tools and other inputs required for processing and their uses Tools / Inputs Use
63. Type of processing activities household members engage in:
Men Women Children
64. Please state quantity of rattan processed (per trip/day/week)………………………..…
65. What product(s) do you produce?……………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………..
66. Please list costs incurred in rattan processing
Item Cost/amount (cedis)
67. How much do you earn from the processed rattan?
Product Quantity sold per Price/Amount (cedis) trip/day/week/month
68. Who buys the processed rattan? Middleman( ) Wholesaler ( ) Retailer ( ) Processor ( ) End user ( ) Others………………………………………….Where do they come from?……………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………
69. Where do you sell the processed rattan? *Please name particular place and name of town/village…………………………………………………………………..
70. What should be done to enhance the rattan industry in the country?
78 Appendix 2 FORESTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF GHANA SOCIO-ECONOMIC SURVEY OF THE RATTAN SECTOR IN GHANA Questionnaire for Processors
Questionnaire No.: P………… Interviewed by……………………………………………………
Region……………………..District………………..Village/town……………..……………..…...
Name of Respondent……………………………………Date of Interview…………..……………
A. PROPRIETOR Socio-demographic Information
1. Age of respondent…………………Gender……………….M/F
2. Educational status: Nil ( ) Primary ( ) Middle/JSS ( ) Secondary/SSS ( ) Polytechnic/Training college ( ) University ( ) Others………………..……………
3. Origin: Native ( ) Migrant ( ) Settler ( )
4. Major occupation………………………….Gross income……………………….……………
5. Minor occupation…………………………..Gross income……………………………………
6. Marital status: Single ( ) Married ( ) No. of spouses…………………….……
7. Household size……………:.Men……….Ages:………………………………………..…….. Women…………………..Ages……………………………………….. Children: Boys……..Ages……………………….; Girls……….Ages……………………….……
8. How did you enter the rattan processing business?…………………………………….……….
9. How long have you been in the enterprise?…………………………………..……………..…
10. Position in the enterprise: Owner ( ) Manager ( ) Chief apprentice ( ) Overseer/supervisor ( ) Others………………………………………………………………..
11. Is the enterprise registered?…………With which organisation?…………………….…..……
12. Number & gender of other household members involved in the enterprise:……………….….. Men…………Women…………Children: male………….female……………………..……..
13. Type of activities engaged in by household members Men Women Children
14. How did they learn the trade?………………………………………………..…………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
15. Are you a member of any rattan association? Yes ( ) No ( )
16. If yes, which type? Collectors ( ) Processors ( ) Traders ( ) Others………...………….
17. What is the objective of this association?………………………………………………………. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
79 19. How many people belong to the association?…………………………………………………..
20. When was it established?…………………………………………...…………………………...
21. How long have you been a member?……………………….…………………………………..
22. What benefits have you derived or are you expecting from the association?………………… …………………………………………………………………….……………………………… ……………………………………………………………..………………………………………
Rattan Processing 23. Which of the following types/stages of rattan processing do you do? i. Primary processing: Cleaning( ) Curing ( ) Fumigation ( ) ii. Secondary processing: Scrapping ( ) Peeling ( ) Splitting ( ) Weaving/manufacture ( ) iii. All of the above ( )
24. What rattan species do you process most? Ehie ( ) Mfia ( ) Demere ( ) Others……………………………………………………………………..
25. Where do you get them from?………………………………………………………………….
26. Which do you prefer within species? Sticks with shorter nodes( ) Sticks with longer nodes( ) Why…………………………………………………………………………...…. ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………..………..
27. Which do you prefer within species? Sticks with smaller diameter( ) Sticks with bigger diameter( ) Why………………...…………………………………………….………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
28. What factors determine good quality rattan species ?………………..………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
29. What factors determine good quality rattan within a species?……………..………….….……. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 30. What rattan products do you produce, species used and respective volume of production
Type of product Rattan species used Source of rattan species Quantity produced per used day/week/month
31. What problems do you encounter in the procurement of raw rattan for your business & How do you solve these problems? Problem Solution
80 32. List tools used in processing and uses
Tool Uses
33. Describe how you process the rattan………………………………………...…………………. …………………………………………………………………..………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………..……………………………… ………………………………………………………………………..………………………… … ………………………………………………………………………..………………………… …
34. Name common chemicals used in processing and for what purpose Chemical Use/purpose Glue Petrol Lacquer Vanish Thinner
35. What kind of waste is generated from processing?…………………...………..……………….
36. What do you do with the waste generated ……………….……………………………….…….
37. Has the enterprise had any pressing need for technical assistance? Yes ( ) No ( )
38. If yes, what type of technical assistance?……………………………………………………….
39. Where do you get it from?……………………………How much do you pay?……..………....
40. What problems have you encountered in rattan processing & How do you solve or think these problems could be solved?
81 Problem Solution
Marketing of processed rattan 41. Do you grade processed rattan before sale? Yes ( ) No ( )
42. If yes what prices are paid for the various grades? Grade Price
43. How is the grading done?…… ………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………..… ………………. 44. Where do you sell your products? Local market( ) Road side ( ) Urban market ( ) Workshop ( ) Foreign/export market ( ) Others……………………………………………..
45. Who buys your products? Middlemen ( ) Wholesalers ( ) Retailers ( ) Local end users ( ) Tourists ( ) Others……………………….…………………………
46. Where do your clients come from and what quantity of products do they purchase? (tick as appropriate)
Client Resident status Type of product Quantity Destination purchased purchased per day/wk/mth Middleman Rural dweller
Urban dweller
Foreigner
82 Wholesaler Rural dweller
Urban dweller
Foreigner
Retailers Rural dweller
Urban dweller
Foreigner
End users Rural dweller
Urban dweller
Foreigner/Tourist
47. Who sets the price for your products? Self ( ) Union/association ( ) Others ……………. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….
48. What is considered in price setting? Quantity of material used( ) Quality of material ( ) Size ( ) Beauty ( ) Type of product ( ) Market demand ( ) Cost of raw materials ( ) Others………………………………………………………………………..…………………
49. What problems do you encounter in marketing rattan products & How do you solve or think these problems could be solved? Problem Solution
Employment
50. Employment status (Please specify below)
83 Status Weeks available/month Months available Wage paid Full-time Part-time Sub-contract Piece-wise
51. Other fringe benefits (specify below)
Status Leave credits Productivityb Insurance Health care Other onus Full-time Part-time Sub-contract Piece-wise
Inputs 52. Material inputs
Input Source Quantity used Unit price Method of payment per wk/mth Rattan Chemicals ¨ Glue ¨ Petrol ¨ Lacquer ¨ Vanish ¨ Thinner ¨ Others
Plywood Gas Nails Others
53. Investment capital Amount of capital Name of source Interest rate Repayment period
Costs & Revenues 54. Costs a. Costs in rattan processing i) Raw materials Item Quantity purchased per Unit price Amount week/month Rattan Chemicals ¨ Glue ¨ Petrol
84 ¨ Lacquer ¨ Vanish ¨ Thinner Others Plywood Gas Nails Others ii) Labour Labour category Number Wage rate / allowance (day/week/month) Apprentice
Contract (daily/wkly/mthly/seasonal
Overseer/supervisor
Manager
Others
iii) Equipment Equipment Use(s) Quantity Unit price Amount Knives
Brushes
Benches/tables
Gas cylinder Gas blower Sprayer Others
iv) Miscellaneous Item Amount (cedis) Land/workshop rent Transportation cost Interest on loans Overheads (maintenance, etc) Taxes Other fees/levies paid
Ticket Association dues Susu Equipment rentals Others
85 b. Household expenses (per month/year)
Item Amount (cedis) Food Clothing Rent School fees Medicals Funerals Entertainment Other social expenses
55. Revenues a.) Revenue from rattan processing
Product Amount earned (per day/week/month)
b) Other incomes
Source Amount (cedis) Farm produce Other trades/petty trading Government work Labourer Remittances Others
56. Apart from women from your household, do you involve other women in the enterprise?………………………………………….In what capacity?………………….……
57. How do women generally perform compared to their male counterparts?…………….………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
58. Do you involve other children?…………….In what capacity?………………………………. 59. State/list regulations and controls by government dept., association, etc on (i) Acquisition of raw materials………………………………………………………………... ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
(ii) Processing……………………………………………………………..…………….……… ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
(iii) Marketing of rattan products ………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
86 60. What should be done to enhance the rattan industry in the country?
B. LABOUR FORCE
Socio-demographic information 1. Age of respondent…………………Gender…M/F
2. Educational status: Nil ( ) Primary ( ) Middle/JSS ( ) Secondary/SSS ( ) Training college ( ) University ( ) Others……………………….
Origin: Native ( ) Migrant ( ) Settler ( )
3. Major occupation………………………….Gross income…………………………………..
4. Minor occupation………………………..Gross income……………………………….………
5. Marital status: Single ( ) Married ( ) No. of spouses………….…………..
6. Household size………Men………….Women…..……Children: boys……girls………..…...
7. How did you enter rattan processing?…………………………………..…………………….
8. How long have you been in the trade?…………………………………………………………
9. Number & gender of other household members involved in rattan processing:……………….. Men…………Women…………Children……………………………….
10. Type of rattan processing activities engaged in by household members
Men Women Children
11. How did they learn the trade?………………………………………………………….
12. How are you remunerated or paid? Daily ( ) Weekly ( ) Monthly ( ) Others……
13. What is your primary source of income?……………………………………………….
14. How much do you earn from this source?/day…………week………month ……..year
Labour input
11. Hours worked per day……….No. of days per week processing takes place……………….
12. When is processing at its (i) Peak………………(ii) Low point……………………………..
13. Where did you train in the processing techniques?………………………………….…………
87 14. What type of processing technique(s) did you learn?…………………..………………………
15. For how many years did you train?…………………………………………..………………..
16. Were you an apprentice? Yes ( ) No ( ) Others please specify……………………………
17. Did you become contractually employed by your master afterwards?……………………..…
18. How long did it take you to become independently established?…………………….……….
Employment
19. Nature of employment: Apprentice ( ) Contractual ( )Others…………………………..…
20. When were you employed?………………………………………………………….………..
21. What is the employment terms (Please specify below)
Status Weeks/month No. months Wage/month Other income Full-time Part-time Sub-contract Piece-wise
22. Other fringe benefits (specify below) Status Leave credits Productivitybo Insurance Health care Other nus Full-time Part-time Sub-contract Piece-wise
88 Appendix 3
FORESTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF GHANA SOCIO-ECONOMIC SURVEY OF THE RATTAN SECTOR IN GHANA Questionnaire for Traders
Questionnaire No.: T…………….. Interviewed by………………………………….……...
Region……………District………………..Village/town/location…………………….………
Name of Respondent……………………………….Date of Interview….…………………….
Socio-demographic Information 1. Age of Respondent………………………………Gender…………………..M/F
2. Educational status: Nil ( ) Primary ( ) Middle/JSS ( ) Secondary/SSS ( ) Polytechnic/Training college( ) University ( ) Others……………………..……….
3. Origin: Native ( ) Migrant ( ) Settler ( )
4. Major occupation…………………………..Gross income…………………….…..……..
5. Minor occupation…………………………………Gross income………………..……....
6. Marital status: Single ( ) Married ( ) No. of spouses…………………
7. Household size………..: Men………….Ages……………………..………………... Women……………Ages……………………………………………………………….…. Children: Boys………….Ages……………….; Girls……….Ages…………….………….
8. How long have you been in the trade?………………………………………………………
9. Number & gender of other household members involved in rattan trade………………… Men …………Women………….Children: Boys…………Girls…………………….
11. Type of trading activities engaged in by each household member
Men Women Children
12. Are you a member of any rattan association? Yes ( ) No ( )
13. If yes, name the association …………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….
14. What is the objective of this association?……………….……………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………..…..……..…… 15. How many people belong to the association?…….…………………………..……………
16. When was it established?……………………………………………………….………….
89 17. How long have you been a member?………………………………………………………..
18. What benefits have you derived or are you expecting from the association?…………….… ……………………………………………………………………………………...…………… ……………………………………………………………………………………..…………… ………………………………………………………………………………...…………………
Rattan Trading 19. What category of rattan traders do you belong? a) Unprocessed/Raw rattan : Middleman ( ) Wholesaler ( ) Retailer ( ) Others………..… b) Processed rattan: Middleman ( ) Wholesaler ( ) Retailer ( ) Others………………..… c) Finished rattan products: Middleman ( ) Wholesaler ( ) Retailer ( ) Others……………
20. What rattan products do you trade in? ………………………………………...…………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………..
21. Which do you prefer within species? Sticks with shorter nodes( ) Sticks with longer nodes ( ) Why………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………..…………
22. Which do you prefer within species? Sticks with smaller diameter( ) Sticks with bigger diameter( ) Why……………………………………………………….………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………...
23. What factors determine good quality rattan species ?………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………….
24. What factors determine good quality rattan within a species?………………………...……. ………………………………………………………………………………….………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………...
25. Which market(s) do you collect or produce for? Rural ( ). Urban ( ) Foreign( ) Others……………Please name / location of market(s)………………….…………………
26. Where do you sell your goods? Roadside ( ) Market ( ) Home ( ) Store ( ) Others…………………………………………………….………………………………….
27. Who buy(s) your goods?…………………………………………...……………………….. ……………………………………………………………………………………..……..……
28. How is the price fixed?…………………………………………………………..…..…….. ………………………………………………………………………………………..……..….
29. What factors control prices of your goods ?……………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………………….…………… ………………………………………………………………………………………….…
30. Please specify quantities traded on local and export markets
90 Product Local Market Foreign/Export Market Quantity traded per Price per unit Quantity traded per Price per unit day/week/month day week/month
31. Clients & Average quantities of goods purchased?
Client Goods Location/ Quantity Unit price Marketing Marketing traded destination purchased costs Arrangements per day/ wk/mth Processor/ manufacturer
Wholesaler
Retailer
End-user
**Client = the person who purchases the raw rattan or processed rattan or finished product from the trader
**Market arrangement = whether goods (i) Supplied on contract (ii) Anytime available (iii) Transported to client (iv) Client purchases at source or market (v) Payment made in advance (vi) Payment made at time of purchase (vii) Payment made later Others…………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 32. What problems do you encounter in rattan trading and how do you solve or think these problems could be solved?
Problem Solution
91 33. How do you see the market in the future? (please explain) ……………………...……….. ………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………….
34. What rules and regulations affect the trade? a) Government (e g. Forestry Dept, Metropolitan assembly, Export Promotion council etc)……………………………………………………………………….……………………… ……………………………………………………………..…………………..……………… ……………………………………………………..………………..……………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………. b) Non-governmental (e.g. Association, clubs, etc)…………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………...…… ………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Costs & Revenues
35. Rattan trading costs
Item Amount Goods purchased (per day/week/month) Transportation of goods Government taxes/levies/market tolls Store/stall rent Association dues Susu (daily/weekly/monthly savings) Others
36. Household Expenses (per month / year)
Item Amount (cedis) Food Clothing House rent School fees Medical fee Funerals Entertainment Other social expenses
37. Revenue from rattan trading
Goods/products Amount earned per day/wk/mnth
38. Other Incomes (per month/year)
Item Amount (cedis) Farm production
92 Trade in other goods** Government work Labourer Remittances Others
**State other goods traded………………………………………………………………..
39. What should be done to enhance the rattan industry in the country?
93