Forest Products, Livelihoods and Conservation

196 Trading forest products in South-Eastern Zimbabwe

Net returns to labor from carving

Within the context of investigating fiscal instruments for promoting

sustainability in the woodcarving sector the net margins to labor were

calculated. A simple model that calculates the net return per unit hour of

carver’s time was developed for hippopotamuses carved from A. quanzensis

(n = 55). Using the expected prices given by the carvers, the model shows that

the net return to labour (including rough carving, carving, sanding, and polishing

but excluding the cost of sales) was Z$10.37 per hour (Table 4). Significantly,

the net return per unit hour was two and one half times the Government

Gazetted minimum agricultural wage for unskilled workers, which is Z$4.04

per hour (Agricultural Labor Bureau personal communication).

Carvers prefer to purchase their raw material because the time required

to identify, cut and transport a log to market (where most of the carving takes

place) takes too much time. Respondents answered that they purchased 87%

of their logs. Though purchasing of logs reduces carvers’ perceived returns,

the time saved is more valuable. There is widespread harvesting of timber

from adjacent commercial farms. Although this practice is illegal it contributes

about 13% of traded products. It is likely that carvers value their time at a much

Figure 4. Dominant market channel used by woodcarvers

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