Forest Products, Livelihoods and Conservation

260 Palm utilisation for basketry in Xini Ward, Sengwe communal areas, Zimbabwe

Palm utilisation regimes in Xini have shown that it is not so much resource

ownership that is crucial for community-based industries to succeed but

issues of access. In this community there were no indications of resource

exploitation by non-owners. Population growth remains a key factor that

influences the amount of palm resources available as it contributes directly

to the rate of land use conversion to settlement and crop production.

CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT: LESSONS FROM THE CASE

Resource base

Generally H. petersiana palms occur in large clusters scattered within the

woodland. In terms of habitat disruption the harvesting process has caused

very little change to the vegetation but impacts on the animal species should

be evaluated. The area used to have more palm veld but because of land use

conversion to crop fields most of it has been lost. As such the production-to-

consumption system has not changed the palm resource status.

The people of Sengwe have always harvested young leaves for basket making

and this has had no visible impact on the resource base. To date, both harvesting

techniques and harvesting levels have resulted in no apparent impacts on

palm leaf productivity. Because of this lack of visible impacts the people of

Xini—and indeed Sengwe as a whole—have not embarked on any palm

domestication strategies.

Craft processing

Before the advent of craft commercialisation people of Sengwe made big utility

artifacts. The quality of products was poor and their range small. Production

levels were also limited. Basketry was carried out as an off–agricultural season

activity. Most of the products were piled up in houses in case buyers passed

by. As such, selling was by chance. The advent of the basketry industry and

improved market accessibility have resulted in increased craft production.

Market and trade

The formation of the marketing organisation SEVACA was undertaken to increase

the processors’ bargaining power. Before its formation individual basket

producers negotiated their own prices, which led to exploitation even with

the limited chance sale. SEVACA has facilitated penetration into distant markets

where baskets are fetching relatively higher sales prices. Another apparent

impact from the organisational structure of the processors was the increase in

skills levels due to a number of training sessions offered for the production of

specific and new types of baskets.

Sociocultural aspects

New social groups were forming across ethnic groupings and the impact of

this is not known. However, it is envisaged that it would lead to social

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