Simon Kosgei Choge 151STUDY AREA
The case study area is the region between Kilifi and Malindi districts, around
Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve, which remains the main source area of
Brachylaena huillensis and Azadirachta indica, currently the two most
extensively utilised^4 species in the Kenyan woodcarving industry (Figure 1).
Kilifi and Malindi districts cover an area of 12,483 km^2 (1,248,300 ha), out of
which the study area covers about 92,000 ha (Arabuko Sokoke alone occupies
some 41,000 ha), with a population of 312,000 (Mogaka 1991; GOK 2000).
The region has a monsoon type of climate. It is hot and dry in December
to May, while the coolest months are June to August. The mean minimum
temperature rarely falls below 25ºC. Rainfall, ranging from 900 mm to 1200
mm annually, is characterised by a bimodal pattern with long rains during
March to June and short rains in November and December (GOK and UNICEF
1990). The area lies within a major cropping zone with fertile soils. The
major crops cultivated are maize, coconut, cashew nut, mango, sorghum,
cowpea, sweet potato and vegetables. Livestock production is also common.
The area is inhabited by the Mijikenda linguistic group but has been able
to accommodate the immigrant Wakamba within their traditional lands and
nearby urban areas. Although they are not woodcarvers, the Mijikenda act
as raw material producers and facilitators, and hence their contribution to
the woodcarving industry, directly or indirectly, is significant.METHODS
The findings of this chapter are based on detailed studies of the woodcarving
industry in Kenya (Obunga unpublished; Choge 2002) conducted under the
People and Plants Initiative jointly funded by World Wide Fund for Nature,
UK; the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation;
and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The study entailed determination of
prices of raw materials along the marketing chain (from source to final user),
determination of wood volumes by tree species entering the carving market
and the products’ respective sizes. In addition, the study also documented
the competing uses of carving wood where unit prices of each use were
determined for uses such as firewood, charcoal production, poles and sawn
timber. This was undertaken to guide policy formulation towards more
economical utilisation of scarce wood resources in Kenya. Woodcarving returns
per unit, labour and profit margins were also determined aimed at identifying
the critical stages in the carving process, which require some form of training
or other necessary intervention measures towards optimisation of resources
and profit maximisation in the light of wood scarcity. Policy reforms covering
all these areas were advanced, including the overall structural setup and
co-ordination of the industry for a more enabling environment and holistic
approach towards the development of a sustainable woodcarving industry in
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