Simon Kosgei Choge 155The initial popularity of Azadirachta indica in Kenya was largely due to its
curative attributes, hence the common Kiswahili name by which the tree is
known, mwarubaini, which means ‘reliever of 40 disorders’. Other than in the
carving industry, the wood is used for house construction, in the furniture and
soap making industries and as cooking energy. In 1998 to 2002 an estimated
200 m^3 of Azadirachta indica wood for carving was traded per year within the
study area, but the volume has since increased (Choge 2002).RAW MATERIAL PRODUCERS
As traditional inhabitants of the study area, the Mijikenda are the main
producers and suppliers of carving raw materials traded to the Wakamba
carvers, who mostly reside in Malindi town. Although trading in woodcarving
raw materials is common, the Mijikenda mainly depend on crop production to
meet economic and social obligations (Mogaka 1991; Maundu et al.
unpublished). Coconut-based products such as coconut oil, juice, brew,
thatching material, baskets, mats, house sweeping brushes and building poles
are probably the most popular locally traded products and remain the leading
source of income for most households within the study area. The income from
traded products, including carving wood, is generally low, ranging from US$4
to US$40 (mean of US$18.5) per capita with a wide disparity in amounts of
income per households despite the similarity of sources (Mogaka 1991). Generally,
trading in carving wood is not a hugely profitable undertaking to producers
because of exploitation by agents and availability of cheap wood mostly stolen
from the nearby state forest and communal woodlands. In addition, waste
Azadirachta indica wood at construction sites in urban areas is common,
harvesters obtaining the wood for free if they clear an area of trees.
The annual volume of carving wood from the study area is estimated at
807.5 m^3 worth US$10,093.75 (based on producer prices), about 331.1 m^3 of
which is used within Malindi and 476.4 m^3 is taken to carvers outside the study
area, mainly to Mombasa (Choge 2002). Benefits from these sales are therefore
thinly distributed among the many producers.THE PROCESSING INDUSTRY
Woodcarving is an extremely labour intensive activity. A recent study (Choge
2002) shows that although the woodcarving industry in Kenya consumes over
15,000 m^3 annually, representing 0.7% of the total round wood market share in
Kenya, the revenue that accrues from the woodcarving industry represents
about 25% of the total revenue from the commercial timber industry whereas
the woodcarving labour accounts for more than 40% of the formal timber
industry labour in the country.
Within the study area and elsewhere in Kenya woodcarvers usually work
together in large groups or co-operatives to share tools and experiences and
profit from the convenience of receiving bulk raw material supplies and
marketing of the products. Carvers are experienced in carving only certain
products. For example, those experienced in carving animal shapes such as
lion, rhino and buffalo do not carve those of giraffes, masks, bowls and spoons.09woodcarving.p65 155 22/12/2004, 11:05