Forest Products, Livelihoods and Conservation

310 Rattan exploitation in the Yaoundé Region of Cameroon

of work of some structures^7 , the diversification of the types and models of

objects manufactured^8 , attempts by some craftsmen at regrouping and

especially the increase^9 in the selling price of almost all the finished products.

This increase can be explained largely by the price increases for inputs from

gas to gum and plywood, which have become all-too-frequent since the

devaluation of the local currency.

In the area of outside interventions

Initiatives have been taken in the study area as well as in the whole humid

forest zone of Cameroon. This recent support was especially of a financial,

technical and organisational nature. The outside assistance, exclusively

directed towards processing, was provided essentially by national or

international non-governmental organisations such as Prolabore, which has

trained some artisans, and foreign governments such as Germany’s Deutscher

Entwicklungsdienst, which helps some craftsmen by way of counselling.

Unfortunately, these interventions are not of a big scale and thus have limited

impact. Besides, they are not only concerned with the rattan sector, but equally

with craftsmanship or small trades as a whole.

Some important points and problems

At the level of resource extraction

At the level of resource extraction it is worth noting that the totality of rattan

used in the Yaoundé area is harvested in a rudimentary way from natural

stands, without any consideration for or efforts at implementation of rational

management. In many forest stands the tendency is that of a free access

system within a common exploitation context. The methods, techniques and

rhythm of harvesting are far from rational and sustainable (destruction of

immature stems in the course of cutting the ripe rattan from the clones, the

abandonment of a considerable portion of product in the forest etc.). Coupled

with high demand and the agricultural clearing taking place, these practices

exert enormous pressure on the rattan and considerably diminish its biomass.

In the villages concerned, rattan exploitation is carried out by relatively

young men whose main activity is agriculture, although it is true that rattan

has an undisputable economic and social importance to them. These rural

harvesters are faced, among other things, with the poor quality of

communication channels and ‘harassment’ from public sector employees who

practice ‘extortions’ which are favoured by the legislative and regulatory

framework. This framework (or what it is that plays that role) is limited, not

well known and poorly interpreted, indeed almost inapplicable for it is

inadequately adapted. There exists no true policy promoting the sustainable

development of the sector. The regulations of this sector are ineffective.

17Rattan.P65 310 22/12/2004, 11:05