1. 23rd World IUFRO Congress, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Regulatory policies and development of non-wood forest product enterprises in Central Africa
Ousseynou Ndoye (FAO-NWFP, Yaounde, Cameroon,
Julius Chupezi Tieguhong (FAO-NWFP, Yaounde, Cameroon,
Armand Asseng Ze (FAO-NWFP, Yaounde, Cameroon, Sophie Grouwels (FAO-Small Enterprises Development, Rome, Italy,
Juliane Masuch (FAO-NWFP, Yaounde, Cameroon, & Ignace Fokou Sakam (FAO-NWFP, Yaounde, Cameroon,
23rd World IUFRO Congress, Seoul, Republic of Korea
(23-28 August 2010)

2. Outline Introduction Legal Issues governing NWFP sector Ways forward
Conclusion

3. Introduction
The Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC) recognises role of NWFP: alleviating poverty, realising economic development & conserving biodiversity
Foundation for presentation: EU funded project under the auspices of COMIFAC
Consortium of 04 international partners (FAO, CIFOR, ICRAF & SNV)
FAO as overall coordinator
Primary beneficiaries: Cameroun & DRC
Other beneficiaries: Gabon, Eq. Guinea, CAR, Rep. Congo etc..

4. Goal and objectives of project
Goal: To significantly contribute to poverty reduction in rural areas by increasing revenues while ensuring the sustainable management of the resource base
Specific objectives:
Capacity building of SMFEs in seven sites (four in Cameroon and three in DRC);
Develop the value chains of priority NWFP to increase the profits of actors;
Improve the sustainable management of the products through the promotion of better harvesting techniques & domestication;
Improve the legal & institutional frameworks governing the NWFP sector in Central Africa.

5. Legal Issues governing NWFP sector
Concepts: empowerment, equitability, access and user rights, governance, corruption, illegality & transparency
At the world Forestry Congress in 2003 and 2009, good governance was reiterated as a yardstick to SFM
Good governance is a product of good laws & transparency in their implementation
Absence reflects stagnation in the NWFP devt process
Weaknesses in national forestry laws calls for revision as already initiated by MINFOF and its partners

6. Legal Issues governing NWFP sector
FAO sub-regional guidelines on sustainable managt of NWFP of plant origin in Central Africa » adopted by COMIFAC in 2008
FAO produced the dissemination document and identified possible articles related to NWFP for amendments
FAO conducted a case study on Gnetum spp. transportation and commercialisation
Salient results are presented involving numerous actors but with focus on illegal expenses incurred by traders

7. Example 1: transportation of Gnetum spp. from Lekié Division to Idenau

8. Example 2: Access to Agreement/Permit to do business

9. Impacts
60 stops with over 05 minutes per stop, negative implications for perishable products
On average 428 packets (SD=278) rejected per trip & packets (about 37 tons) rejected in six months
Minimum of 09 packets lost and max of 1180 packets per trip (Mean=207; SD=164)
Total of (13 tons) lost in 06 mois in 2008
Collection of government taxes overlooked by agents
Rent-seekers generally gain access to permits

10. Implications
Reduction of profit margins for traders, at times losses and closure of SMFE based on NWFP
Increase in volume harvested – over-exploitation of resource to meet demand
Decrease in prices paid to local producers and/or increase in prices to end consumers
Decrease in government revenues – tax evation, those low vision of the sector by policy makers
Traders remain in illegal practices for lack of permits

11. Ways forward
Revise the forestry law to better take into consideration NWFP sector
Render access to permits more favourable to traders by keeping aaside rent-seekers
Reduce the number of road checks on NWFPs
Sensitise government agents on the role of NWFP in reducing poverty and on the need for transparency
Clearly set stringent and deterrant punishable measures for corrupt agents
All countries in Central Africa adapt the sub-regional directives on NWFP to their national contexts

12. Thank you for your attention