This thesis reports on the findings of a three-year study on the economic aspect of the woodcarving industry in Kenya. Wood carving provides one of the most important uses of wood in Kenya both in terms of economic return (estimated exposure value at $20 million per year) and generation of self-employment opportunities (60,000 wood carvers and about 350,000 dependents).
INTRODUCTION
Aims and obj ectives of the study
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF A DEVELOPING
Introduction
Lowland dry forests in the coastal belt (Arabuko-Sokoke, Boni, Hadu, Gonja, Maluganji and Shimba Hills Forest Reserves). In some cases, some of the cooperative officials themselves may be involved in the timber trade.
Su stainability, Sustainabl e Development and Natural Resources use
Toward s Sustainable Utili zation of Woodcarving Resources in Ken ya
Most of the wood used in the wood carving industry in Kenya is mainly sourced from native forests that have continued to experience pressure from various human activities. In theory, achieving sustained production of forest products in perpetuity while maintaining the structure and diversity of forests through selective logging is difficult to implement largely because of the commitment and discipline required of managers.
A significant part of the kerf trade in Kenya is through direct export which is carried out by almost all the stakeholders in the industry. Growth in the industry can be divided into three main parts based on the historical accounts of early European settler immigration and tourist arrivals in Kenya.
Structure and organi zation of the woodcarving industry in Kenya
- Other participants in the woodcarving industry in Kenya
- Dealers
- The carving process
- Woodcarving products
Other parts of the species find use as medicine (stems, bark and roots), food (fruit) and bee forage (Albretch, 1993). One of the limitations of woodcarver cooperatives is the fact that the membership is uninformed.
WOODCARVING TREE SPECIES; THEIR STATUS, DISTRIBUTION, ECOLOGY
Introduction
Dalbergia melanoxy lon
- Utilization in woodcarving industry in Kenya
- Phenology and propagation
- Utilization
- Ecology and present conservation status
- Propagation and management
However, it is mainly found in the miombo deciduous forests and savannas of the coastal regions of Tanzania and Mozambique. Dalbergia melanoxylon is described as being found in lowland dry forest and lowland woodland (Sharman, 1995), in deciduous woodland, deciduous secondary or coastal woodland and wooded grassland, at altitudes between sea level and 1350m (Albrecht, 1993).
Olea europaea
- Utilization
Kenya Forest and a recent study (KIFCON, 1991) estimated a volume of 7.5m31ha in the closed canopy forest areas where the species occurs. Kibwezi Forest and Chyulu Hills are the closest sources of Olea europaea to the Kamba carving community.
Combretum schumannii
- Introduction
- Utilization
As a result of this competition, there has been a local depletion of the species from accessible areas, and sculptors in Makindu have to undertake extended camping expeditions for weeks and return with half-finished carvings. Indiscriminate harvesting of the large trees and increasing human disturbance associated with harvesting activities have contributed to the overall poor recruitment potential, as shown in a recent study in the two forests (Obunga and Sigu, 1996).
Azadirachta indica
- Introduction
- Ecology
- Phenology and growth
- Growth statistics and management
The price of wood at the source (forest) is a function of the wood free market price. Of the hewn wood that enters the industry at Malindi, about 50% goes to the cooperative carving workshop.
THE STUDY AREAS
Biophysical characteristics
- Topograph y, Geology and Soils
- Broad scale vegetation distribution of Kenya........ ......................................... 5 1
- Description of vegetation of selected forest reserves
This is the main reason for the decrease in the supply of types for carving in the last two years. The quantities of wood used in estimating the level of carving in Malindi are based on what enters the cooperative.
Socio-economic characteristics
Classificatio n of the carving centres
This is probably one of the reasons why its use has recently been discontinued in Kenya. The ongms of the woodcarving industry and the historical trends in growth were explored in the early chapters of this thesis.
METHODOLOGY AND TECHNIQUES USED IN THE STUDy
Introduction
This study has proven that about 60% of the volume demand in the entire industry is met by Brachylaena huillensis alone. In light of the increasing scarcity of carving resources, efforts directed towards increasing the recovery of wood during the carving process must be increased.
Descli ption of the research process
- The main research phase
Description of study techniques
- Interviews
The existing roundwood pricing chain, which operates parallel to the national chain, is described below in the following sections. It also points to the limitation of current log pricing systems by cooperatives.
The price of materials along the market chain
Determination of wood volumes
For Brachylaena huillensis (delivered to Gikomba, Malindi, Mombasa, Nanyuki and Wamunyu) and Azadirachta indica (delivered to Malindi and Mombasa) and other species supplied in large numbers, a full enumeration was given for every fifth consignment delivered in each of the centers was delivered. made. For the remainder of the four of the five truckloads of timber that were not counted, only the prices of all logs were recorded and their respective volumes estimated from the volume-price curves developed for each of the species.
Competing uses for carving wood
For purposes of this study, charcoal production unit costs and profits were determined by working with traditional charcoal burners at Makueni District. The dimensions of Olea europaea sub sp africana were accurately measured before entering the kiln to the nearest centimeter and burned using the traditional earth kiln method which is the most common method used in most of the rural areas in charcoal production.
Woodcarving returns per unit labour and profit margins
The shortages in the supplies of Brachylaena huillensis and other leading carrion species in recent times have led to an increasingly intensive use of Jacaranda mimosifolia. There was a wide variation in prices of hewn wood of the same species across different sites as dictated by market forces.
Investment in placmg of Brachylaena huillensis and Azadirachta indica
- Diameter, height and volume measurements
SUPPLY DYNAMICS OF CARViNG WOOD IN KENyA
Quantities of carving wood utilized in 1998:2000
- Volume distribution by centres
- Species diversity across carving centres
These two species alone accounted for the bulk of the volumes utilized over the study period, as they collectively accounted for 74.6% of the total volume entering the industry in the country. Wamunyu Cooperative Center located in Wamunyu and Gikomba Cooperative Society (Nairobi) share the same sources of the hewn timber which is essentially Mt.
Seasonality in supply of carving wood
Brachylaena huillensis, Dalbergia melanoxylon and Olea europaea are most commonly used in all carving centers in Kenya and the quantities used were limited due to supply.
Variation in wood sizes and the link to scarcity
Terminalia brownii is one of the fairly recent alternative carving species whose popularity in the industry has become significant in the last three years. For most species, the increase in wood prices was more pronounced in 2000, which was caused by the lack of wood. This section discusses the implications of low stumpage wood prices for the carving industry.
At the same time, it is also the phase that will influence the price of the product. This part of the study has also attempted to estimate the optimal allocation of wood resources to carvers in light of current resource scarcity. The weakness of the management of woodcarving cooperatives can be seen in the increased number of independent carvers in many parts of the country.
Discussion
Summary
On average, the number of products cut from a log depends on the size of the products. This could continue for the rest of the plantation's life until clear-cutting. Clear cutting of Azadirachta indica plantation after this age can be done at the discretion of the owner.
In contrast, within ng 'undu, family members had guaranteed rights of access to natural resources.
MARKETING OF CARVING WOOD IN KENyA
Round wood trnde in Kenya
- Structure of the domesti c round wood trade
- Sources of carving wood by ownership category
- Government pricing system
- Other methods of pricing with potential uses in Kenya............................... I 10
- Open bid and sealed bid auctions
- Public log market... ....................................................................... 11 I
- I Harvesting costs......................................................... . ................ . I 14
- Unit pri ce variation by size class (diameter)
- Some General Observations on unit price variation by Size Class
Discussion
- Comparison of the woodcarving industry to the wider wood market
- Limitations of current round wood pricing policies
This inability of the market to capture these signals is an example of market failure. The extent of sales outside the cooperative is an indicator of the seriousness of the marketing problems within the cooperatives.
Summary
THE ECONOMIC RETURNS OF CARVING TO WOODCARVERS
Introduction
However, in the absence of alternative sources of income, forest degradation will still be an inevitable outcome as exploitation of forest products forms one of the main economic activities under such circumstances. The existing woodcarving cooperatives established in the production and marketing of carvings are also examined in the necessary details and some of the main factors that contributed to their instability and poor marketing of carvings are discussed.
Amount spent by carvers to secure materials
- Amount spend according to centres
Costs incurred and revenues in carving
- Comparative costs in carving stages
If we take into account all the costs of making the carvings, which include the cost of the log, splitting, filing the 30 carvings and other later costs for additional processes on the carvings, such as sanding, painting and the time required to make these 30 products, the total cost as and the number of products per log were converted to wood volume values per unit by dividing the number of products by the wood volume. Most of the older carvers also had a wider range of carving tools, which were indispensable at critical stages of the carving process.
Wood volume and value of carvings in Kenya
- Determination of number of articles per unit wood volume
Two case studies are used to develop an assessment of the share of off-coop carve sales across Kenya. This study has established that value addition of wood through wood cutting provides one of the highest returns per unit.
I .2.2 Akamba cooperative centre (Mombasa)
- Potential size of woodcarving in Kenya
- Current weakness in marketing of carvings
- Optimum allocation of wood resources to carvers
- Pricing of carvings
Discussions
This part of the study was carried out mainly in Machakos and Kitui districts, where the carving industry originated and where depletion of Brachylaena huillensis (Yatta Plateau) and Dalbergia melanoxylon (Wamunyu) was most devastating. Thirdly, arguments have been made as to whether this recent decision is within the jurisdiction of the Kenya Wildlife Service.
I How to limit the use of scarce wood resources
Summary
It is probably one of the only old Azadirachta indica plantations with records of performance, and was therefore the most suitable one to use for the purpose of this study. One of the methods is to plant fast-growing alternative tree species and this study showed that Azadirachta indica is one of the most promising candidates.
MODELLING THE GROWTH OF AZADlRACHTA INDICA (NEEM)
Introduction
- Azadirachta indica
The current high levels of resource use and depletion highlight some of the threats to the resource base that could undermine the country's economic growth and stability in the long term. The conservation and management of the country's wildlife has recently (1990) been incorporated into National Parks.
WOOD USE AND FOREST POLICY IMPLICATIONS
Informal rules
- Forest Act
- Chiefs Act....... .... ..... .. ........ ......... ..... .......... .. .... ..... ... ..... ...... ...... 18 7
Resources in the outer region did not require extensive investments of labor because they were naturally to be shared with equal rights of access by all members of the community. First, the capacity of the Kenya Wildlife Service in terms of personnel and financial resources is limited, especially in light of the new additional duties, and needs to be strengthened.
Community led responses
RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
Introduction
Recommendations
- Wood use and policy aspects
Sustainability indicators in the woodcarving industry
Conclusion
