list of figures - Terry Sunderland

forest products (see Box 3) these are rarely, if ever, issued for the harvest of rattan.
This shortfall provides a convenient mandate for forestry officials to apply an informal
taxation system when unprocessed rattan is transported. Hence, the harvest of rattan,
in common with many other forest products, is unregulated and uncontrolled, and the
benefits are felt in the informal forestry sector, rather than the formal sector. The
social conditions under which rattan is harvested are discussed in detail in Chapter 8.
Box 3. Permis d’exploitation
In Cameroon, the large scale exploitation of non-timber forestry products is subject to the obtention of a
permis d’exploitation. This permit determines the quantities to be exploited or collected within a
specified geographic area. The volume or amount of material allowed to be exploited depends on the
desired material (e.g. fruits, bark, leaves etc.). This quota is set by the Department of Forestry, although
base line and monitoring data for estimating potential sustainable yield is woefully incomplete for most
taxa. The length of the exploitation permit would not usually exceed one year (National Forestry Law
no. 94/01; article 56; October 1994), except by special arrangement. For example, Plantecam formally
possessed permits for Prunus africana exploitation issued for a period of up to three years duration
(Cunningham and Mbenkum, 1993). Exploitation permits also apply to special products, which could
include medicinal species or those of particular interest (Sunderland et al., 1999). Even if special
products are found on lands belonging to private individuals, they remain the property of the State, except
where the said products have been acquired by the individual concerned.
7.5.1.3 Production to consumption
The supply of cane to urban markets is predominantly undertaken by local villagers
and farmers. Although artisans also harvest rattan themselves, this is more commonly
the case only where the urban market is in close proximity to a significant supply of
rattan (such as Yokadouma and Abong-Mbang). The “production to consumption”
(Belcher, 1999) of rattan harvest and supply in Cameroon is presented below.
5 Registered refers to those enterprises actually recognised in urban council records. It is very difficult
for most enterprises to operate without formally registering with the local council. Figures were
obtained through reference to local council registers.
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