list of figures - Terry Sunderland

overview of the production to consumption system of rattan in Ghana, as does Defo
(1999) for selected sites in Cameroon (see also Chapter 7).
Although many of the commercial species of rattan respond well to selective logging
activities, logging has also resulted in increased rattan exploitation. The development
of a wide network of logging roads throughout many forest areas in West and Central
Africa has enabled greater access to otherwise inaccessible areas of forest. Indeed, the
logging trucks themselves are often known to be responsible for the transport of
recently harvested rattan (Defo, 1997; Sunderland, 1998).
Indigenous management systems for the rattan resource in Africa are unknown, and,
throughout its range, rattan is considered an “open-access” resource; there are very
few, if any customary laws regulating the harvest of rattan from the wild. This is also
mirrored in the National legislation for most countries. Those States that require the
exploitation of forest products to be governed by the issue of licenses and permits,
often do not adequately monitor the exploitation of these resource, nor receive the full
forestry taxes related to that exploitation. In general though, many national forestry
codes still do not include the exploitation of non-timber forest product in their
regulations and the over-harvesting of many commercially important products,
including rattan, continues unabated and uncontrolled.
8.5 SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES
It is reported that the demand for rattan is increasing and much greater amount of cane
is being processed in many areas of Africa today than was being worked five or ten
years ago (Morakinyo, 1994; Ndoye, 1994; Falconer, 1994; Townson, 1995; Trefon
and Defo, 1998; Defo, 1997; Sunderland, 1998; Defo, 1999; Sunderland 1999a;
1999b; Kialo, 1999; Minga, in press; Holbech, 2000; Oteng-Amoako and Obiri-
Darko, in press). This has led to a significant decline in wild stocks and has resulted in
considerable local scarcity. This scarcity and the associated irregular supply of
unprocessed rattan have been identified as one of the major constraints to the
continued development of the industry.
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