Forest Communities are an integral part if any forest ecosystem. Living in or around the forests their actions or non action have an immediate impact on the health or otherwise of the forest Ecosystems. Just as the plants, trees animals, insects etc people are an integral part if the equation. The main difference is that people are conscious actors and can be persuaded through self interest to adapt sustainable actions and attitudes to safeguard and maintain long term forest assets on the ground while deriving benefits in perpetuity.
"If enough people do something small, it becomes something huge."
For this to happen forest communities must be involved in projects and actions that demonstrate and confers benefits. The growing of aromatic plants in Agro Forestry systems enables the generation of short to medium term income which offset the lack of income during the longer gestation times for trees. Aromatic plant production enables the set up of simple value added process which aid rural industrialization and creates value added jobs at the grass roots level. To move beyond mere raw material exports and to endure sustainable production of Forest based products as much value as possible should be added to raw material at source.
The higher income that is derived enables greater social interventions by Forest Esrare based companies in training and support as well as development of cottage industries for which they can act as guaranteed off-takers and thus provide a ready market to forest based communities to move beyond reliance of raw material exports communities should be supported to band together in cooperatives so as to deliver the quality and volume needed to secure global market penetration. Sustainably Managed Forest Estates can thus become the apex hubs for training, markets, as well research and development innovations to drive this agenda.
Three Key Points:
Community supported forest restoration
Agroforestry methods for growing aromatic plant
Moving Africa beyond raw material export
About Wellington:
Wellington Baiden has over 20 years of experience in forestry, ecotourism, environmental conservation, community livelihood support, and natural resource policy analysis, as well as in the wood products sector in Ghana. He is an internationally recognized innovator and consultant in agro-forestry and environmentally sustainable development interventions. He is also a mentor and an environmental educationist.
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Made Possible by: This podcast is made possible by APRC, Aromatic Plant Research Center. APRC was created to provide access to uncompromising research, analysis, and testing services for essential oil communities.
