The contributions of bamboo to value chain stakeholder’s livelihoods in Cameroon

Although Cameroon has an estimated 1.2 million hectares of bamboo, current information on the economic and ecological impacts of its trade is lacking, but important given policy developments. This study evaluates the contribution of bamboo to the livelihoods of collectors, processors, retailers and consumers, and assesses the sustainability of its value chain. Guided by a social-ecological systems and value chain framework, data was gathered using 252 semi-structured interviews in 36 locations with harvesters, processors and traders, and bamboo consumers and 9 focus group discussions. Key findings are that bamboo continues to be harvested unsustainably, mainly from national forest lands, with cultivated sources and plantations playing a marginal role. Processing remains basic, with informal trade predominating on the roadside and markets. Bamboo is important contributor to household incomes for processors and traders and of secondary importance for harvesters. Value-adding remains low, although consumers generally like bamboo products, rating them competitively in terms of affordability and durability but not quality. Social-ecological factors, including the nature of the resource system, governance, characteristics of users in the chain, and their interactions contribute to the overexploitation of bamboo resources. These findings suggest research, conservation, development and policy interventions which could improve governance, such as developing and enforcing a dedicated bamboo policy, improved resource management through knowledge and capacity building, promoting higher value bamboo products to increase value and incomes, cultivating bamboo, particularly on degraded land to support restoration and carbon trading, which could ensure the long-term socio-economic and ecological sustainability of the sector.