This document summarizes a capacity development market held in Kumba, Cameroon for non-timber forest products. The market brought together NTFP producers, collectors, processors, retailers, wholesalers and service providers to connect supply and demand actors. Over 260 participants registered at the event, representing a wide variety of forest products. Participants engaged in discussions on challenges faced and potential solutions. The goal was to strengthen the value chain for NTFPs and develop connections between actors that could grow businesses and improve livelihoods dependent on the forest. The event was deemed a success based on high turnout and active interaction between participants.

1. Capacity Development Market
for non-timber forest products (NTFPs)
Kumba, South West Cameroon
10th June 2011
LCDF Cameroon

2. Cameroon’s South West:
Kumba lies in the shadow of Mt Cameroon (4095m): rich soils, forests, a wealth of forest
products and a population collecting and consuming those products on a daily basis

3. Kumba
Entrepreneurial junction town midst
NTFP production areas

4. NTFPs are widely commercialised
A poor people’s value chain

5. Non-timber forest products
Many NTFPs constitute basic ingredients
of the diets of the “peoples of the forest”,
…delicious!

6. Export of non-timber forest products
Takes place from ports such as this one located in
the Tiko mangroves. Products are exported to
Nigeria and onwards to Europe and the USA to
supply the Central African diaspora

7. The fair promoters

8. Consolidating the idea: producing the lay-out of
the CD market
A value chain approach

9. Making contact with NTFP
producers and collectors
Mobilisation workshop
at Konye village
Mobilisation workshop at
Ikiliwindi village

10. Mobilisation at Tombel village
Mapping
Who produces what?
What are the challenges faced?
What are the local solutions?

11. A mini value chain:
Charcoal production at
Nguti sawmill and
retailing in Kumba market
Producer
Retailer

12. Cola nut sellers
Mobilising
the Kumba market women

13. Mobilising
the Kumba market women
So I can
grow my
business?
What is
he talking
about?
A market to
buy and sell
knowledge?
Hmmm…
might be
interesting…

14. Mobilising
the Kumba
market women
But it will mean
missing my
Friday market…

15. At the fair:
Let’s see what
this day will bring
me…

16. Mobilising the Kumba market women
Eru sellers
Seller of forest spices
What do
these fair
people want
from us?
What can
the fair
mean for
me…?
Design an
eru slicing
machine?!
Why
not?

17. Mobilising the Kumba
wholesalers
Both Nigerian and Cameroonian
Bush mango wholesaler
Eru buyam sellam (wholesaler)
Careful: will
this damage
my market
position?
I see it as
an
opportunity!

18. Journalists get word of the event
Last minute emergencies are plentiful

19. Kumba City Hall
Venue for the CD market

20. Preparing the hall
All NTFPs registered during
the mobilisation phase are
featured on the walls

21. Preparing the
hall

22. A moment of doubt
Yes,
we can!!!
Do we truly think
we can fill this
hall???

23. The hostesses of
the registration
Result: 260 persons registered

24. An exciting moment:
The first participants start arriving
Ikiliwindi village
had hired two buses
Ikiliwindi preparing its stands

25. Soon a wide variety of forest
product samples started to appear

26. Even the un-mobilised
made their presence known
(a sure sign that the word
had got around)

27. Service providers
materialised,
coming from far and wide
A local service provider: NTFP nursery
A Njangsang cracking machine (ICRAF)
Something many producers and collectors
particularly wanted to see
SNV’s stand
Packaging business from Douala

28. The board at the entrance
made the goal of the event clear

29. Listen to me, this is
the biggest
challenge I face…
and I want you to
help me…
Demand and supply actors started to
interact even before the official opening
How do you
people sell
your kajoo?

30. Small scale
local snail
production
Our business is
“nyamagoro”
(snails)
My dream is that
one day nyamagoro
will become a
valued export
product

31. The hall
starts to fill up
We need healthier
and safer charcoal
production
techniques
I am a retailer
and need
financial
services

32. An early stroll around the stands
Look I found this
processed NTFP
and know what?…
it tastes real good!

33. Upon arrival of the local dignitaries
the hall stands to sing the national anthem

34. Opening Ceremony Kumba CD Market
This event is
only the start of
the
beginning…

35. The opening
ceremony was
followed by a
guided tour of
the market for
the chief guest
Meeting the Chamber of Commerce
Meeting a women’s retailing group
Meeting a producer

36. Press, radio and TV

37. Surely something interesting to
learn over in that stand!

38. Here at the SNV stand we are
presenting two solutions: the bush
mango cutting machine and the
market information system which
allows to fix prices of NTFPs

39. Hot item: the
bush mango
cutting
machine

40. Interaction

41. More interaction
IRAD (research) presenting
eru domestication

42. Interaction and engagement
Look at my
cane
products, and
look at my
tools. I am
out to find
finer tools.

43. The men of the sound system
Mobile office
in the back of the hall
Important
logistical
elements

44. Chede Cooperative
Union
(service provider)
We export local food
stuffs to Europe. Chede
can extend its contacts
and services to interested
producers and processors
of NTFPs

45. Bored? Or a chance to rest while away from daily chores?
Ministry of SME’s
Service provider
Honey producer and
service provider
Honey processor
Demand actor
The public sector The private sector Civil society

46. Demand and supply
actors register the
connections they
made during the day

47. The next step: developing the connections made