THE CONCERNS OF FARMERS ON ALLANBLACKIA FRUIT TREE DOMESTICATION/MARKET ISSUES.

(a representative view of the farmers of Sureso/Pebaseman community of the amenfi district of the western region.)

Presenter : Kwesi Dankama Quarm (Rev.) Executive Director Centre for Agro-forestry Business Development [CABUD] an NGO

Accra Office : P.O. Box MB 575 Accra.

Tel: 233 21 505 720Mobile: 233 24 210 613 7Fax: 233 21 505 315Email: cabudghana@yahoo.com

Asankrangwa Office : P.O. Box 59

Asankrangwa.

Our Project : Strengthening Capacity of Communities for Biodiversity

Conservation And Enhancing the Security of their Livelihood.

Our Benefactor : UNDP/GEF/Small Grants Programme

Care International

Forest Watch-Ghana.

Pioneer Beneficiary

Community : Sureso / Pebaseman Community on Akyekyedee Divisional Stool Land of Wasa Amenfi Traditional Area in the Amenfi East/West

Districts in the Western Region of Ghana.

Activities: - Nursery/Tree planting (local and exotic)

- Small ruminants production

- Micro-credit financing

- Bio prospecting for non timber forest products (NTFPs)

- Wood, rattan. Bamboo handicraft production

- Health education and promotion

- Land use, planning and management

- Entrepreneurial skills development

- Agro-forestry practices

Source of Inspiration

and Knowledge : UNEP

ICRAF

Dr. Tony Simon’s Remarks when he visited our community on November 27, 2003.

“Great to meet such an enthusiastic promoter of Agro-forestry, Thanks for the Knowledge”.

From the Visitors book of

J.Y. Quarm Farms

Our Pioneer Project.

THE CONCERNS OF THE FARMER

INTRODUCTION

I belong to the Sureso/Pebaseman farming community in the Amenfi West District of the Western

Region of Ghana at the Head of the Centre for Agro-forestry Business Development [CABuD] a

Local NGO. It is one of the communities in the high forest ecosystem where Allanblackia thrives.

INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE/TECHNOLOGY

Though Allanblackia nuts are not used on any large-scale, its use as cooking oil is known and

there is a traditional knowledge and technology for exploiting it. As far as 1997 we envisaged its

future potential as a commercial product and we encouraged some farmers in our community

under our agro-forestry and afforestation programme to start planting them on their cocoa farms

and urged them to stop cutting them down.

NEW INITIATIVE

For the past three years, however, we are happy that an institution like FORIG has entered our

community to talk and find out more about it and have even began to organize for its purchase.

In this regard, we have some concerns as farmers in the possible exploitation of this untapped

forest resource. What follows may not be my personal view, but, rather what I have gathered

from other farmers in my community ever since I had the invitation to attend this workshop.

It may as well be a representative view of the farmers in Ghana where this resource is found as

they share a common ecological niche and agricultural problems. We are all familiar with the

case of sunflower and the jatropha plants which were huge investment hazard/disaster for the

farmers. Not even to speak of the cocoa/cassava and the headaches they are offering us.

The major concerns of the farmers are the following.

1. RELIABLE SUPPLY OF IMPROVED SEEDLINGS:- How/Where can they get reliable supply

of improved fast growing seedlings and at what cost. It has been observed that the seeds take

quite a long time to germinate. Some estimate between 2-3 years.

2. GUARANTEED MARKET AND PRICE:- To motivate farmers to undertake its cultivation, there

is the need to create a guaranteed market and price. They prefer that prices shall be announced

at the beginning of each harvesting season publicly.

3. PROVISION OF TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES/ASSISTANCE:- Both technical

and financial assistance are essential for farmers to get involved in the development and

promotion of Allanblackia as an industrial product.

4. PARTICIPATION IN THE FIXING OF PRICES:- Farmers expect to be involved in the fixing of

prices so that their own concerns and interest can be factored into the pricing regime to satisfy

both parties.

5. Farmer-Based Marketing System:- Farmers want to set up their own marketing system

where users can contact them directly for their supply. They might be lacking the capacity, but

they wish to be supported in this direction to meet the required standard of service.

6. VALUE ADDITION:- As much as possible the raw materials should be processed in the areas

of production so that more employment would be provided beyond farming and add more money

to the lives of the people.

7. CONSTANT RAPPORT BETWEEN INDUSTRYAND FARMERS:- For an exchange of

information on production, marketing, cultivation and consumption issues.

8. AN INSTITUTION OF A REVOLVING FUND:- This will provide credit facilities to farmers and

purchasers of the fruits.

9. INSTITUTION OF AN ANNUAL BEST FARMER AWARD FOR ALLANBLACKIA:- Each year

farmers would want an award ceremony to be held to honour hard-working farmers and

institutions.

10. A FARMERS RESOURCE AND TRAINING CENTRE:- They wish to be provided with a

Farmers Resource and Training Centre as a one-stop centre where everything that they shall

needs/want about Allanblackia be provided.

The reason is that officials come to talk and go and they only come back when it pleases them or

their time allows. Meanwhile, the farmer may be needing something vital to enable him/her to

make progress and he/she is handicapped. Such a facility will always bridge the gap and also be

a symbol of seriousness and service.

PERSONAL ASSESMENT

• Judging from my earlier contacts with most of the officials involved in the AB initiative from Ghana and the interest and dynamism of Dr. Tony Simons and his able staff and what I have heard and discussed here at ICRAF for the past two days. I have no doubt about the progress and success of this initiative if an enabling environment and resources are continually provided.

APPRECIATION

• I wish to express for myself and behalf of the organizers for this training workshop both from Ghana and ICRAF for their invitation extended to us to participate in this workshop and share with you our concerns. We anticipate that in the wider context of your various works you will find our concerns legitimate and necessary.

CONCLUSION

• On the basis we are sure that if the necessary support is provided, we as farmers both in our own locality and the neighbourhood shall put up our MAXIMUM effort and skills to ensure the OPTIMUM success of this wonderful AB INITIATVE. Congratulation to the initiators and their collaborators. May God bless them abundantly.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH