THEME 2: Local Realities for Communities and

Forests “Economic opportunities and constraints for small scale timbers growing

in Liberia”

“Economic opportunities and constraints for small scale forest enterprises in Liberia”

BY: Alexander T. Cole, Sr

THE ARDa network of: Community based organizations, Pro poor informal sector institutions,The Natural Resource Women Platform and The newly emerging and independent labor/trade unions in Liberia

HOW THE ARD WORKSworks in solidarity actions to:address economic, social and cultural rights violations particularly in the rural poor, Urban slums and squatter communities of Liberia.

REFLECTING FDA AND THE FORESTRY SECTOR

Today we are discussing the Forestry Development Authority and RETHINKING the sector.Forestry - creating, managing, using, conserving, and repairing forests and ASSOCIATED RESOURCES to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit.For almost the past 40 years, the FDA and the forestry sector have been mostly about logging and timber and not about forestry.

REFLECTING FDA AND THE FORESTRY SECTORGiving the impression that all the forestry sector is about is logging and timberThis impression and perception which have transform itself into a prevailing political view have resulted into an under utilization of the totality of the forest resources and benefits and the marginalization of forest dependent communities.Once there is no logging, this means that the forestry sector is locked down, this is however a view that the political elites hold on to.

REFLECTING FDA AND THE FORESTRY SECTORThere is however a second view that is held by forest dependent communities and local informal forest entrepreneursThese local informal forest entrepreneurs do not see the forest as only a magnet for logging and timber productionFor them, the forest is their department stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, their wall streets and world trade centers, universities, research centers, etc…..

REFLECTING FDA AND THE FORESTRY SECTOR

For more than a century, they have organized, structured and built these informal institutions that have supported and facilitated forest entrepreneurial developments and the sustainable management of their forest. These informal forest entrepreneurial development and growth has however been undermined by policies that promote large scale industrial and commercial logging.So, to a stranger, once there isn’t logging going on, it means the forestry sector is dead. There is however a very vibrant and robust entrepreneurial development going on everyday in this sector.

Opportunities: Pit-sawyers : the future for logging and timber production in Liberia•These are the so-called small chain saw timber producers – a fully integrated business that at the end of our civil crisis was responsible for the supply of timbers for the reconstruction of Liberia•They have provided more employment to youths than any other large scale timber or logging company in Liberia •They were principally responsible for the Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration (DDRR) of formal young combatants•They contributed to peace building Stability and crime reduction.

Opportunities: Pit-sawyers : the future for logging and timber production in Liberia

•Along this pit-sawyers value chain, various micro economic opportunities exists.•Tree-finders •Cutters •Haulers •Transporters – forest – sawmill – homes •Wholesalers at the sawmill•Salesman •Manufactures and carpenters and the so-called informal industrialists

Opportunities : BeveragesNTFPs in our communities.There have also been a recent new trends in beverages productions as shown in BITTER KOLA Appetizers and Energizers, Mandingo bitters, army bitters, etc……How many drivers and travelers along the highways resist the temptation of not stopping by at a palm wine station along the route? Does this hold huge potential for entrepreneur development and growth?Will we ever see a time in our history to have the palm wine compete with CLUB BEER?

Opportunities : Round poles!! And our new skyscrapers what will the TUBMAN BOULEVARD and our newly emerging skyscrapers look like without the round poles? There are thousands of round poles depots just around Monrovia alone, have there been a thought about their economic value?

Opportunities: Medicinal plants

•How many of our mothers have the opportunities to get better health care for their children?•What medicines are not found in the forest to care for our health?•Bitter kolas and men•How many men can walk during the day without a bitter kola in their jaws or pockets

Opportunities : Food and nutrition

•Women, catfish and the pepper soup •The snail and the torborgee•The GB and the zogolo

Bio Fuel : Charcoal production and supply

•Imagine what will Liberia look like if there is no charcoal on the market!•How many of us can run our homes without charcoal?•Today, charcoal has become not only a livelihood source for producers, and sellers but also a source of revenue for government

CONSTRAINTS AND CHALLENGES •Largely informal with no or very little data •Lack of capacity building or diminished capacity •Low investment and lack of financing •Very little research, products and technological development or Archaic technology •Market information system •Lack of infrastructural development •Vocational training for product development •Etc……..

THANK YOU