Concerns of Farmers on Allanblackia Fruit Tree Domestication/Market Issues

1. 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 21 505 720 Mobile: 233 24 210 613 7 Fax: 233 21 505 315 Email: cabudghana@yahoo.com Asankrangwa Office : P.O. Box 59 Asankrangwa.

2. 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

3. Source of Inspiration and Knowledge : UNEP ICRAF

4. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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