Promotion of NTFPs: an effective means of conservation-local development integration

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are products of trees and shrubs except wood. So these are fruits, leaves, bark, etc. NTFPs benefiting from NATUDEV support initiatives are those that the populations it supports intend to promote in the long term.

The promotion of NTFPs is justified by their function as alternative sources of food and income for producers and their households. NTFPs thus allow producers not to indulge in unsustainable uses that are harmful to protected areas and natural heritage sites (poaching, logging, non-ecological agriculture, etc.).

The NTFPs concerned by NATUDEV’s actions to date are: shea butter and its derivatives (soaps, ointments, etc.), honey and its derivatives (beeswax). Significant potential in baobab fruit, balanites, néré, liana, tamarind, detarium have been highlighted for future valuations.

A thousand local promoters within the local communities are active in the supported sectors and garner, individually or collectively, very appreciable income.

ULB-Cooperation, Man and Nature and the PPI program are the main supports of the populations through NATUDEV in the development of the non-wood forest products sectors, supports which have made it possible to achieve significant advances, among which:

the regrouping of certain producers in cooperatives

Developing female beekeeping Towards the emergence of a beekeeping area in the heart of the PONASI ecological complex (number of beekeepers and beehives and competent croissants …)

Conclusive innovations in hive types

Obtaining a quality label for honey (national certification)

A marketing platform open to producers

An efficient sales system

A recognized NTFP-

Conservation of forest resources link

An obvious contribution to the improvement of incomes, social bonds, the assumption of health and school fees among beekeepers.

Without trees, no bees, and human life will be compromised, faith of Abdoul Razack BOULIOU

NATUDEV conducted an interview with one of its partner beekeepers in the person of Abdoul Razack BOULIOU, from the village of Tiakané (commune of Po) in the province of Nahouri. He is a beekeeper satisfied with his activity and especially with the support of NATUDEV that we met. On the menu of this interview: the benefits of beekeeping, the actions to conserve natural resources that result from it, etc. Let’s read rather!

NATUDEV: can you tell us what motivated you to practice beekeeping?

Abdoul Razack BOULIOU (A.R.B.): Beekeeping contributes to the improvement of our living conditions. It helps us a lot because we use the money from the sale of honey for many things in the family, especially the education and clothing of children. Beekeeping also helps us in our field work, because it allows us to acquire agricultural inputs thanks to its income. Thus, it has a positive impact on the yield of cereal production.

Beekeeping also got us used to eating honey in the family. With the disappearance of the trees, the production of honey dropped a lot. So there are a lot of people who are no longer used to eating honey. But we who make honey, we are always lucky to have honey at home. This is very good for our well-being and our health.

NATUDEV: have you already benefited from the support of NATUDEV as part of your beekeeping activity?

A.R.B .: I have benefited a lot from NATUDEV’s support, especially in terms of training, hive equipment and accessories and support in finding outlets for the sale of my production.

NATUDEV: how do you assess the quality of your collaboration with NATUDEV?

A.R.B .: I really like it. Because it is a structure that also supports us in terms of the technical monitoring of our apiaries. NATUDEV assists us. This is what makes us progress in beekeeping. Currently, we no longer fear because before we produced honey but we did not have a market. Now the market is secure. If we produce honey, we can sell it through the sales platform set up by NATUDEV for us. And also, they are with us whenever we need them. Which allows us to always say our problems. There are many things we do together.

NATUDEV: do you encounter difficulties in the activity?

A.R.B .: in any activity, there is no shortage of difficulties. There are natural difficulties. For example, there are years when there are not enough flowers because of the winds or stormy rains that cause us to lose production. Before, as I pointed out, we were faced with the flow problem. But with NATUDEV the market is now assured. It is true that we are making progress in production, but we are still faced with the problem of resources which means that we still cannot make large quantities of honey production.

NATUDEV: Do you think beekeeping contributes to the conservation of natural resources?

A.R.B .: Beekeeping helps to protect nature because we know that it is with the flowers of the trees that bees make honey. To place the hives, you need a place with lots of trees. It is for this reason that beekeepers help protect trees and bushes.

NATUDEV: What actions are you taking to help protect the bush?

A.R.B .: We are careful to avoid bush fires since it is the first cause that can really affect the production of honey. When there are bush fires, we intervene very quickly to extinguish. During wintering, we reforest certain species. We also fight against the wandering of animals. When animals are left behind, they can not only break down the trees but also destroy the hives or cause other problems since knocking over the bees and attacking people or animals. There is also the excessive cutting of wood. Where there are beehives, if you let people cut the trees, it’s not good for honey production. Because it is the trees that give flowers for honey. We are always raising awareness so that people understand the role and importance of the bee for human life. We talk about this all the time in our beekeeping cooperative that we just created.

NATUDEV: What is your appeal to the population regarding beekeeping or the protection of nature?

A.R.B .: We are currently all witnesses that the bees are endangered. Before, when we go out only one kilometer from the village, we find trees sheltering bees, honey. Currently, there are no more. We are witnessing the disappearance of the bush. There are no more trees like before. It is not for me to say that we are all witnesses to the decrease in trees and bees. My call is that: if there are no trees, there will be no bees and human life will be almost impossible.

Interview by Ibrahima TRAORE, Communication Officer at NATUDEV