The contributions of bamboo to value chain stakeholder’s livelihoods in Cameroon

Cameroon has an estimated 1.2 million hectares of bamboo but current information on the economic and ecological impacts of its trade is lacking, but important given policy developments. This study evaluates the contribution of bamboo to the livelihoods of collectors, processor-traders, and consumers, and assesses the sustainability of its value chain. Guided by a social-ecological systems and value chain framework, 252 semi-structured interviews and nine focus group discussions were conducted in total of 36 locations with harvesters, processor-traders, and consumers. Key findings are that bamboo continues to be harvested unsustainably, mainly from national forest lands, with cultivated sources and plantations playing a marginal role. Processing remains basic, with informal trade predominating on the roadside (33%) and markets (6%). Bamboo contributes 3,448,632 FCFA (39%) to annual household incomes for processor-traders and is of secondary importance for collectors, providing 757,596 FCFA (26%) annually. Value-adding remains low, although consumers generally like bamboo products, rating them competitively, as affordable and durable but not high-quality. Social-ecological factors, including the nature of the resource system, governance, characteristics of users in the chain, and their interactions contribute to the overexploitation of bamboo resources. These findings suggest research, conservation, development and policy interventions are needed to improve governance: developing and enforcing a dedicated bamboo policy, improved resource management through knowledge and capacity building, promoting higher-value bamboo products to increase value and incomes, cultivating bamboo, particularly on degraded land to support restoration and carbon trading, could ensure long-term socio-economic and ecological sustainability of the chain.