Le marche des produits forestiers non ligneux de l'Afrique Centrale en France et en Belgique: produits, acteurs, circuits de distribution et debouches actuels

In France and Belgium, ther has been a trade of non-timber forest products from Central Africa for nearly 30 years. Traded products come chiefly, by order of importance, from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are many (45 in total, of which 13 come from native species), but the more regularly imported are saka-saka or cassava leaves (Manihot esculenta), ndolé (Vernonia sp), fumbua or koko (Gnetum africanum and G. buchholzianum), safou or bush butter (Dacryodes edulis), many spices and condiments such as njansan (Ricinodendron heudelotii), wild mango (Irvingia gabonensis), pèbè (Monodora myristica), and two stimulants: kola nut (Cola acuminata and C. nitida) and bitter kola (Garcinia kola). These products are imported mainly by air, and are largely intended for nationals of Central African countries living in Paris, Brussels, several other French and Belgian cities, and recently in England, Germany and Switzerland. Others, often in small quantities, go to African restaurants and the market of 'bio' products. Initiated by the first students and trainees from Central Africa in France and Belgium, this trade was originally carried out exclusively by European grocers specialising in general food products. European, North African, Central African and Asian grocers now carry it out. They all run shops specialising in the sale of products to African and West Indian customers. They charge prices sometimes eightfold the prices prevailing in Central African markets, which paradoxically does not slow down the demand for ethnical and biological products, and health or dietetic foods among young French, Belgian and European consumers. This paper describes the organisation and operation of the non-timber forest products market (selling points, actors, distribution networks, prices, bottlenecks, etc.) and its potential for development. It also formulates recommendations to release constraints to its dynamics, and suggests access paths for use by actors in Central Africa

Production and marketing of safou (Dacryodes edulis) in Cameroon and internationally: market development issues

This paper draws together information from three separate projects on the production of Dacryodes edulis (G. Don) H.J. Lam or 'safou' in Cameroon, and its domestic and international trade. The volume of safou fruit commercialised in Cameroon in 1997 was estimated at 11,000 tonnes, equivalent to US$7.5 million. Exports from Central Africa and Nigeria to France, the United Kingdom and Belgium were worth over US$2 million in 1999. A study of nine markets inthe humid forest zone of Cameroon revealed that women dominate the retail trade while men concentrate on wholesale. For both, safou trade is an important long-term livelihood option. Depending on the market and volume traded, weekly marketing margins can be double the minimumm wage. Far from being exploited by traders, producers were found to receive 75% of the consumer price on average. The main constraint to both the domesstic and international trade is the high perishability of safou

International Social Survey Programme: National Identity II - ISSP 2003

Questions on national consciousness and national identity. Topics: Identification with the town, the city, the region, the nationand with the respective continent; most important characteristics fornational identity; identification with one´s own nation and nationalpride (scale); perceived pride in the democracy of the country, thepolitical influence of the country in the world, the economicachievement, the social security system, the scientific achievements,the achievements in sports, the achievements in arts or literature, thearmed forces, the history and equal rights of all social groups insociety; preference for protective duty to support the nationaleconomy; attitude to the right of international institutions to enforcesolutions to be accepted nationally; attitude to enforcing nationalinterests regardless of evoking conflicts with other countries;rejection of acquisition of land by foreigners in one´s country;preference for national films in national television stations; damagedone by large international companies to the local business; attitudeto free trade; attitude to follow the decisions of internationalorganisations even if the local government does not agree with them;international organisations take away too much power from the country;availability of worldwide information as a benefit of the internet;importance of sharing national customs and traditions to achieve fullnationality; attitude to government support of national minorities topreserve their customs and habits; preference for assimilation ofminorities or retention of their identity; hostility to foreigners andprejudices against immigrants (scale); attitude to a reduction ofimmigration of foreigners; respondents citizenship; citizenship ofparents at birth of respondent; birthplace or citizenship of parentsshould allow naturalization of children; same rights for citizens andlegal immigrants; attitude towards stronger measures regarding illegalimmigrants; languages spoken at home; perceived ethnic affiliation andstrength of this feeling. Additional questions in EU states: Advantageousness of membership ofthe country in the EU; benefits from EU-membership; attitude towards apowerful EU-government. Demography: Sex; age; marital status; steady life-partner; years inschool, current employment status; current employment status of spouse;hours worked weekly; occupation of respondent and spouse (ISCO-88);respondent and spouse working for private, public sector orself-employed; supervisor function; union membership; household size;family income; respondents earnings; household composition;self-placement on a left-right continuum; party preference; vote lastelection; religious denomination; frequency of church attendance;self-placement on a top-bottom scale; region; town size, rural or urbanregion; ethnicity or nationality. Additionally encoded: Mode of data-collection

International Social Survey Programme: Citizenship - ISSP 2004

Citizen and state. Topics: Qualities of a good citizen; attitude toward the right ofpublic meetings for religious extremists, people who want to overthrowthe government by force, or people prejudiced against any racial orethnic group; social and political participation; memberships;importance of different people`s rights in democracy (scale);estimation of political influence possibilities (political efficacy);likeliness of counter-action against an unjust law and expected chanceof serious attention to people`s demand; interest in politics; personaltrust in politicians and people; political discussions with friends;opinion leadership in politics; national sovereignty and attitude tointernational organisations; attitude to the action of politicalparties; real policy choice between parties; attitude toward areferendum; level of honesty and fairness in the last nationalelection; commitment to serve people and likeliness to correct ownmistakes in public service; corruption in public service; functioningof democracy at present, in the past and in the future; frequencies ofmedia use; respect for people and tolerance in case of disagreement;self-description of the habitation (residence); voter participation;voting behaviour (recall). Demography: Sex; age; marital-status; steady life-partner; education;current employment status; hours worked weekly; occupation (ISCO 1988);working for private or public sector or selfemployed; if selfemployed:number of employees; supervisor function; trade union membership;current employment status (ISCO 1988); earnings; family income;household size; household composition; party affiliation; participationin last election; religious denomination; attendance of religiousservices; self-placement on a top-bottom scale; region; size ofcommunity; type of community: urban-rural area; ethnicity, nationalityand family-origin. Additionally coded: administrative mode of data-collection