In Mozambique, communities use wood, save trees: Mozambique has been losing its forests to poor people who scrape a living from this valuable natural resource. Today, some are producing chic wooden bracelets for the world market while conserving precious woodlands.

• Author: Rienstra, Dianna

by Trade Forum editorial team

In the struggle for daily survival, people often ignore the importance of environmental sustainability in creating future economic growth. This was the case in Mozambique's Sofala Province, part of a woodland mosaic stretching across 12 countries from Angola to southern Tanzania, Mozambique and northern South Africa. It is home to some of the most beautiful and rare hardwoods in the world.

More than 200,000 Mozambicans depend on the revenues generated from the forest sector, a number that increases substantially if those dependent on charcoal and firewood are included. However, according to research by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, in 2004 the country lost 16,724 cubic metres of wood to fuel alone.

At the root of this problem are people deskilled by civil war and, as a result, trapped in a perilous downward poverty spiral.

In the town of Dondo, members of a small wood-turners' cooperative were making products that were not up to market standards. At the same time, they were targeting a tourism market that didn't exist any more and a local market that was as poor as they were.

But, fortunately, they live in a dry, tropical woodland system where trees grow slowly, making for a unique wood quality. Because it is tropical, the range of trees is diverse and the timber from these trees is more decorative, more stable and more durable. The intense, rich colours range from deep burgundy to ebony.

From penury to Paris fashions

Today, this cooperative and others are turning out high-quality, crafted bracelets that are making a splash at the high end of the fashion accessories market. Their design features bold architectural forms that are flashy enough for the catwalk, stylish enough for magazines and sensible enough to wear.

An ITC-supported pilot project to boost exports in the wood sector helped bring about this change. ITC launched the project in 2004, building on the work of consultant and designer Allan Schwarz. This social entrepreneur was elected to the Ashoka Fellowship in 2000 for his work with forest communities to help them earn more from their environment, while preserving it for future generations. Mr Schwarz set up the Sofala Initiative, an alliance between a private company based at the Mezimbite Forest Centre producing top-of-the-range furniture and accessories, a woodcraft cooperative in Dondo, north of Beira, and the n'Hatanga community.

"We had started manufacturing bracelets and other wooden products before ITC's involvement, but we did not have much production of marketing...