An exhibition on household furniture made in Cameroon is underway in Yaoundé at the conference centre, organised by the Association, “Artisan au féminin” and the Cameroon federation of associations and practitioners of second timber processing “Fecaprobois”.
The event which is in its 4th edition opened on Wednesday June 30 and will end on July 6 2021.
It was officially opened Thursday July 1, 2021 by the Minister of Small and medium sized enterprises, social economy and handicraft, Achile Bassilekin III.
Focus of the furniture fair in Cameroon is to promote the wood industry and the forest sector in particular.
Beside that the organisers say it will on one hand promote the circulation of wood of legal origin, and on the other hand intruduce some little known species to the wider public which will in turn reduce the dangers of their extinction.
Speaking at the ceremony, minister Achile Basiliken III, promised that the govt of Cameroon is leaving no stone unturned is assisting actors of the sector.
“I am grateful because this fair is greatly empowering the womenfolk,” the Minister Said.
The one week exhibition it should be noted is organised, thanks to the unmatched assistance from the Food and Agricultural Organisation, (FAO), who are partners in the promotion of the wood sector in Cameroon.
FAO continuing’s efforts to sustainable forest management, production and consumption are now boosted as part of its work under the joint initiative of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), Sustainable Wood for a Sustainable (SW4SW).
Following the results of a wood value chain assessment in Cameroon conducted in collaboration with the WWF-France, which shows that the domestic and regional markets are responsible for the consumption of around 50% of the total wood production in the country with high dominance of informal production and often illegal production, FAO is supporting the MINFOF directly on formulation of measures to increase legality and sustainability of the artisanal producers, in particular regarding their access to legal wood and to increased processing efficiency in tandem with the revitalization of the Wood Promotion Center (CPB).
Also present at the furniture fair was the British High Commisioner to Cameroon, Rowan James Laxton, who talked of their support to the initiative.
The Cameroon federation of associations and practitioners of second timber processing (FECAPROBOIS), and their partners are leaving no stone unturned in promoting legal wood processing in the country and beyond.