Guiding Hope Verina Ingram, Director

Business Cases for Biodiversity: the Smallholder Perspective Utrecht University & HIVOS Ministry Economic Affairs, Den Haag, 1 March 2012

I. WHO WE ARE Guiding Hope (Guide d’Espoir)

Cameroonian enterprise

Founded in 2005, incorporated in 2007

Our mission is to develop environmentally and socially responsible, fair yet profitable trade of apiculture products

Hive products: Organic honey, beeswax & propolis

By-products: Soaps, candles, creams etc.

Business Model

Strategy to guide producers with information and training,

ensuring fair prices, and

access new, near and distant market opportunities

we ultimately aim to assure the relay between disadvantaged producers of high-value apiculture products and equitable markets.

Our philosophy

PEOPLE

PLANET PROFIT

Commitment to sustainability

Economic: take a value chain approach to ensure fair prices & salaries

Social: work closely with our supplier communities to empower & equip them and ensure their needs are addressed in our activities; setting up GH foundation

Environmental: production processes strictly organic & environmentally sustainable; engage in reforestation and conservation activities

Collecting bamboo for hive production

II. WHAT WE DO

Technical training in honey, wax & propolis production techniques

Stimulate production of value-added products such as soap and candles, esp. among women

Promote knowledge & production of medicinal by-products (propolis, pollen and medicinal plants e.g. Kofia)

Research & development of cosmetic & household products (e.g. body cream, lip balm, shoe polish)

Organisational training in quality control, administration and accounting & needs-based community development

Capacity building & product development

Female-led soap production

Needs-based development training

Market development & outreach

Conduct market research & outreach Manage export of wax, honey & propolis Work with government and sector representatives

gain access for Cameroon to export markets create national standards for honey production & quality establish govt. accountability for apiculture sector

Obtain Organic, Ethical Trade* certification and Community Trade (Body Shop) for our products

Lobby for Cameroon honey rights: formed Cameroon Union of Exporters of Apiculture Products and Apiculture Interprofession

Certified organic production

Best beekeeping practices with minimal impact

Raising awareness of forage sources

Forest protection

Planting & regeneration - hive materials

Footprint & Environmental Impact Assessment

Reducing fuel inputs and waste streams

Collaborate with others – learn & share

BENEFITS TO BIODIVERSITY

Community reforestation

BENEFITS TO BIODIVERSITY

“Pa” Paul Nzegha Mzeka,

Director, Apiculture and Nature Conservation Organization

UN Forest Hero 2011

Improve living standards chain-wide approach

Improve selling prices up to 25%

Empowerment - esp. marginalized (women & youths)

Secure & diversify incomes and products

Explore collective possibilities, legalise & support groups

Help create local savings cooperatives

Needs assessments

GH Foundation

SOCIO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS

Collection center inauguration with village suppliers, March 2009

Who benefits (locally)? Direct beneficiaries

1,000 apiculturers & their households = 10,000 individuals

Indirect beneficiaries

Other beekeepers (through GH expansion, mkt. development; est. 2-3,000

individuals in medium term)

Other exporters from reduced customs, bureaucracy & tax problems

Villagers from services, e.g. drinking water, savings and credit schemes (over 1,000)

Service providers e.g. transporters, labourers, expediters (approx. 100).

Diverse support - largely on our terms

Great partners (PPPs)

Strategic but opportunistic

Knowing our sector

Business (not an NGO)

Entrepreneurial & risk taking

Enthusiasm - in face of adversity

Varied financial sources

Able to bear initial losses

Action learning - from mistakes

KEY SUCCESS FACTORS

Cam Iron SA

Doing business & finding the “right” clients

Sustaining team enthusiasm with growth

Preserving quality with up-scaling

Cash flow

Our professionalization

Conserving forests (formal or customary?)

New product development

Financing environmental & social aspects

Maintaining community & supplier expectations

Reliable investors, credit suppliers and donors

Sticking your head out syndrome…..

CHALLENGES

Monitoring impacts Baselines are important!

Economic impact Market study Cameroon 2006 (SNV)

National & international Market survey 2008 & 2009

Social baseline 2007, 2009

5 yearly strategic development plans

Environmental & Social impact monitoring Monthly village meetings

Health & social baseline 2007, 2009

Climate changes & environment 2010, 2011

Annual Organic Audits (Soil Association)

Annual EU residue monitoring scheme tests

Pollen and wax tests 2010

Issues: costs, time and analysis

Thank you!

guidinghope@yahoo.fr

www.guidinghope.com

www.ethicalcommunity.com