Demand Rises For Echinops giganteus For Better Livelihoods

Demand for high-value Echinops giganteus produced in Magha-Bamumbu in Lebialem Division in the Southwest Region is on the rise, giving more production impetus to the hitherto local spice and herb known locally as “Ayilagwem”.

By Ndimuh Bertrand Sancho

Although small-scale production of Echinops giganteus to spice traditional dishes like achu & nkui, and to heal some ailments as well as for children’s recreation cannot compete with volumes for commercial needs, Ayilagwem now has the potential to tap into the market niche of perfumes and fragrances.

“A kilogram of fresh Echinops roots sells at 400 francs CFA,” says Mojong Denis, ERuDeF technician coordinating the collection Echinops roots.

Mojong says they recorded over 3,000 kilograms for the first collection of fresh roots per collection session with an estimated collection range of 10 to over 25 kgs per person. Thus, each person can obtain about 4,000 francs CFA to 10,000 francs CFA per collection depending on the quantity of Echinops.

Inhabitants of Magha-Bamumbu say proceeds from the sales of Echinops have been helpful to them and their families.

Bandashi Bridgett, who had brought in 18 kg of fresh Echinops roots at the drying and weighing station, said, “The roots I have been selling here have been very helpful in supporting the education of my children, purchasing household needs and getting proper medical attention.                                                                                                                                                                                             According to Bandashi, Echinops is the fastest generator of income compared to other sources of livelihood because they collect in the wild and they do not need any itinerary in order to get the products to the drying station except the collection and washing of the roots.

“Before you harvest and sell potatoes in the market, you have to clear or burn, buy seeds, till the soil, plant the potatoes, apply manure, spray against pests, constantly check to remove weeds and so on. All these take you over five months before you can think of harvesting. Even after harvesting, transportation to a reasonable market is a nightmare due to the poor state of roads. But for Echinops, you just move to the wild, dig and sell,” Bandashi explains.

Tamukindo John says the Echinops plant was formerly used only during ‘born houses’ (celebration of a newborn baby), the treatment of diseases and the preparation of Achu soap known in Magha-Bamumbu as ‘Milumpat’ until ERuDeF and some white men came and confirmed that the plant could as well be used for perfume production.

“Today, the plant is helping us in many ways. I have harvested these ones from the wild and brought to the drying station for weighing and payment,” he said.

Tatachop Johnas and his wife Tatachop Angeline, who were met in the wild harvesting Echinops roots, explain the harvesting and marketing process.

“Echinops is a wild plant. When we go for harvesting, we select those with balls or fruits because they are the mature ones. Once a mature Echinops has been seen, we use a cutlass to clear around the plant. After clearing, we open the area with a hoe and then a pickaxe to dig out the roots. After digging, the Echinops is washed and cut into 7 cm as recommended by the perfume production enterprise to facilitate drying. It is then piled in bags and taken to the drying station for weighing where one kg is sold at 400 francs CFA. After weighing, it is sent to the drying station for cutting and drying, and then exportation to the V. Man Fils company in France for perfume production,” the Tatachop said.

Regarding the sustainability of the Echinops plant, community members said they have been trained on the cultivation of the plant and have each opened up Echinops farms in this regard.

Echinops giganteus was located in Magha-Bamumbu, Lebialem Division in the Southwest Region in 2012 by a French company dealing in fragrance and flavors, V. Man Fils, as having the potential value for perfume production.

It is Cameroon’s pilot project based on the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) principle, which encourages the fair and equitable distribution of benefits arising from the exploitation of genetic resources and related traditional knowledge.