Artisanal milling is a relatively new concept on the Ghanaian arena. For several years, sawmills and chainsaw operators have undertaken all lumbering activities in the country, with sawmills mostly serving the export market while chainsaw milling satisfied the demand of the domestic market.
However, with the coming into force of a law banning chainsaw milling in 1998 due to the large amount of wood wastage associated with the practice and the adoption of the artisanal milling concept under the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) signed between Ghana and the European Union in September 2009, there is the need for more knowledge on the concept of artisanal milling.
The booklet, “Models of Artisanal Milling” attempts to satisfy this knowledge gap. It examines the definition of the artisanal milling concept from six key factors:
- Who qualifies as an artisanal miller
- Scale of operation
- Type of machine and its efficiency
- Where the product can be sold
- Location of activity and milling as a type of wood processing activity
- Sources of raw material
It also presents four models of the artisanal milling concept as is practicable in Ghana as well as its possible benefits and marketing options. Also found in the booklet are templates for contracting business partnerships for artisanal millers.
This booklet therefore presents a comprehensive, though not exhaustive, amount of information on the artisanal milling concept in Ghana.