ABSTRACT
In Kenya the production of handicrafts makes a significant contribution to the national economy. Many types of Kenyan handicrafts are known around the world, but of all these crafts wood carving may be the most famous. The Kenyan wood-carving industry is expanding at a high rate both in the volume of trade, the number of people involved and the carving wood requirements. The challenge that Kenya is now facing is that the current demand for indigenous hardwoods far outstrips supply. Reforestation of indigenous forest areas is not contemplated by the project because it is the exclusive work of the forestry department of the Kenyan government. Master craftspeople have been selected from the different co-operatives in Kenya to undergo a course in product diversification and in the use of ‘good woods’. As part of the course several experiments have been carried out to test the differences among woods and the best way to carve and finish them.
