WCA has the second largest forest after the Amazon rainforest and improving its sustainable use can have a positive impact to reduce poverty and increase living standards of local populations.

The aim is to gain revenues from the controlled and certified exploitation of timber in community forests as well as revenue from non-wood exploitation of forest products. Typical NTFP products are honey, Allanblackia, prunus Africana, wild mango, Arabic Gum, Gnetum Africanum and Cinchona. These products are essential to biodiversity and forest conservation approaches. They are also important for the economic empowerment of women and other excluded groups (pygmies).

SNV WCA uses its in-depth understanding of complex forestry issues to focus on the economic and legal empowerment of people and communities to gain sustainable economic benefits from their natural environment.

SNV Ghana for example helps local honey producers to increase their production and has helped to create an international outlet for their produce.