The CNES annex (calling on funds previously labelled CPER-DOCUP) distributed €24.8 million euros for the 2000-2006 period (3.8 million euros per year) to bolster the subsidies from the state-region contract plan (CPER) for the economic development of French Guiana. The funds have benefited numerous small entrepreneurs in several sectors who have been able to set up or develop a business.
Projects eligible in terms of the CNES annex to the CPER are examined by a steering committee co-chaired by the Prefect and the President of the Regional Council. One of the missions of CNES/CSG, delegated to the Guiana Mission team, is to draw up and follow through funding applications under the CNES annex. The grants go to recipients in a variety of sectors and are well-distributed across French Guiana.
A few examples of beneficiaries of the CNES annex to the CPER
Small-scale poultry farming, a family business
On a hill in the village of Roura, amongst the lemon trees and coconut palms, a brother and sister set up a small poultry farm in 1997, selling only to individuals. Six or seven large aviaries are divided into enclosures where chicks and cockerels, turkeys, geese, quails, roasting ducks and ducks for force-feeding are fed in the traditional way before being freed to enjoy the grass and leftovers of the farm’s produce. In 2004, assisted by the local initiative hub (PFIL) which is partly funded by CNES/CSG, the brother and sister were able to purchase a refrigerated truck with the help of a loan on trust granted by the East-Guiana Initiative Centre. Since then they have been able to take their wares every Saturday to the local produce market in Cayenne. They are now planning to set up a new processing plant to extend their range of produce.
Nord Ouest Béton, building for the future
This company was set up at Saint-Laurent du Maroni in August 1996, with three employees. After further investment, a staff of nine are now able to run a plant that is almost entirely automated. A new Italian concrete-mixing station stands among the piles of sand, heaps of gravel and perfectly aligned breeze-blocks. It feeds straight into the French-made breeze-block press and produces fifteen thousand blocks per day, compared to five hundred previously.
The sand used is redolent of the Maroni River, as the owner has chosen to use materials dredged from its bed. The distance from Saint Laurent raised costs, making the business less competitive, so the company adapted to circumstances by using locally available materials, after first having them tested and validated. At the same time, Nord Ouest Béton took the opportunity of opening its own quality control laboratory with which it can not only verify that its breeze blocks comply with official French standards (NF) but also make accurate evaluations of cement quality as it varies with the seasons, so that proportions can be adjusted to maintain production quality. The company hopes that with this new production resource it will soon be able to supply the emerging market of western French Guiana.
Sylvessence or the virtues of Rosewood
On a plot of land rented from the CIRAD close to Sinnamary, two greenhouses are the home of a selection of charming little Rosewood plants. Aniba Rosaeodora was over-extracted for almost a century in French Guiana, as the essential oils it produced were keenly sought for perfumes, aromatherapy, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. It was declared a protected species by France on 9 April 2001, so that now official authorisation is necessary for Rosewood to be cut, distilled and marketed, and only from plantations. Three men have decided to invest in this activity, a forester, a gold prospector and a CIRAD employee. However, producing essential oils from Rosewood is no easy matter: 30 kg of chopped wood yields only 400 cc of oil, while growing the trees requires endless care and great patience. Samples of their oil have been laboratory-tested and the three partners are now undertaking full-scale production, starting with a nursery plantation of nine thousand plants. In a few years time, the resulting wood will be distilled by steam. The partners aim to produce considerable quantities on a regular basis in the medium term and are already working with a perfume specialist (a ‘nose’) in Nice to test other local essences, the treasures of French Guiana.
Le Grand Pavois: riverside pleasures
In 1991, as an allusion to the international boat show of La Rochelle, a husband and wife team opened Le Grand Pavois at Tonnégrande, on the banks of the river. In this restaurant, Madame’s cooking charms the palate while Monsieur’s music charms the ear. However, the distance from town proved to be a handicap. In 2002 the couple decided to make the most of their delightful setting and to apply for investment subsidies, from the CNES annex among other sources. With the help they received they were able to build a magnificent wooden terrace over the river. Below it, eight pedal-boats are tied up next to a floating dock.
The terrace has increased business and the pedal-boats are an additional attraction for customers. The owner has been catering for fifty years, rising each morning with the same enthusiasm and new ideas for her menu.
