E P. Initiatives for Sustainable Non Wood Forest Products Management in South Asia. *Dr. Arvind A. Boaz **Dr. Olga Boaz

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1 S AC E P Initiatives for Sustainable Non Wood Forest Products Management in South Asia *Dr. Arvind A. Boaz **Dr. Olga Boaz South Asia Co-operative operative Environment Programme

2 INTRODUCTION : THE SOUTH ASIAN REGION South Asia has been the second fastest-growing region in the world, after East Asia, with annual economic growth averaging over 5%. The region contains 25% world population and 40% of the world s poor, most of whom live in rural areas and many depend on a fragile natural resource base for their survival. The region covers an area of approximately 4,485,000 Km2 Supports a dense human population of about 1,207 million people. This region also has several traditional systems of Medicine like the Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Amchi besides large dependence of the indigenous communities on folklore Medicine systems. Over the years, rapid loss of NWFP resources in this region due to large scale deforestation, forest fires and unsustainable harvest to meet increasing global demand for the herbal industry. Urgent and decisive action is needed to conserve and maintain the large NWFP resources of this region.

3 ABOUT SACEP : South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) is an intergovernmental Organisation established in 1982 Formed to addresses regional concerns in close collaboration with the Ministries of Environment of eight member countries, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. SACEP's main roles- facilitating Intergovernment Collaboration on transboundary Issues in the field of Environment Projects in its member countries through promoting cooperation and linkages of government ministries and institutions, with donors and other organizations in its mandated areas to address these issues. Exploring the lessons learned from these various approaches and the implications for collective management and livelihoods Main focus areas-waste Management, Adaptation to Climate Change, Marine and Coastal Issues, Data and Information Management

4 SACEP collaborating organisations : UNEP, UNCRD, RECOFTC, IUCN, UNESCO and FAO to initiate various programmes in the forestry sector in the South Asian region Secretariats of CBD and the Royal Belgium Government to develop the Clearing House Mechanism in South Asia. Recently, SACEP entered into an MoU with TRAFFIC International to develop the South Asia Wildlife enforcement Network for combating illegal trade in Wild flora and Fauna. These initiatives by SACEP will go a long way in the sustainable Management of NTFP resources in the region and augmenting the livelihood support that is available to the fringe forest area population from these resources. The present study has been undertaken to give and overview of the initiatives that the member countries are taking to manage the NWFP for the benefit of the dependent population to bring the issue of its sustainable management in Policy dialogue and address critical aspects of Sustainable harvesting, value addition and establishing a viable Production to Consumption Chain

5 CRITICAL ROLE OF NWFP IN ADDRESSING RURAL LIVELIHOODS IN SOUTH ASIA : NWFP have been vital to forest-dwellers and rural communities for centuries in all south Asian countries. Local people collect, process and market bamboo, rattan, resins, fruits, honey, mushrooms, gums, nuts, tubers, edible leaves, lac, oil seeds, essential oils, medicinal herbs and tanning materials. Both rural and increasingly urban communities (both affluent and poor, but for different products) draw upon forests for a variety of needs. Traditional health-care systems in the region recognize a long list of about 4000 medicinal plants of commercial importance. Some species have become active ingredients in western medicine, resulting in growing demand and trade (FAO, 2003). NWFP constitute a critical component of food security and an important source of income for the poor.

6 CHALLENGES : Insecure land tenure, Exploitative Practices in collection and trade Non sustainable harvesting Practices affecting species diversity No or little value addition at source Inequitable access to markets, Elite-capture of high value NWFPs Potential danger of low value NWFPs as poverty traps immediately. EFFORTS : Several efforts have been made by the countries and state (regional) governments to address this issue and to make the indigenous population owner of this important resource. Many countries have made new policies and enacted laws to ensure participatory approach to forest and particularly NWFP management. Efforts for value addition and establishing marketing chains between producers and consumers Efforts to educate collectors for sustainable harvesting

7 BANGLADESH ; ESTD NATURAL FORESTS : 2.6 MILLION HAC INITIATIVES : ENV POLICY 1992 NATIONALFOOREST POLICY 1994 ENV CONS ACT 1995 GREAT EMPHASIS ON BIODIVERSITY CONS AND PEOPLES PARTICIPATION ROYALTIES, TAXES ON NWFPS GIVE NEARLY 17.9 MILL US $ PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT TO 300,000 PEOPLE

8 SRI LANKA : ESTD NATURAL FORESTS : 0.6 MILLION HAC INITIATIVES : ENV POLICY 1987 NATIONALFOOREST POLICY 1987 NEW INITIATIVE OF ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW MINISTRY OF INDIGENOUS MEDICINE START EMPHASIS ON BIODIVERSITY CONS AND PEOPLES PARTICIPATIONAND TOURISM BASED ON HERBAL MEDICINE PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT TO 250,000 PEOPLE

9 INDIA : ESTD 60% REVENUE FROM NWFPS INITIATIVES : BIODIVERVISTY ACT PROMULGATED AND BOARD ESTD NATIONALFOOREST POLICY 1988 NEW INITIATIVE OF ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONALMEDICINAL PLANTS BOARD 73 RD CONST AMENDMENT 1996 TO ENDOW OWNERSHIP OF NWFPS TO VILLAGERS STATES PROVIDE INSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL SUPPORT FOR NWFO COLLECTION AND EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS CERTIFICATION EFFORTS INITIATED START EMPHASIS ON BIODIVERSITY CONS AND PEOPLES PARTICIPATIONAND TOURISM BASED ON HERBAL MEDICINE PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT NEARLY 70% OF THE FORESTRY SECTOR MILLION PEOPLE DERIVE LIVELIHOODS

10 NEPAL : INITIATIVES : PEOPLES PARTICIPATION WELL ESTABLISHED CERTIFICATION EFFORTS INITIATED THROUGH PROJECT ON CERT AND SUST MARKETING OF NWFP-USAID LINKS GATHERERS AND FOREIGN BUYERS, NGOS AND GOVT PROGRAMMES ESTB ALLIANCE WITH AMERICAN HERBAL BUYER INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, RAINFED ALLIANCE, NEPALI COMPANIES HIMALAYA BIO TRADE PVT LTD, ANSAB GREAT ROLE OF NGOS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE SECTOR WITH FORMATION OF ANSAB FEDERATION OF COMMUNITY FORESTRY USERS GROUPS FORMED LARGE SCALE INDUSTRY PARTICIPATION

11 LIMITATIONS : MOST COUNTRIES DO NOT HAVE NWFP INVENTORIES OF MOST SPECIES VALUE OF NWFS NOT INCLUDED IN FORESTRY VALUATIONS LEADING TO LITTLE EMPHASIS ON THE SECTOR IN NATIONAL PLANNING AND BUDGETARY PROCESSES LACK OF COORDINATION AMONG KEY MINISTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS MOST TRADE IN INFORMAL SECTOR AND UNCONTRLLED LOT OF THREAT TO THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES FROM NON SUSTAINABLE COLLECTION LITTLE INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH IN HARVESTING TECHNIQUES, TRADE, CONSERVTION OR ESTABLISHING LINKAGES LACK OF CLEAR POLICIES OR LAWS IN CONSERVATION, SUST HARVESTING, VALUE ADDITION, MARKETING OR EQUITABLE SHARING OF BENEFITS FEW INITIATIVES TO INVOLVE PRIVATE SECTOR AND ESTD CONSUMPTION TO PRODUCTION CHAINS LACK OF INTEGRATING NEW CONCEPTS LIKE ECOLABELLING AND DERIVING BENEFITS FROM CLIMATE CHANGESTRATEGIES

12 RECOMMEDDATIONS: PROMOTE COMMUNITY BASED MANAGEMENT OF NWFP THROUGH POLICY AND LEGISLATION BRING STAKEHOLDERS AT VILLAGE LEVEL TOGETHER TO FORMALISE COLLECTION, VALUE ADDITION AND TRADEESTABLISH MARKETING MECHANISMSTO LINK LOCAL MARKET WITH INTERNATIONAL MARKETS ESPECIALLY IN MEDICINE AND COSMETICS ENSURE DOMESTICATION OF HIGH END MED PLANTS FOR BOTH CONSERVATION AND ACCRUING BENEFITS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES LARGE SCALE ETHONOBOTANICAL STUDIES TO BE INITIATED TO IMPROVE KNOWLEDGE ON NWFP ENSURE LIVELIHOOD DIVERSIFICATION IN ORDER TO PROMOTE SUST AND CURB OVER-EXPLOITATION ESTABLISH TRANSBOUNDARY MECHANISMS TO COMBAT ILLEGAL TRADE INTITIATE ACTIONS FOR DEVELOPING ECO-LABELLING AND DOVETAILING NWFPS TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES AND ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE FROM ECOTOURISM AND DEVLOPMENT OF AND NWFP FUND FROM MARKET BASED INSTRUMENTS

13 RECOMMEDDATIONS: PROMOTE COMMUNITY BASED MANAGEMENT OF NWFP THROUGH POLICY AND LEGISLATION BRING STAKEHOLDERS AT VILLAGE LEVEL TOGETHER TO FORMALISE COLLECTION, VALUE ADDITION AND TRADEESTABLISH MARKETING MECHANISMSTO LINK LOCAL MARKET WITH INTERNATIONAL MARKETS ESPECIALLY IN MEDICINE AND COSMETICS ENSURE DOMESTICATION OF HIGH END MED PLANTS FOR BOTH CONSERVATION AND ACCRUING BENEFITS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES LARGE SCALE ETHONOBOTANICAL STUDIES TO BE INITIATED TO IMPROVE KNOWLEDGE ON NWFP ENSURE LIVELIHOOD DIVERSIFICATION IN ORDER TO PROMOTE SUST AND CURB OVER-EXPLOITATION ESTABLISH TRANSBOUNDARY MECHANISMS TO COMBAT ILLEGAL TRADE

14 BANGLADESH JOINT FOREST MANAGEMENT

15 STAKEHOLDERS MEET AND COMMUNITY WORKSHOP COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN INDIA

16 Forest leaves litter composting near roadside Sulabh compost pit, Jabro village Nadep Type Compost pit, Village Vermicomposting, Village Mohdi

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18 Natural Kosa Cocoons on Kusum Tree Kosa cultivation on Terminalia arjuna Village Sankra Kosa cocoon Collection ad Purchase by Sankara Forest

19 Natural Kosa Cocoons on Kusum Tree Kosa cultivation on Terminalia arjuna Village Sankra Kosa cocoon Collection ad Purchase by Sankara Forest

20 Mahul Leaves Village women stiching plates at the centre Sankara village Mahul Leaves Processing Centre Moulding of Sown Plates Mahul leaves cups and plates

21 Kamar family making Bamboo crafts-amaabahar

22 Kamar family making Bamboo crafts-amaabahar

23 Forest Dispensary Sankara Village