SPECIALNEWS AND FEATURES NOTES 15

India moves to protect traditional medicines from foreign patents “Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs) In the first step by a developing country to consist of goods of biological origin stop multinational companies from patenting other than wood, derived from forests, traditional remedies from local and other wooded land and trees outside animals, the Indian Government has forests.” effectively licensed 200 000 local treatments «Les produits forestiers non ligneux as "public property", free for anyone to use sont des biens d’origine biologique but no one to sell as a "brand". autres que le bois, dérivés des forêts, The move comes after scientists in Delhi des autres terres boisées, et des arbres noticed an alarming trend – the hors forêts.» making its own gum using only chicle gum "bioprospecting" of natural remedies by «Productos forestales no madereros base and natural flavourings and companies abroad. After trawling through son los bienes de origen biológico sweeteners. (Source: CNN [United the records of the global trademark offices, distintos de la madera derivados de los Kingdom], 3 April 2009.) officials found 5 000 patents had been bosques, de otras tierras boscosas y de issued – at a cost of at least US$150 million – los árboles fuera de los bosques.» for "medical plants and traditional (FAO’s working definition) BIOPROSPECTING/ systems". %BENEFIT-SHARING "More than 2 000 of these belong to the OR BIOPIRACY? Indian systems of medicine … We began to ask why multinational companies were Bioprospecting: “The Green Gold Rush” spending millions of dollars to patent %BIODEGRADABLE The Green Gold Rush is the name of a video treatments that so many lobbies in Europe CHEWING GUM documentary about bioprospecting and deny work at all," said Dr Vinod Kumar indigenous peoples that was produced in Gupta, who heads the Traditional United Kingdom authorities and October–November 2008 in Geneva, Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), which environmental groups were welcoming the Switzerland. This project is the result of lists in encyclopaedic detail the 200 000 launch this week of the world's first collaboration between the Swiss NGO treatments. The database, which took 200 biodegradable chewing gum, which they Group of Volunteers Overseas (GVOM) and researchers eight years to compile by say could help save some of the millions the Vice-presidency of the Plurinational meticulously translating ancient Indian spent on clearing up the mess that State of Bolivia. texts, will now be used by the European ordinary gum creates. The objective of the project is to Patent Office to check against The new gum becomes non-adhesive stimulate the debate about the protection bioprospectors. (TKDL can be found at: when dry and decomposes to dust within and valorization of traditional knowledge www.tkdl.res.in/tkdl/langdefault/common/ six weeks, a spokesman for Mexico's and biological resources in the home.asp?GL=Eng) Chicza Mayan Rainforest Chewing Gum told Plurinational State of Bolivia. It is Gupta points out that in Brussels alone CNN. Unlike other gums that contain articulated in two phases. During the first there had been 285 patents for medicinal petrochemicals, the natural gum is two months in Geneva, a video plants whose uses had long been known in produced from the sap of the chicozapote documentary was produced and the three principal Indian systems: tree (Manilkara zapota) found in the information about international Ayurveda, India's traditional medical Mexican rain forest. experiences and strategies was collected. treatment; Unani, a system believed to A spokesman for campaign group Keep During the next six months in La Paz, have come to India via ancient Greece; and Britain Tidy told CNN they welcome any Plurinational State of Bolivia Siddha, one of India's oldest health product that can help eradicate the staining (January–June 2009), various public therapies, from the south. on pavements caused by dropped chewing presentations of the video documentary In the past, India has had to go to court gum. According to the Local Government and debates, weekly meeting of experts, to get patents revoked. Officials say that to Association, removing chewing gum litter seven workshops with more than 700 lift patents from medicines created from costs local authorities £150 million a year. delegates of indigenous peoples and a turmeric and neem, an Indian tree, it spent The producer of the new gum is national encounter of 50 delegates of more than US$5 million. In the case of the Consorcio Chiclero, which comprises 46 indigenous peoples, were being organized. neem patent, the legal battle took almost cooperatives with around 2 000 chicleros The national encounter was to take place ten years. "We won because we proved farmers, working in an area of 1.3 million in La Paz over three days during the first these were part of traditional Indian ha of rain forest. Locals have been week of June 2009 in coordination with a knowledge. There was no innovation and extracting the natural chicle gum base regional encounter of 180 indigenous therefore no patent should be granted," from the bark of the chicozapote trees for a peoples' delegates on “intellectual property said Gupta. century, a spokesman for Chicza told CNN. and traditional knowledge”, organized by India's battle to protect its traditional After years of exporting the gum base to COINCABOL. It is also expected that various treatments is rooted in the belief that the be used as an ingredient in the international experts, intellectuals and developing world's rich biodiversity is a manufacture of regular chewing gum, the activists will be able to participate. (Source: potential treasure trove of starting material cooperative recently decided to start TheGreenGoldRush.org) for new drugs and crops. Gupta said that it

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 19 July 2009 16 SPECIALNEWS AND FEATURES NOTES

costs the West US$15 billion and 15 years Order 010-2007-CR/GRC.CUSCO” that took be applied to these [Western Ghats] plants to produce a "blockbuster drug". A patent place from 21 to 23 April 2009 in Cuzco, as well, with minor modifications," says Uma lasts for 20 years, so a pharmaceutical Peru. This session analysed the impacts Shaanker, a researcher at the University of company has just five years to recover its and challenges of biopiracy in Peru, and its Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore, and one costs – which makes conventional relevance to the recently promulgated of the authors of the paper. The process is treatments expensive. Order 048-2008-CR/GRC.CUSCO. relatively simple as shikimic acid is highly "If you can take a natural remedy and This regional legal benchmark seeks to water soluble, he says. isolate the active ingredient then you just regulate the activities of access to genetic Besides isolation, commercialization need drug trials and the marketing. resources and associated traditional would require bulk extraction on a large Traditional medicine could herald a new knowledge, practices and innovations within scale and validation of the shikimic acid age of cheap drugs." (Source: the traditional territories of indigenous and content. guardian.co.uk, 22 February 2009.) native communities of the Cuzco region, as Shaanker's laboratory now plans to well as aspects related to the protection and demonstrate the feasibility of bulk Rural communities in Kenya to benefit promotion of the biocultural heritage of extraction – in tens of kilograms compared from plan to market natural plants indigenous communities in Peru. with milligrams in the laboratory – in the Rural communities are set to benefit from The workshop sought to advance the two species, Araucaria excelsa and research firms and the University of design and implementation of tools, such as Calophyllum apetalum, with the highest Nairobi’s plan to market natural plants. local biocultural registers, customary law- shikimic acid content. (Source: SciDev.Net The move is aimed at boosting the living based protocols and intercommunity Weekly Update [31 March to 5 April 2009].) standards of rural communities and agreements that will protect and defend the preserving the environment. region’s biocultural heritage and promote The initiative involves looking for special tools that foment creative economies based %“CORK REHARVEST” genes or plants that can be used to on solidarity, as well as protect the manufacture medicine, industrial products traditional institutions and customary laws The Willamette Valley Vineyards in Oregon, and food supplements for commercial within the respective Andean-Amazonian United States of America – the world’s first purposes. communities. (Source: www.andes.org.pe/ winery to earn Forest Stewardship Kenya has not tapped into this market, php=left_en05.php) Council/Rainforest Alliance certification for which now stands at about US$600 billion (Please also see page 20 for more using cork stoppers harvested from globally, despite its richness in biodiversity. information on the NGO ANDES.) responsibly managed forestlands – has International researchers and launched a new cork recycling programme: multinational drug manufacturing “Cork ReHarvest”. companies are now looking for ways to BIRD FLU ANTIVIRUS A first for Oregon and a model for exploit the country’s biodiversity, bearing in %SOURCED FROM INDIAN wineries around the globe, the programme mind its potential to contribute to the TREES has two aims: to collect and recycle used discovery of medicine extracts. However, corks; and to educate the public about the the strain used to manufacture a drug A team of scientists in Bangalore (India) importance of sustaining the cork forests of known as Acarbose used for treating reported in Current Science last week the Mediterranean. (Source: Rainforest diabetes came from Ruiru, although the (25 March) that they have identified several Matters, March 2009.) community around there has not benefited tree species that contain shikimic acid, a much from its discovery. crucial component in the production of Bioprospecting is not common in Kenya Tamiflu, the only drug used against bird flu %EDUCATIONAL TOOL because of lack of research and product caused by the H5N1 virus. WITH A DIFFERENCE development, poor technology, Plants meet two-thirds of the uncoordinated gathering of information, requirements for shikimic acid and the Are you a NTFP gamer? Watch out for this and lack of skills and awareness. Dr Wilbur remaining one-third is met by engineering fun game called “Lost and Found in the Lwande, a researcher at the International the bacterium Escherichia coli to produce Rainforest!” This board game popularizes Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology, the chemical – which is not cost-effective. the various issues surrounding NTFP says bioprospecting can be a tool of The researchers screened 210 tree management in an easily accessible form economic development, but only if products species in the Western Ghats region for are developed and proceeds from the sale shikimic acid content and shortlisted seven of the products shared among locals and trees that contain 1–5 percent shikimic acid some used for natural resources by dry weight. conservation. (Source: Business Daily The acid is mostly present in the leaves of [Nairobi], 16 January 2009.) these trees. This is an advantage, the scientists report, as the sheer volume of Biopiracy in the Cuzco region, Peru leaves present on trees – compared with A session workshop on “Biopiracy in the fruits – will make extraction cheaper. Cuzco region” was held during the "Industries have existing technologies for international workshop “Implementation of isolation of shikimic acid from Illicium the Biosafety Protocol and the Regional vernum [the Chinese ]. The same could

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 19 July 2009 SPECIALNEWS AND FEATURES NOTES 17

for youth and adults alike. It is hoped that biodiversity assets and ecosystem services the latter are often simply thrown away. If playing the game will initiate deeper of tropical forests. This will lead to indirect we can improve this process and the discussions on the issues and threats impacts such as a decrease in water supply packaging, the kernels can be a very good related to NTFPs and managing forests. and quality, which in turn will lead to an product for export.” (Source: Voices from the Forest, 15, increase in water-related diseases, In an important development for the September 2008.) especially water-borne diseases following export potential of dried baobab fruit, the extreme rainfall. (Source: CIFOR News 46, EU has recently categorized it as a novel FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: November 2008.) food (see Non-Wood News 18), opening up a Non-Timber Forest Products Exchange whole new export market. “And the baobab Programme for South and , is prominent throughout Africa, so this 92-A Masikap Extension, Barangay Central, HOPE FOR AFRICA product can be very valuable for poor Diliman, Quezon City 1100, Philippines. %IN BAOBAB African farmers.” (Source: Resource Fax: +63 2-426 2757; e-mail: Weekly for Wageningen UR, 29 January [email protected]; www.ntfp.org The baobab tree produces fruit that is rich in 2009.) vitamin C, antioxidants and minerals. “The pulp of the fruit has the most vitamin C of all FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: the natural foods in the world,” says Flora Flora Chadare, Bomenweg 2, 6703HD, Chadare in Critical Reviews in Food Science Wageningen, Netherlands. Fax: +31 317 483669; and Nutrition. “The baobab is a very rich e-mail: [email protected]/ tree. Its edible products are the fruit pulp, the seed and kernels, and the leaves.” Chadare carried out a literature study of JAPAN’S DENSO the macro- and micronutrients, amino acids %DEVELOPS “ORGANIC” and fatty acids in the pulp, leaves, seeds and RADIATOR TANK kernels of the baobab tree. “The pulp has a high antioxidant level as well as a lot of Denso says it has developed a plant- FORESTS, HUMAN vitamin C, and the link between these is also derived resin radiator tank using an organic HEALTH AND THE strong. The leaves have a high mineral compound derived from the castor oil tree % IMPACTS OF CLIMATE content, mainly calcium and iron. They also (Ricinus communis). The company says it CHANGE contain antioxidants. Baobab seeds and will start mass-producing this new product kernels are oily and fatty.” Chadare found in the spring of 2009 for vehicles sold The World Health Organization dedicated very varied results in the literature, probably worldwide. the focus of this year’s World Health Day, because several different measuring The plant-derived resin, which Denso on 14 April 2008, to “Protecting health from methods were used, and because the origin jointly developed with DuPont Kabushiki the adverse effects of climate change”. of the samples was variable. No conclusions Kaisha, is produced by a chemical reaction Although one may not readily see a can yet be drawn about biological variation between two organic compounds that are connection between climate change and either. Chadare’s follow-up research looks derived from the castor oil tree and health, the two are inextricably linked. into how available and digestible the petroleum. An additive, such as glass fibre, Studies from around the world, including minerals in the leaves are. is then added to the substance to produce those by Carol Colfer of the Center for Chadare was recently awarded a grant by the resin. The plant-derived ingredient International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the Storm-van der Chijs Fund for promoting comprises about 40 percent of the demonstrate that climate and weather the careers of women scientists at ecofriendly resin. have a powerful impact on human life and Wageningen UR. But her interest goes Since engine compartment components, health, especially the health of vulnerable beyond the nutritional value of baobab such as the radiator tank, need to be forest-dependent people. products. She has already published articles extremely heat resistant and durable, it However, according to CIFOR scientist about the various baobab food products was previously difficult to develop a resin Patricia Shanley, who has spent over five processed by the people of Benin. “For with a high percentage of plant-derived years studying the complex relationship example, they use fermented foods that are ingredients. between forests and health, “at present, unknown in the literature. People in Benin Denso says that, compared with people living in forests deal with much also use the fresh leaves, which are only conventional products, the new radiator

more immediate problems than climate available during the rainy season, to make a tank releases fewer carbon dioxide (CO2) change, like children dying of dysentery sauce. The leaves are slimy, just like okra. emissions into the atmosphere during its and malaria and other diseases caused by In dried powder form, the leaves are eaten life cycle because it is partially made from the indirect effects of forest degradation. in the dry season as well. The baobab fruit is material extracted from plants, which

Add to this the fact that many of their eaten too, and the surplus is often sold at absorb CO2 through the photosynthesis medicinal plants and other Non-Timber the market.” process. Forest Products (NTFPs) are being There are some problems to be The new product also helps conserve oil destroyed through logging.” addressed, as Chadare explains: “The and has a cold weather advantage, Denso Climate change is likely to exacerbate kernels are good for selling and eating, but says. (Source: just-auto.com [Japan], these problems by influencing the it is difficult to get them out of the seeds, so 20 February 2009.)

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% NWFPS – A GLOBAL pluvial tropical del mundo: la cuenca del NWFPS IN EUROPE PERSPECTIVE Amazonas. Europe, consisting of 48 countries and La mayoría de los PFNM de la región areas, accounts for about 17 percent of NWFPS IN NORTH AMERICA se destinan a un uso de subsistencia global land area but has one-quarter of The North America region, consisting of local, aunque algunos se venden en the world’s forest resources, three countries and two areas, has mercados nacionales e internacionales approximately 1 billion ha, of which 7 percent of the world’s population, como ingredientes para productos 81 percent is in the Russian Federation. 16 percent of its land area and sanitarios y de cuidado personal y de Europe has a long tradition of multiple- 17 percent of its forest area (677 million fármacos. La nuez del Brasil use forest management with substantial ha). About one-third of the region’s land (Bertholletia excelsa) constituye una emphasis on the provision of social and area is forested. The highly varied climate notable fuente de ingresos para los environmental services. conditions create great diversity in forest grupos indígenas de Bolivia, el Brasil y Although not a major activity in ecosystems, ranging from humid tropical Perú y es, asimismo, el PFNM comercial Europe, the collection of NWFPs is a to boreal. Some of the world’s most más importante: la cadena de common form of recreation. Key productive forests are found in this region. suministro proporciona empleo directo commercial products include Christmas Rural communities in Mexico depend a 15 000 personas. Este producto trees, game meat, cork, mushrooms on NWFPs for subsistence and income, representa el 45 % de las exportaciones (including truffles), honey, nuts and although their use is declining rapidly de Bolivia relacionadas con el bosque, berries. Most of these have limited but because of urbanization, changes in porcentaje superior al de todos los well-established (and sometimes highly employment and availability of cheaper productos madereros, y contribuye en profitable) markets. Two recent alternatives. más de 70 millones de USD anuales a la developments include a decline in the NWFP harvesting in Canada and the economía nacional. viability of cork production (because of United States of America typically takes Con el objeto de reducir los substitutes) and increased interest in place as part of forest recreation and conflictos entre las comunidades food from forests as part of the growing cultural traditions, and it is increasing. indígenas dependientes de los PFNM y consumer demand for organic products. Production of the few economically los explotadores madereros y los As with wood, European producers important NWFPs with long-established ganaderos del Amazonas, el Brasil ha and forest managers have continuously markets – notably maple syrup and creado reservas extractivas para la adapted their practices to take advantage Christmas trees – is highly recolección exclusiva de PFNM. Este of the changing market conditions. For commercialized. Both markets have been modelo, que concede derechos a largo example, cork producers have improved stable since 1994 and are expected to plazo en bosques públicos a grupos marketing and introduced stricter quality remain so. Canada accounts for dedicados a actividades sostenibles, se controls, standards and certification to 85 percent of the world’s maple syrup está extendiendo en toda la región. Las compete against substitutes. Producers of production and the United States iniciativas apoyadas por las forest food products in Eastern Europe produces the rest. Canada produced organizaciones de la sociedad civil y los have taken advantage of low labour costs 3.2 million Christmas trees in 2005. gobiernos han mejorado la recolección to serve the niche market for organic Markets for herbal products, including de los PFNM, la agregación de valor y la foods. In Western Europe, forest managers forest medicinal plants, are expanding as comercialización, con el respaldo de las are earning income from NWFPs, for society becomes increasingly health organizaciones de certificación y de example through permits for recreational conscious. Large pharmaceutical comercio justo. collection of mushrooms or sale of companies are investing in the Se prevé que, a medida que las Christmas trees. (Source: State of the production and marketing of herbal economías crezcan y se urbanicen, y se World’s Forests 2009.) plant products, which have become a disponga de oportunidades de multibillion-dollar industry in the United producción de ingresos más lucrativas, PFNL EN AFRIQUE States. (Source: State of the World’s disminuya la dependencia de los PFNM Le continent africain, composé de 58 pays Forests 2009.) para la subsistencia. La elaboración y la et zones, possède des écosystèmes très comercialización de productos que ya diversifiés. Il regroupe 14 pour cent de la PFNM EN AMÉRICA LATINA son bien conocidos mejorarán. Las population mondiale. Les forêts en Afrique La región de América Latina y el Caribe, cadenas de valor locales serán couvrent 645 millions d’hectares, soit 21,4 formada por 47 países y áreas, contiene sustituidas en gran medida por cadenas pour cent de la surface totale des terres. el 22 % de la superficie forestal nacionales y mundiales, con frecuencia Les forêts du bassin du Congo constituent mundial, el 14 % de la superficie de asistidas por iniciativas de comercio le deuxième massif forestier tropical du tierra global y el 7 % de la población justo y de etiquetado orgánico. (Fuente: monde. del mundo. En esta región se encuentra Situación de los Bosques del Mundo Les PFNL africains (gommes et résines, el mayor bloque continuo de bosque 2009.) miel sauvage et cire d’abeille, teintures et

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 19 July 2009 SPECIALNEWS AND FEATURES NOTES 19

tanins, bambou et rotin, gibier, fourrages systematically developed with private- et un nombre important de plantes sector involvement. Lebanon’s privately médicinales) sont largement utilisés owned pine (Pinus pinea) plantations are comme produits de subsistance ou managed primarily for nut production. échangés de manière informelle. Leur The production and processing of, and contribution aux moyens d’existence et trade in, bay leaves from Turkey have leur importance au niveau local dépassent improved largely because of private- de loin ce qui peut être déduit des sector investments. statistiques officielles. No major changes are expected in the Du fait du renforcement des possibilités pattern of NWFP use. The main de commerce local, régional et challenge will be to improve the international, des changements production and value addition of less considérables se produisent dans le secteur commercialized products, to develop des PFNL en Afrique. Les Gouvernements markets and, thus, to enhance income africains multiplient les politiques et les opportunities for low-income lois en vue de formaliser des chaînes de households. (Source: State of the World’s valeur de ces produits. Il est important de Forests 2009.) noter l’émergence de marchés d’«alimentation ethnique», de plantes NWFPS IN WESTERN NWFPS IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC médicinales et de produits naturels ou AND CENTRAL ASIA The Asia and the Pacific region, biologiques, comme le miel, la cire Western and Central Asia, consisting of consisting of 47 countries and areas, is d’abeille et le beurre de karité. Plusieurs 25 countries and areas, is the least home to more than half of the world’s produits échangés aux niveaux national et forested region in the world, with only population and has some of the most international couvrent à la fois les secteurs 4 percent forest cover (1.1 percent of the densely populated countries in the formel et informel. Les activités de récolte global forest area). A few countries world. It has 18.6 percent of the world’s des produits sauvages, par exemple, font account for most of the forest area; forest area in a wide array of ecosystems, partie du secteur informel, tandis que leur 19 countries have less than 10 percent including tropical and temperate forests, transformation et leur vente s’inscrivent forest cover. About 75 percent of the coastal mangroves, mountains and dans le secteur formel. region is arid, with low biomass deserts. Rapid socio-economic changes in Compte tenu du large éventail des productivity. Vegetation ranges from the region are having profound impacts produits et de leurs utilisations finales, il desert scrub in Central Asia and the on all sectors, including forestry. While est difficile de faire des prévisions Arabian Peninsula to pockets of wood products demand is increasing, so applicables aux différents cas, mais on mangrove forests on the Persian Gulf is the demand for environmental services peut anticiper: coast and alpine meadows in Central of forests. • une consommation de subsistance de la Asia. In view of the low forest cover, NWFPs from the region are diverse – majeure partie des produits, trees outside forests, especially on farms food, medicines, fibres, gums, resins, accompagnée d’une attention and in other wooded land, have cosmetics and handicrafts. Most are used insuffisante accordée à la gestion des important productive and protective for subsistence, collected and consumed ressources; functions. locally or traded in limited quantities. • une surexploitation et un épuisement de As in other regions, the pattern of More than 150 NWFPs from Asia and the certaines ressources forestières sauvages NWFP use consists of many subsistence Pacific are traded internationally, récoltées à des fins commerciales; products and a few commercially although apart from bamboo and rattan • une pression supplémentaire exercée sur important ones, many of which are the quantities are usually small. les ressources en gibier, due à domesticated and cultivated Increasing interest in “natural products”, l’augmentation de la population; systematically. Subsistence use of and owing to their perceived health and • une domestication, une culture et une trade in NWFPs are particularly environmental benefits, is drawing transformation commerciales d’un petit significant for low-income rural attention to the multitude of NWFPs nombre de produits par des communities. In many countries, NWFPs commonly used by local communities. entrepreneurs ou des communautés provide more income than wood The consumption of many subsistence locales; production. NWFPs is likely to fall in the long term • une demande croissante émanant des Commercial products include honey, because of: marchés de niche pour des produits mushrooms, medicinal plants, pine nuts, • declining supply from the wild, largely certifiés et des produits du commerce walnuts, pistachio nuts, bay leaves, because of reduction in forest cover équitable. thyme and fodder. In the more and poor management; (Source: Situation des forêts du monde diversified economies, commercially • development of synthetic materials and 2009.) important NWFPs have been their substitution for NWFPs as a result

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 19 July 2009 20 SPECIALNEWS AND FEATURES NOTES

of increasing incomes and consumer wild stock. Products from open-access products. Cultivation of medicinal plants access; public forests are particularly vulnerable. on farms and in home gardens, often • the decreasing attractiveness of NWFP In many cases, collection and trade are with technical and financial support from collection relative to more remunerative informal, offering minimal financial pharmaceutical companies, is becoming and less arduous occupations available benefits to collectors. popular. As with most cultivated crops, when incomes rise. Declining supply from the wild has led periodic demand-supply imbalances Several NWFPs – especially medicinal to substantial investment in the create challenges for organized plants – have been commercialized and domestication of some NWFP resources. cultivation of NWFPs. (Source: State of are traded nationally and globally. Bamboo, rattan and several medicinal the World’s Forests 2009.) Increasing demand has led to their plants are grown on a large scale and, (Please see page 73 for more intensive collection and to depletion of thus, have largely ceased to be forest information.)

NON-PROFIT negotiation with indigenous people; and The University of Minnesota's Eco-Palms % ORGANIZATIONS create a model for future protection and programme ensures that the leaves were AND NGOS development. harvested in Mexico and Guatemala in an environmentally sensitive manner by ApiTrade Africa FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: workers getting paid a fair price and ApiTrade Africa is a non-profit-making, Asociación ANDES, Calle Ruinas 451, organizers say they are getting more orders member-based company with a Casilla Postal Nº 567, Cusco, Peru. than ever. Secretariat in Kampala, Uganda, and has Fax: 51-84-232603; e-mail: The project grew from a 2001 study on the the aim of promoting African bee products [email protected]; www.andes.org.pe/ effects of the North American Free Trade on the world market. Agreement (NAFTA) to a 2005 pilot project Le Centre de développement des forêts that today has become a US$4.5 million FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: communautaires au Cameroun business. ApiTrade Africa/Uganda Export Promotion Le Centre de développement des forêts The project makes sure that workers get a Board, 5th Floor, Conrad Plaza, Plot 22, communautaires, CeDeFCom, est une better wage for picking only the highest- Entebbe Road, PO Box 5045, Kampala, Uganda. organisation non gouvernementale (ONG) quality fronds from palm trees growing wild E-mail: [email protected]; à but non lucratif. Basé au Cameroun, il in the rain forests of northern Guatemala and www.apitradeafrica.org travaille dans le domaine de la southern Mexico's Chiapas state, a practice conservation des écosystèmes forestiers that allows the plants to continue growing. The Association for Nature and et de la faune sauvage. Créé en 1998, il a And communities also benefit through an Sustainable Development (ANDES), Peru été reconnu officiellement en 2001. annual rebate. The programme this year, for ANDES is an indigenous NGO that seeks to Le Centre vise la promotion des example, will send about $32 000 to ten defend indigenous rights to genetic initiatives locales de développement en communities in Guatemala. Money in the resources, traditional knowledge and harmonie avec la nature, c'est-à-dire leur past has been used for scholarships for girls landscape character in Peru. It was organisation et leur consolidation en vue and to supplement teacher salaries. (Source: established in 1995 with volunteer staff de mettre en place des communautés Associated Press in wcco.com [United States and no funding, and has grown villageoises fières de leur existence dans of America], 3 April 2009.) considerably over the years. It now works un environnement aimé et protégé. with 39 indigenous rural communities, many of which live in conditions of poverty POUR PLUS D’INFORMATIONS, CONTACTER: PHOTOVOICES: NEW WAY or extreme poverty. Atangana Enama Barthélemy Léopold, % TO SHARE TRADITIONAL The association has successfully Coordonnateur des programmes, CeDeFCom, KNOWLEDGE bridged traditional Quechua principles B.P. 379, Mbalmayo, Cameroun. with modern organizational models to Courriel: [email protected] Photovoices provides cameras and training assert indigenous rights to heritage in on the basics of good photography to practical terms by establishing a new form indigenous people, many of whom cannot of protected areas known as Indigenous PALM FRONDS: read or write. Each project lasts from six Biocultural Heritage Areas (IBCHAs). % FAIR TRADE AND months to a year. Facilitators, fluent in These are locally and sustainably ECOFRIENDLY local languages and dialects, are assigned managed through community to visit the villagers each month to associations; form the basis for local This weekend about 2 500 congregations document the stories behind the photos on enterprise (agricultural and cultural from every major denomination will use a computer. The information is then given ecotourism); involve and benefit fair-trade palm fronds in their annual to scientists and government leaders. marginalized groups; unite communities; celebration of Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem (Source: The New Straits Times [], encourage participation by and in the days before his crucifixion. 17 March 2009.)

NON-WOOD NEWS No. 19 July 2009 SPECIALNEWS AND FEATURES NOTES 21

traceability of goods and finances and The marketing of FairWild certified documented fair-trading practices. ingredients and finished products will benefit A few wild harvest enterprises, from companies that support ecological and social Europe to Central Asia, have achieved the best practice throughout the supply chain from minimum entrance criteria for FairWild processors and wholesale ingredient certification, meeting the fair-trade distribution companies to finished product requirements for the social certification marketers and manufacturers, finished component and organic wild-crop product distributors and retailers of certified certification as the minimum indicator for products. the ecological component. As a result, The FairWild Foundation is looking for certified finished herbal products should partners among businesses, governmental begin to appear in the European and North and non-governmental organizations. SUSTAINABILITY American markets by late 2009. These initial (Contributed by: Anastasiya Timoshyna, STANDARDS IN WILD products will be certified on the basis of Medicinal Plants Officer, TRAFFIC %PLANTS HARVESTING – meeting fair-trade and organic wild Europe – Central Eastern Project Office, FAIRWILD AND ISSC-MAP requirements. As the checklist for ISSC-MAP c/o WWF Hungary, Álmos vezér útja 69/A, compliance is still under development, this 1141 Budapest, Hungary. Two sustainability standards specialized in module will be gradually implemented in a E-mail: [email protected]) wild harvesting of plants – the FairWild (FW) stepwise approach over a few years. Standard and the International Standard for Countries in which the FairWild and ISSC- FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Sustainable Wild Collection of Medicinal and MAP Standards are currently being FairWild Foundation, Secretariat, Aromatic Plants (ISSC-MAP) – recently implemented include, among others, WWF Germany, Rebstöckerstr. 55, D-60326 merged into one enterprise, offering a Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Frankfurt/M, Germany. E-mail:[email protected]; comprehensive framework for ecological, , France, India, Lesotho, Macedonia, www.FairWild.org social and economic certification of products Nepal, South Africa and Uzbekistan. and guidelines on sustainable resource use Some of the key plant species include for governments, intergovernmental liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), THE ROLE OF organizations (IGOs), NGOs and a wide range ( ovoideum), cinnamon NWFPS AND FORESTS of other stakeholders. (Cinnamomum cambodianum), kutki %IN IMPROVING Joint implementation of FW and ISSC- (Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora), chiraito AND SUSTAINING MAP addresses overall sustainability (Swertia chirayita), jhula (Parmelia spp.), LIVELIHOODS requirements in a more efficient manner Ailanthus triphys, puxuri (Licaria puchury- than any of the other existing standards. In major), buriti (Mauritia flexuosa), preciosa Forests sustain livelihoods October 2008, at the IV IUCN World (Aniba canelilla), andiroba (Carapa Forests play an important role in the Conservation Congress in Barcelona, Spain, guianensis), andirobinha (Carapa procera), livelihoods and welfare of a vast number of an agreement was signed between the four Pelargonium sidoides and wild garlic people in both developed and developing founding institutions of ISSC-MAP to endorse (Allium ursinum). countries – from urban citizens taking a global implementation of the standard The FairWild Foundation hopes that the recreational stroll in a nearby forest to isolated through the newly established FairWild major beneficiaries from the application of hunter-gatherers who live in and off the forest. Foundation. The German Federal Agency for the standards will be the wild collection The World Bank has estimated that Nature Conservation (BfN), the Medicinal communities, which will be supported and 1.6 billion people around the world depend to Plant Specialist Group (MPSG) of the rewarded for implementing these sustainable some degree on forests for their livelihoods. International Union for Conservation of collection practices in partnership with their Although only an estimate, this clearly Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission trade partners up through the supply chain. indicates that forest dependency is (SSC), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF widespread. In developing countries, it is Germany), Swiss Import Promotion projected that a large number of people will Programme (SIPPO), Forum Essenzia e.V. remain at or below the poverty level. In relation and the Institute for Marketecology (IMO) are to forests, this raises the question of whether among the organizations involved in activities forested areas can play a role in poverty of standards development since inception. alleviation. While ISSC-MAP is primarily an ecological A livelihood involves income-generating sustainability standard with supporting activities determined by natural, social, elements of economic and social human, financial and physical assets and sustainability, the FairWild Standard is access to these. Trees, shrubs, herbs, game primarily a social standard with supporting and a wide range of other forest products all elements of ecological and economic constitute important natural assets that are sustainability. Certification is based on harvested in significant quantities by a large resource assessment, the management number of households across virtually all plan, sustainable collecting practices, cost forest types. Such assets therefore make an calculation along the supply chain, Glycyrrhiza glabra important contribution to livelihoods.

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Examples are numerous. Forest- and escape poverty. However, by way of The role of NWFPs in improving rural harvested fuelwood is an important source contrast, figures from Madagascar show livelihoods of household energy for heating and that areas there with high forest cover have NWFPs play many different roles in cooking in many countries. NTFPs, such as low densities of people but high poverty supporting the rural economy by bushmeat, are important to help meet rates. contributing to subsistence food security; dietary deficits and are a vital source of The World Bank and FAO have urged that nutrition; medicine; generation of additional protein. Medicinal plants from the forest, forests can and must play a far greater role employment and income; supply of raw used in self-medication or in traditional in meeting the United Nations Millennium materials; opportunities for processing medicine systems, are in many regions the Development Goals, including the target of enterprises; foreign exchange earnings; and sole or main source of medicinal remedies halving extreme poverty by 2015. There are the support of biodiversity conservation and for maintaining or improving health. Small- also international initiatives aimed at other environmental objectives. scale forest product processing, such as improving our understanding of the relation In addition, the activities related to the wood carvings or cane furniture, may be an between forests and livelihoods and the collection and primary processing of NWFPs important source of non-farm employment. impact of policies on such relations, represent opportunities for rural women to Even though forests are often very including the Poverty and Environment engage in income-generating activities. The important to households, there is Network, the Programme on Forests and degree of processing and value addition surprisingly little knowledge on the actual the International Forestry Resources and varies greatly between NWFPs, and while level of household forest income and the Institutions research programme. trade in some products is largely confined to role of such income in maintaining Being able not only to harvest forest regional markets, others are successfully livelihoods. Households typically use forest products but also to transport and sell such traded internationally. products for subsistence purposes or products is important for hundreds of Over the past 20 years, there has been a products are traded in informal markets. thousands of households in order to exploit rapid growth of interest in NWFPs among Much forest use is therefore not recorded the benefits of the forest fully. However, both conservation and development in regular income surveys. However, legislation often discriminates against small organizations. This is the result of available evidence indicates that income forest users, typically by heavily regulating increased recognition of the contribution derived from the forest may constitute their access rights. It also often gives that these goods make to the livelihoods of 20 percent or more of total household preferential treatment to influential large numbers of people in developing income, with the poor being the most companies and organizations and promotes countries; however, this potential dependent on forests. corruption. Such is the case in Honduras contribution is not always realized. There is evidence that forests are often where local communities cannot gain When thinking about the contribution of of particular importance for women, secure rights to the forests in which they live NWFP activities to reduce poverty and children and ethnic minorities. For while common, systematic and high-level vulnerability, and stimulate rural instance, forest foods are crucial for many corruption has characterized the workings development, three different NWFP-use children and the involvement of women in of the timber industry. There is thus scope strategies have been identified. They NTFP collection and trade improves for increasing the contribution of forests to highlight the fact that people may use intrahousehold equity. There are also poverty prevention and reduction. NWFPs in different ways at different times, studies indicating that richer households Building upon the emerging evidence of or that the same NWFP may provide a may be highly forest dependent – although the absolute and relative importance of safety net for some and a stepping stone such dependence relates to other sets of forests and forest products for livelihoods, for others. products than those extracted by poor governments and other development bodies The three categories of NWFP activity with households. For instance, fuelwood and the should take action to make policy reforms in regard to poverty reduction are the following. use of dung have been found to decrease as negotiation with small-scale forest users in 1) Safety nets to prevent people from falling income rises in India, while fodder and the order to create conducive production into greater poverty by reducing their use of wood for construction increase. conditions, including securing ownership vulnerability to risk. These are particularly The evidence regarding the role of and rights use; and revise legislation in important in times of crisis and unusual forests in allowing households to move out order to remove bias against household- need (e.g. during natural disasters, such of poverty is scant and mixed; there are level producers and supporting small-scale as drought or family illness). examples such as the above study from commercial units, including community- 2) Gap-filling activities, carried out regularly India indicating that income from forests based forestry. Such initiatives would allow during the non-agricultural season, allows households to accumulate assets households to use forests actively, enabling allowing for income spread and generally them to build up their assets and improve making poverty more bearable through their livelihoods. (Source: Vital Forest improved nutrition or higher income. Graphics, 2009.) There is a large body of evidence suggesting that, although many NWFP- FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: based activities generate only small Director, Division of Early Warning and amounts of income, the timing of this Assessment, United Nations Environment income during the non-agricultural Programme, PO Box 30552, 00100 Nairobi, season may increase its relative Kenya. Fax: +254 20 7623943; e-mail: importance. Such seasonal income can [email protected]; www.unep.org play a key role in reducing the vulnerability

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of the poor through a decrease in the Tulsi is one of the best plants to purify expertise and financial resources to variance of their annual revenue. the environment. It cleanses as it releases demarcate and enforce community rights. 3) Stepping-stone activities to reduce high amounts of oxygen, which minimizes Are there any reasons for optimism? poverty. Where these can permanently lift the adverse impact of industrial and Sunderlin says yes. Countries ranging from people out of poverty, the activity is refinery emission. Angola to the Bolivarian Republic of termed poverty removal or elimination. It (Source: The Hindu, 5 February 2009.) Venezuela have made changes in law and is only in areas that are well integrated policy to facilitate recognition of indigenous, into the cash economy that some NWFP customary and community rights to forest producers are able to pursue a specialized WHO OWNS THE WORLD’S lands. These recent developments could set strategy in which the NWFP contributes % FORESTS? the stage for accelerated tenure transitions more than 50 percent of total household in the near future. In addition, rising income and collectors and producers tend Who owns the world’s forests? When Andy interest in Reducing Emissions from to be better off than their peers. White and Alejandra Martin posed and Deforestation and Forest Degradation Likewise, three household economic answered this question in their 2002 report (REDD) will put a new premium on strategies have been identified with regard to by the same name, they found that clarifying forest-related property rights. NWFP activities, based roughly on the level 77 percent of forests worldwide were But unless the pace of change is of integration into the cash economy and the administered by governments. The good quickened and extended to more countries, proportion of household income contributed news was that the forested area owned and it could take decades to shift the global by the NWFP. They are the following. designated for use by local communities balance of forest ownership from 1) Coping strategies. Households wild harvest and indigenous peoples was rising. governments to rural people. Translating a large number of NWFPs from William Sunderlin and colleagues have rights on paper into control over what unmanaged or lightly managed forests and, now updated the numbers in their report, happens on the ground is an equally in most cases, resources are in decline. From exclusion to ownership? Challenges daunting challenge, and one that will 2) Diversified strategies. Households use and opportunities in advancing forest depend on sustained commitment from NWFP-generated income as additional tenure reform. Their findings are sobering potential beneficiaries, governments and income, earning the bulk of their income for those who hoped to see an upsurge in the international community. from agriculture or non-farm sources. community control over forests. Sunderlin 3) Specialized strategies. Households et al. found that only a few of the 30 most FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: following these strategies tend to get forested countries in the tropics had made William Sunderlin, Senior Scientist in the better production per hectare of NWFPs, significant changes in forest tenure since Policy and Social Sciences Division, command higher prices for their the 2002 study. Most are in Latin America. Center for International Forestry Research products, have higher household incomes Brazil alone is responsible for much of (CIFOR), PO Box 6596, JKPWB, Jakarta and are the most integrated into the cash the global progress, with an increase of 10065, . Fax: 62 251 622 100; economy. 56 percent in the forest area designated for e-mail: [email protected]; Thus, there is a need for those involved in use or owned by communities and www.rightsandresources.org/documents/ and supporting NWFP activities to be both indigenous peoples. Peru and the files/doc_736.pdf p realistic about objectives and outcomes, and Plurinational State of Bolivia recorded clear and methodical about how the social significant increases. Colombia also posted and ecological impacts will be monitored and a small increase. In Africa, communities managed. (Source: Elaine Marshall and made small gains in the United Republic of Cherukat Chandrasekharan. 2009. Non-farm Tanzania, the Sudan and Cameroon. But income from non-wood forest products. Zambia and the countries of the Congo Diversification booklet 12. Rural Basin registered virtually no change at all. Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division. In Asia, India added more than 5 million ha Rome, FAO.) to the forested area designated for use by (See also pages 30 and 73 for more communities and indigenous peoples. information.) Indonesia recorded no gains. Even in the few countries that have reformed forest tenure, the granting of TULSI TO “INSULATE” rights has not guaranteed their realization. %THE TAJ MAHAL In Peru, for example, the Government has allocated forested areas for oil, gas and Tulsi, the well-known medicinal herb mining exploration in violation of indigenous Knowledge is power. Information is Ocimum sanctum (also known as holy land titles in the Amazon. In Brazil, the liberating. Education is the premise of basil), will now help to protect the Taj Government has failed to prevent illegal progress, in every society, in every Mahal from environmental pollution. One incursions into extractive reserves by family. million tulsi saplings will be planted near loggers, ranchers and miners. Even when the marble mausoleum by the Uttar there is a will to recognize rights, there is Kofi Annan Pradesh Forest Department and the not necessarily a way: meaningful tenure Lucknow-based Organic India. reform requires administrative capacity,

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