No. 01/03
Welcome to FAO's NWFP-Digest-L a free e-mail journal that covers all aspects of non-wood forest products.A special thank you to all those who have shared information with us.
1. NWFP E-Discussion2. 2002-2003 Kleinhans Fellowship, RainforestAlliance: Research in Tropical Non-Timber Forest Products - Extensionof deadline
3. Canada: NTFPs: Economic Development WhileSustaining Our Northern Forests
4. Brazil: Craft goods made from buriti: the newhope for sustainable development
5. Brazil: Soap made in Maranhao achieves successin the USA
6. Senegal: Popenguine - Women Join Hands toRevive a Community Resource
7. BASA loans for craft goods and communitytourism
8. Ghana: Farmers Asked to Protect Ecology forTourism
9. Ghana: 14 Eco-Tourism Sites
10. Namibia: Integrated Rural Development andNature Conservation (IRDNC)
11. Uganda: Dutch Spark Off Moringa Bid
12. Sector Network "Rural Development inSub-Saharan Africa"
13. 2003 International Training Courses fromTREES (Training Center for Tropical Resources and EcosystemsSustainability)
14. India: A New Centre for Medicinal PlantsConservation and Research
15. India: Cultivation and Marketing ofMedicinal Plants
16. Nepal: Nepalese Forestry e-group
17. Indonesia: The Indonesian NatureConservation newsLetter
18. The PLANTS Database
19. Web sites
20. Events
21. Papers on Traditional Knowledge
22. Funding Sources World Wide
23. Growing at-risk medicinal herbs
24. Other publications of interest
25. Request for information - charges forpicking NWFPs
1. NWFP E-Discussion
From: James Chamberlain[[email protected]]
If you are interested in Non Wood Forest Products (NWFP) also known asNon-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), which include medicinal, edible(plant and animal), floral, and craft products, then thise-consultation is for you.
This e-consultation is part of the preparatory process towards a sideevent on Non-Wood Forest Products to be held at the XII World ForestryCongress (www.wfc2003.org) inQuebec on 20 September 2003, and is jointly organized and facilitatedby IUFRO, CIFOR and FAO. (See Digest 12/02 for moreinformation.)
The side event will be a full day meeting which offers excellentopportunities to discuss and take stock of lessons learned in thefield of NWFP and to prepare a set of policy recommendations onimproving research and development programmes related to NWFP forsubmission to the WFC itself, that is from 21 to 28 September 2003.More information on the NWFP side event is available at: www.fao.org/forestry/FOP/FOPW/NWFP/new/nwfp.htm < http://www.fao.org/forestry/FOP/FOPW/NWFP/new/nwfp.htm>
In case you may not be able to join the WFC or the NWFP side event,then this e-consultation is your opportunity to `participatevirtually' and contribute by sharing your views and inputs.
To `kick-off' the consultation, please go the website: www.sfp.forprod.vt.edu/discussion/ < http://www.sfp.forprod.vt.edu/discussion/> andclick on the scroll down window on the left-hand-side of the screen.This will take you to the e-discussion web-page. Once there, make sureto read the introduction and instructions. Then, you are ready toparticipate.
To participate all you need to do is to submit and interject yourideas, concerns and other thoughts. We are hoping for a free flow ofideas, suggestions and recommendations that crosses geographic andpolitical boundaries. The process is intended to be transparent so youwill be able to monitor past inputs. Feel free to participate in allof the discussion groups, but be careful about the information in thesubject line. Messages are threaded and sorted by subject line.
We believe that you have tremendous experience and knowledge that canprove invaluable in developing these themes. All participants will berecognized for their contributions, and please email your messages inEnglish, French or Spanish. We will do our best to have messagestranslated for all to read.
We look forward to a lively discussion.
Jim Chamberlain (IUFRO)
Paul Vantomme (FAO)
Brian Belcher (CIFOR)
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Jim Chamberlain, Non-Timber Forest Products ResearchTechnologist
US Forest Service, Southern Research Station
Coordinator, IUFRO Research Group 5.11 (Non-wood Forest Products)
1650 Ramble Road
Blacksburg, VA 24060
Tel. 540-231-3611
Fax. 540-231-1383
email [email protected]
URL < http://www.sfp.forprod.vt.edu>
< http://iufro.boku.ac.at/iufro/iufronet/d5/hp51100.htm>
2. 2002-2003 Kleinhans Fellowship,Rainforest Alliance: Research in Tropical Non-Timber Forest Products -Extension of deadline
From: Deanna Newsom[[email protected]]
The Rainforest Alliance will be accepting applications for theKleinhans fellowship until 31 January 2003. This fellowship provides$15,000/year for 2 years to one individual conducting research tobetter understand and improve the impacts of non-timber forest product(NTFP) harvest and marketing on rural livelihoods and tropical forestecosystems. The fellowship area is restricted to Latin America.Applicants should have at least a master's degree in forestry,ecology, botany, environmental science or an appropriate relatedfield. For more information about the fellowship including applicationguidelines, please consult our webpage:www.rainforest-alliance.org/programs/research/kleinhans.html.
Fellowship proposals should be submitted to [email protected].
Application deadline: 31 January 2003.
For more information, please contact:
Deanna Newsom
TREES Program Associate
Rainforest Alliance
Goodwin-Baker Building
65 Millet Street, Suite 201
Richmond, VT 05477, USA
Tel +1-(802) 434-5491 x 119
Fax +1(802) 434-3116
3. Canada: NTFPs: Economic DevelopmentWhile Sustaining Our Northern Forests
Source: Taiga Rescue Network mailto:[email protected]
A fact sheet "Non-Timber Forest Products: Economic Development While Sustaining Our Northern Forests" has been produced by the Saskatchewan Environmental Society. Below is a portion of the introduction.
"Northern Saskatchewan is going through a profound and importantperiod of change. First Nations, Metis, non-aboriginal residents,forest and mining companies and different levels of government areattempting to balance values that often conflict, while mapping outtheir economic futures. The timber-based forest industry iscyclical, often facing economic instability and there arewell-documented environmental concerns about the widespreadclear-cutting of our forests. Mechanization of forestry means fewerjobs as more trees are cut down. More and more of the mills andmanufacturing plants are located in larger centres outside theforest, leaving only seasonal jobs for forest communities.
Now, more than ever, it is time to seriously consider generatingforest-based economic development in northern areas that provideslong-term economic, community and environmental sustainability.Currently in Saskatchewan, the forestry industry is limited torelatively few timber-based primary products. By diversifying theeconomy in our northern forests, we can better achieve sustainableeconomic development.
The importance of the harvest of non-timber forest products and thecreation of value-added products to economic diversification isevident. The gathering of non-timber forest products has culturaland spiritual values and connections to the forest that cannot beexcluded from forest policy.
For Aboriginal Peoples, these values are part of the roots of notonly a stable community, but of a culture. Historically, forestrydevelopment has taken place on traditional Aboriginal land withoutAboriginal involvement. The forestry industry has been dominated bylarge, multi-national, non-aboriginal owned companies. The NationalAboriginal Forestry Association (NAFA) has found that while 80% ofAboriginal communities in Canada are in forested areas, fewforest-based businesses are owned by Aboriginal people. NAFA hasalso concluded that there are many obstacles for Aboriginal peoplebecoming involved in the forestry industry, which include:institutional, cultural and economic barriers."
The full pdf version of the fact sheet is available at http://www.lights.com/ses/non-timber.html
For more information, please contact:
Taiga Rescue Network
Box 116, Ajtte, Jokkmokk
Sweden, S-962 23
Tel: +46-971-17039 Fax: +46-971-12057
Email: [email protected]
www.taigarescue.org
4. Brazil: Craft goods made from buriti:the new hope for sustainable development
Source: Amazon News, 8 January 2003([email protected])
The Colonia Cinco Mill (Brazil) will manufacture furniture and craft goods in buriti. The next four years will be decisive in Acre's sustainable development project. The Governor Jorge Viana has asked the population of Acre to engage themselves in the project. The Colonia Cinco Mill is doing just that, forming a partnership with SEBRAE to manufacture craft goods and furniture from buriti palms.
The project has already attracted attention from potential clients.
The aim ofthe project is to improve the local population's qualityof life. The community is already in the first phase ofproduction: collecting the raw material. The project has been approved bySUFRAMA which will fund it to the tune of R$18,000.
5. Brazil: Soap made in Maranhaoachieves success in the USA
Source: Amazon News, 13 January2003
On the shelves of the English Body Shop and the American PacificSensuals you can find bars of soap made from babaçu oil. Inhand-made packaging, they hide one of Maranhao''s greatest successstories. They are produced in a tiny factory by the women of Ludovico,a town located 350 kilometres from the capital São Luís.
The small company opened its doors in 1996 with grants fromEuropean NGOs and UNICEF. The production of thisecologically-correct product has increased the income of the localpopulation threefold. Before the company was created, local peoplelived precariously, trading babaçu for rice and beans.
The soap factory has a capacity to produce 12 000 bars/year. It nowexports 10 000 to the Chicago-based company Pacific Sensuals alone.The company uses babaçu nuts that have fallen on the ground.A new municipal law passed in 1996 gave them the right to collectthe nuts regardless of who owns the land on which they are found.
The company is planning to develop other products for exportincluding sweets and organic crystallised fruits.
The co-operative also exports 65 tonnes of oil to the Body Shop.Aveda is another international client.
6. Senegal: Popenguine - Women JoinHands to Revive a Community Resource
Source: allAfrica.com, 14 January2003
Wolimata Thiao is a one-woman, tour de force. She has mobilised thewomen of Popenguine and surrounding villages, north of the Senegalesecapital, Dakar, to reclaim and protect nature. It has not been easy.But Thiao's motto is "Please don't give me anything, just teach me."
Thiao and the other members of the RFPPN (Regroupement des Femmesde Popenguine pour la Protection de la Nature) women's collective,described how they risked their reputations, and even theirmarriages, and were dismissed as crazy and 'lazy women'. The 'lazy'description was because these women were thought to be wasting timeand energy creating a natural reserve for the community, ratherthan concentrating on the normal domestic duties of Senegalesewives and mothers.
But the village women of Popenguine, Popenguine Serere, Kiniabour 1and 2, Guerew, Thiafoura, Soro Hassap and Ndayane persevered andproved their critics and detractors wrong. Slowly, they won overtheir husbands, and other villagers, proving that they couldregenerate and conserve their environment, encourage ecotourism,ensure reforestation and the survival of both flora and fauna - andstill fulfil the housework expected of them.
Now, the women's collective has become a byword for sustainabledevelopment and environmental preservation in Senegal. They calltheir initiative Ker Cupaam (or Keur Thioupam), meaning "ChezMother Cupaam," and named after the protective local spirit. The 1550 women who make up the RFPPN nature protection collective havetoiled to cultivate mangrove swamps around the Somone lagoon,regenerating the flora and coaxing back the water, despitediminishing rainfall. Assisted by wardens sent to Popenguine by theDepartment of National Parks, what ten years ago was in danger ofbecoming a dried out lagoon is now flourishing.
Thiao thrives on adversity and challenges. "It took some doing, butpeople now understand that there is nothing you can do without theenvironment. Nothing. At the beginning it was very difficult,honestly. Now, nothing happens in our villages without the supportof the Ker Cupaam women."
A credit scheme for the women was also set up, 'a revolving creditbank,' as Thiao calls it, where money is lent to women to help themset up their own little businesses and other income-generatingactivities, outside the work of the collective. But the funds arenot available to the men. "Well, the credit system is only for thewomen of the collective, to motivate them. If we start lendingmoney to the men then, who knows?
Ker Cupaam has also run courses, since 2000, and has its ownInternet website, computer and library rooms. Shells, crafts,baskets and other local merchandise made by the women are on saleat the study complex.
For Thiao, sustainable development means "always being consciousthat everything we do will have an effect on our future and on thefuture of our children and grandchildren. That's whatsustainability is all about. It's the action that we take. We mustensure that there is some continuity, supervision and follow up."
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) partly funds theproject.
For full story see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200301140783.html
7. BASA loans for craft goods andcommunity tourism
Source: Amazon News, 17 December 2002([email protected])
In 2003, small businesses in Amazonia will have better access tocredit for the Bank of Amazonia (BASA). There will be specific creditavailable to businesses established in technology parks, companiesinvolved in the manufacture of craft goods and community-basedsustainable tourism projects.
The plan, which is part of the Support for Small Businesses Programme,has just been approved by the Ministry for National Integration.
8. Ghana: Farmers Asked to Protect Ecology for Tourism
Source: Accra Mail (Accra), 30 January 2003
A Peace Corps Volunteer, Ms Rita Tiltges, has urged farmers in theBunso area of the East Akim District to protect the ecological balancein the area to promote ecotourism. Speaking at a two-day workshop onecotourism awareness organized for 60 farmers by the Ghana TouristBoard (GTB), she said that with the creation of the arboretum by thePlant Genetic Resource Centre (PGRC) in the area they stood to benefitfrom tourism. Ms. Tiltges said with the support of the USAID thetourism potential of the area would be developed, and urged the peopleto assure tourists of their safety and comfort since the sector is aleading foreign exchange earner for the country.
The Eastern Regional Manager of the GTB announced that thearboretum was among four ecotourism attractions being developed inthe region and urged the people to invest in the provision oflodges, handicrafts, and to develop good sanitation and a friendlyattitude towards tourists.
For full story see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200301290556.html
9. Ghana: 14 Eco-Tourism Sites
Source: Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra), 23January 2003
In a bid to promote tourism to reach its highest peak in both Ghanaand in the international world, 14 sites have been selected to undergoa rehabilitation programme under a Community Based Eco-tourism Project(CBEP) in the country. These selected sites are Amedzofe,Boaben-Fiema, Bobiri, Liati Wote, Bunso, Domama, Bonwire, Tafi-Atome,Tanoboase, Xavi, Tangzule, Paga, Red Volta and Weciau.
Nurtured by the Nature Conservation Research Centre (NCEC), an NGO,the project is being funded by USAID in collaboration with theGhana Tourist Board (GTB), project site committees, US Peace Corpsand Netherlands Development Organisation which advises the publicabout the ecotourism site.
The identification of the sites started in 1995 when 16 sites werefinally selected with 14 of them currently being developed under thefirst phase. Funding for the 14 sites started in January 2002 underthe first phase. The purpose of the project is to conserve somenatural areas for holiday and other recreational purposes aimed athelping to project communities to reduce poverty, create employmentand provide tourism awareness centres as well as strengthening theexisting Tourism Management Terms (TMTs) at each project site inmanagement and banking skills.
People nowadays are changing from the mass tourism farm, to thealternative or rural tourism where people select nature and learnmore about natural things they see. The GTB said that this changeis another factor that prompted them to create an ecotourism basedon ecological nature.
Since the project started last year, three awareness programmeshave taken place at the Bobiri forest reserve at Kubease to educatepeople about relevant issues in connection with the project, ofwhich the third and the final one under the first phase was held inDecember 2002. The people were taught on how they could benefitfrom the presence of visitors in the communities.
For full story see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200301230579.html
10. Namibia: Integrated RuralDevelopment and Nature Conservation (IRDNC)
Source: Conserve Africa([email protected]), 8 January 2003
IRDNC is a Namibian NGO which seeks to link conservation and thesustainable use of wildlife and other natural resources to the socialand economic development of rural communities in Namibia. It operatesas a field-based project-implementing agency in the Kunene and Capriviregions. It also undertakes non-profit socio-ecological consultanciesthroughout Southern Africa.
Wildlife has always been one of Africa's most valuable naturalresources. In the past, both wild animals and wild plants made asignificant contribution to the traditional economies of indigenousAfrican people and played an important part in their culturalheritage.
The enforcement of elitist and protectionist nature conservationpolicies during the colonial era resulted in the alienation of mostAfrican people from wildlife and often created hostility to theconservation authorities. Eurocentric education and values, whichuntil recently did not recognise wild animals as a valuableeconomic resource, also contributed to a general belief thatwildlife conservation was in opposition to rural development incommunal areas.
In spite of this, wildlife-based enterprises have become majorgenerators of foreign exchange in many African countries byannually attracting large numbers of tourists wishing to hunt biggame or simply see wild animals in their natural habitats. However,because of past discriminatory legislation and practices, the ruralpeople who live with the wild animals on communal land havereceived little or no direct benefit from the tourists that visittheir areas.
IRDNC therefore believes that nature conservation and tourismpolicies, legislation and practices must be democratised to ensurea future for wild animals both outside and inside proclaimednational parks and game reserves. Environmental awareness and theimportance of wildlife conservation are an essential part of allNamibian's education. Communal area residents have the capacity toactively participate in wildlife conservation and the ecotourismindustry. If rural communities share in the management of theirwildlife resources and gain direct financial benefits fromecotourism and sport hunting, Namibia's communal areas can becomeimportant tourist destinations and make a major contribution to thecountry's economic development.
IRDNC's GOAL is sustainable social, economic and ecologicaldevelopment in communal areas of Namibia. It has four majorobjectives:
To promote the active participation of local communities in natureconservation and thereby assist the Ministry of Environment andTourism to conserve and build up the natural resource base in communalareas.
To develop the capacity of local communities to jointly manage, withgovernment, the wildlife and other natural resources in communalareas.
To facilitate the return of social and economic benefits from wildlifeand other natural resources to the residents of communal areas.
To promote community-based natural resource management both nationallyand internationally.
For more information, please contact:
IRDNC
Box 9681
Windhoek
Namibia
Fax:061-228530
Tel: 061-228506/9.
11. Uganda: Dutch Spark Off MoringaBid
Source: New Vision (Kampala), 24January 2003
Prof. Richard Kasawuli of the National Agriculture ResearchOrganisation, Kawanda, has said according to Uganda Export PromotionBoard, the Dutch want 10 tonnes of moringa from Uganda per month. "TheDutch would buy each kilogramme of moringa at $40. At the moment,because of very little production, moringa is consumed locally atsh30, 000/kg," he said.
According to sources the small trees are the source of ben nut oil.The roots of a newly planted moringa tree can be harvested after 10years.
For full story see: http://allafrica.com/stories/200301240235.html
12. Sector Network "Rural Developmentin Sub-Saharan Africa"
Source: Conserve Africa Newsletter Vol.2, No. 12 [[email protected]]
The Sector Network "Rural Development in Sub-Saharan Africa" (SNRD),constituted in October 1995 in Lesotho, aims to secure and enhance thequality of technical cooperation services in rural development.
It links over 60 projects and around 150 individual members inSub-Saharan Africa and consists of six subject-based workgroups:Decentralization and Rural Development, Community Based NaturalResource Management, Innovation and Extension Approaches, HIV/AIDSand Rural Development, Sector Reform and Sector InvestmentPrograms, and Forestry.
It is open to all Deutsche Gesellschaft für TechnischeZusammenarbeit (GTZ) supported rural development projects inSub-Saharan Africa. The network actively seeks linkages to otherdevelopment institutions to improve and exchange cooperationbetween rural development projects, the GTZ head office, otherdevelopment institutions, local and international consultants, andNGOs.
For more information, visit: www.gtz.de/snrd/index.html
13. 2003 International Training Coursesfrom TREES (Training Center for Tropical Resources and EcosystemsSustainability)
From: Domingo M. Ramirez, Director,TREES ([email protected])
TREES is the unit of the College of Forestry and Natural Resources(CFNR), University of the Philippines Los Baños, that isin-charge of implementing the training and continuing educationfunctions of the College. Its mission is to enhance the knowledge,skills and attitudes of individuals promoting tropical resources andecosystems sustainability through the conduct of training andcontinuing education programs and related activities.
Our Center has a regular offering of international training coursesand study tours. In addition to our regular offering, we alsodesign and package special courses and study tours in response tospecific requests. We have read your publication and we are verymuch interested to be a part of it.
Our line-up of courses and study tour offerings for the year 2003follow.
Biodiversity monitoring and assessment techniques
22 April - 2 June 2003 (6 weeks), US $3,780
Deals with monitoring and assessment techniques, surveys and methods,procedures, data analysis, and interpretation of long-termbiodiversity data. The course offers a wide range of topics coveringthe scope and relevance of biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystem,planning and approaches in assessing and monitoring biodiversity,genetic and population inventory methods, fauna and floral inventory,single and multi-species inventory, ecosystem and landscape diversityinventory, analysis and interpretation of biodiversity data andinformation.
Application of GIS in natural resources policy research
13 - 26 May 2003 (2 weeks), US $ 1,575
Study tour on forestry and environment trainingmanagement
13 - 26 May 2003 (2 weeks), US $4,500
Designed to enhance the knowledge, skills and attitude of theparticipants on the diverse aspects of training management throughvisits and observation tours of various training institutions andagencies in the Philippines. It is focused on interaction and sharingof experiences of different government and non-government trainingorganizations in the field of forest resources conservation andenvironmental stability. To make the study tour more experiential, theparticipants will also have rare opportunity of interviewing localcommunity leaders and members who became active role players inforestry and environment training activities as participants and/orresource persons.
Forest products marketing
3 June - 14 July 2003 (6 weeks), US $3,780
Opens up business opportunities for forest products as the courseequips the participants with knowledge on environment/green and globalmarketing issues, market research, development of marketinginformation system and preparation of marketing plan.
Agroforestry for sustainable development
3 June - 14 July 2003 (6 weeks), US $3,780
Operationalizes the concepts of sustainable development through theart, science, and practice of agroforestry; demonstrates theapproaches, methods and techniques in designing, implementing,monitoring and evaluating agroforestry projects; addresses the issuesof food security, woodfuel productivity, livelihood, andrehabilitation of degraded lands; designed for agroforestry officers,social foresters, extension and rural and upland development workers.
Geomatics for natural resource management
8 July - 18 Aug. 2003 (6 weeks), US $3,780
Production technology of seeds and seedlings for environmentalrestoration
5 - 25 Aug 2003 (3 weeks), US $2,100
Policy planning and programming on natural resources andagriculture
12 Aug. - 08 Sept. 2003 (4 weeks), US $2,625
Sustainable forest resources management and projectplanning
26 Aug - 6 Oct. 2003 (6 weeks), US $3,780
Social forestry for sustainable rural development
09 Sept. - 20 Oct. 2003 (6 weeks), US $3,780
Especially designed for mid- and top-level forest managers to enhancetheir knowledge and skills in integrating their experience with socialscience and biophysical theories and concepts within the framework ofsustainable forest and rural development. The course is specificallydeveloped to enable the participants to articulate recent concepts,issues and strategies in sustainable forest and rural development; toevaluate the applicability of new people-oriented approaches in forestresource management to their own work situation; and to design,manage, monitor and evaluate forest community developmentprogram/project through the active participation of the differentstakeholders.
Environmental impact assessment for proposed forestry Developmentprojects
14 Oct. - 24 Nov. 2003 (6 weeks), US $3,780
Participatory approaches in forestry and natural resourcesdevelopment projects
21 Oct. - 1 Dec. 2003 (6 weeks), US $3,780
Especially designed for managers, field practitioners, academics andother individuals concerned/interested with the design, management,implementation, monitoring and evaluation of forest and naturalresources development projects that engender the participation oflocal communities and other stakeholders. Using adult educationtechniques, the course will enable the participants to appreciate theneed for participation of affected sectors, specially the localcommunities, in natural resource development projects; acquire thenecessary knowledge and skills to appropriately apply the differentparticipatory principles and techniques in all aspects of the projectcycle; and formulate an action plan that integrates the participatoryconcepts, strategies, and techniques in their own work situation.
Kiln drying of fast- growing plantation species
11 Nov. - 1 Dec. 2003 (3 weeks), US $2,100
For more information, please contact:
The Director
Training Center for Tropical Resources and
Ecosystems Sustainability (TREES)
College of Forestry and Natural Resources
University of the Philippines Los Baños
P.O. Box 434; College, Laguna 4031, PHILIPPINES
Tel. No.: +(63 49) 536-2268 or 536-2736
Fax: +(63 49) 536-3340
Email: [email protected]
www.apafri.org/trees/index.htm < http://www.apafri.org/trees/index.htm>.
14. India: A New Centre for MedicinalPlants Conservation and Research
From: Dr. P.N. Ravindran,([email protected])
A new centre has come into existence under the Arya Vaidya Sala,Kottakkal for the conservation of medicinal plants. Work on field, invitro and seed gene banks are already underway. The centre willconcentrate on the rare, endangered and threatened medicinal plants ofSouth India. Laboratories for medicinal plant taxonomy, pharmacognosy,phytochemistry, pharmacology and plant tissue culture propagation arebeing set up. The laboratory will be fully operational by the middleof 2003.
CMPR would like to establish linkages with organizations involvedin Medicinal Plants Conservation and Research. We are lookingforward for collaboration in various areas. Please respond by replye-mail.
For more information, please contact:
(Dr. P.N. Ravindran)
Coordinating Director
Centre for Medicinal Plants Research
Satabdi Nagar, Changuvetty, Kottakkal, Malappuram - 676 503 Kerala, India
Ph: (0493) 743430
E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected]
15. India: Cultivation and Marketing ofMedicinal Plants
From: Ajoy Bhattacharya, AssociateProfessor, [[email protected]]
The following is an extract from the Executive Summary of a Feasibility Study for Cultivation and Marketing of Medicinal Plants asLivelihood for Farmers in Harda and Dewas Districts of Madhya Pradesh,India by A K Bhattacharya, Kunal Shekhar and Yogesh Kumar.
The medicinal plants sector has traditionally occupied an importantposition in the socio-cultural, spiritual and medical arena ofrural and tribal lives of India.
The global context suggests several tremendous opportunities inboth medical material and know-how for India, a country unrivalledin terms of diversity of medicinal systems and practices, inaddition to being a major store house of biological diversity withtwo of the 14 mega-biodiversity areas of the world located withinits borders. Moreover, medicinal plants are one of the mostimportant components of the non-wood forest products sector, whichsupplies over 80% of India's net forest annual export earnings (FAO1995, Jain 1987).
The nature and dynamics of domestic trade of MAPs involves centraland regional markets through a number of private dealers andagencies, government or government controlled corporations andcooperatives all having upstream linkages with numerous local and"road-head" markets, which in turn have myriad middlemen, pettyshopkeepers and agents feeding them with primary supplies.
The goal of the study was to test feasibility of introducingmedicinal plant cultivation and marketing as a livelihood forfarmers in the proposed area. The farmers have a limited set ofagricultural skills and lack ability to take risk.
The objectives of the study were:-
To identify the suitable species that can be successfully grown in the area.
To identify the inputs required.
To identify the cultivation practices prevalent in the area.
To identify the training required.
To identify the possibility of processing /value addition of the produce.
To gather the market related information.
To assess the socio-economic and environmentalimpacts
The study emphasized the collection of quantitative and qualitativeinformation with an aim to meet the set of objectives. In order toget the whole picture, institutes working in the field were visitedand a literature review was carried out and primary data wascollected from traditional farmers, people in trade and cultivationof MAPs. Financial and statistical tools were employed to drawconclusions from the data obtained.
On the basis of crops suggested by experts, certain crops wereidentified and out of these eight MAPs were shortlisted for theirtechnical suitability. These were compared with the traditionalcrops, and cultivation of MAPs was found to be profitablepreposition. On the basis of the three criteria, i.e., Economicfeasibility, market feasibility and Environment /ResourceManagement feasibility, four medicinal plants were selected to begrown in the proposed area. These can effectively utilize waste andfallow lands and can become the source of additional livelihoods.The four MAPs were suggested for cultivation by the farmers of thestudy area were: Ashwagandha, Senna, Isabgol and Lemongrass.
The outcome of the study and recommendations included:
Cultivation of medicinal plants is a difficult owing to the fact thatthere is a lack of standard agronomic practices for most species andunavailability of sources of sources of quality planting materials andtechnical guidance
The traditional crops have very low cost and low risk associated withit. Special purpose crops like MAPs offers cultivators an additionalsource of income and greater profitability. However, the risksassociated with these crops can be substantial.
Extension programme should be organized to educate and motivate thefarmers about the cultivation of MAPs.
It may not be possible for the poor farmers to bear the initialexpenses occurring in the cultivation of MAPs as they are relativelyhigher those incurred by them on the cultivation of traditional crops.Thus Government schemes, subsidies and other incentives to farmersgoing for cultivation of MAPs should be availed for the benefits offarmers. Some support in the form of subsidies or credit are giventhrough:
Introduction of buy-back and similar measure to boost farmers'confidence and ensure the proper price for farmers is recommended.
It is recommended that proper market support should be provided tofarmers, specially, in the initial phase, as it may be difficult forthem to market their produce and get desired returns.
Ensure high quality scientific and technical backup to the cultivatorsboth field of cultivation and market.
For more information, please contact the authors:
Dr A.K. Bhattacharya, IFS
Associate Professor
Indian Institute Forest Management
Nehru Nagar, Post Box 357, Bhopal 462003
Ph (O) 91 755 775716, 773799 PBX ext. 391
(R) 91 755 424600
Fax 91 755 772878
e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
16. Nepal: Nepalese Forestrye-group
Source: Forest Information Update, FIU23 December 2002
The Nepalese Forester e-group is run on a voluntary basis fordiscussion and information sharing on various issues concerning theforestry sector of Nepal. This group was formed in March 2002 and hascurrently over 130 members, and is growing rapidly. Postings to thegroup are moderated.
If you would like to subscribe to the group send a blank message to[email protected]
17. Indonesia: The Indonesian NatureConservation newsLetter
From: Colin Trainer([email protected])
The Indonesian Nature Conservation newsLetter (INCL) is a non-profitInternet e-mail list for announcements and news about topics relatedto nature conservation in Indonesia. Messages appear in digest formatand are sent out once a week in both English and bahasa Indonesia,text or HTML format (English and bahasa Indonesia editions differ andare not just translations). Members: c. 1500
To join: (email directly):
Muchamad Muchtar
Pusat Informasi Lingkungan Indonesia Indonesian Nature Conservation Database
www.pili.or.id
Email: [email protected]
Ed Colijn
www.nature-conservation.or.id/
Email: [email protected]
18. The PLANTS Database
Source: CFRC Weekly Summary, 10/1/03[email protected]
The PLANTS Database is a single source of standardized information about plants. This database focuses on vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories. The PLANTS Database includes names, checklists, automated tools, identification information, species abstracts, distributional data, crop information, plant symbols, plant growth data, plant materials information, plant links, references, and other plant information.
http://plants.usda.gov/
19. Web sites
Australia's Fungi Mapping Scheme (2002) Newsletter -
< http://fungimap.rbg.vic.gov.au/fmn/fmn17.pdf>
Medicinal Plant Specialist Group (MPSG) of the IUCN SpeciesSurvival Commission
Recent issues of the MPSG newsletter, Medicinal Plant Conservation, are posted on the site, along with our current programme, activities, and membership.
http://mpsg.org
20. Events
Harvester Involvement in Inventorying and Monitoring of NontimberForest Products
27 February 2003
Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
For more information, please contact:
Katie Lynch
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +1-503-320-1323
International Ecotourism Conference 2003: "Sustainability ofEcotourism Development in a Competitive Global Environment"
15-17 April 2003
Putrajaya, Malaysia
The major objective of the conference is to provide an international forum for expertise from academia, private and public sectors to exchange information regarding policies, strategies, criteria and indicators, management, trends in research, local participation and successes in the sustainable development of ecotourism in a globalized environment. The conference will be useful for ecotourism business managers and operators, policy makers, academics and public at large.
For further information, please contact:
Dr. Abdullah Mohd
Conference Chair
Faculty of Forestry
Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 UPM Serdang
Selangor, MALAYSIA
Tel: +603-89467184
Fax: +603-89432514
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.econ.upm.edu.my/searca2002
XV Curso Intensivo Internacional de Manejo Diversificado de BosquesNaturales Tropicales
18 de agosto al 13 de septiembre del 2003.
Turrialba, Costa Rica
El Curso Intensivo Internacional de Manejo Diversificado de BosquesNaturales Tropicales es un Curso Estratégico brindado porel de Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación yEnseñanza (CATIE), institución líder en estatemática en América Latina, región que cuenta conla mayor extensión de bosque natural productivo en el mundo.
Este curso reviste en la actualidad una singular importancia debidoa la urgente necesidad de compatibilizar la conservación delos recursos forestales con el desarrollo de las poblacionesasentadas en su entorno, a través del manejo diversificadode los recursos existentes.
El evento está dirigido a personaltécnico-profesional que labora en relación con elmanejo de los recursos forestales tropicales: investigadores,docentes, productores, regentes, extensionistas, funcionarios de laAdministración Forestal del Estado, entre otros.
Objetivos
Ampliar y actualizar los conocimientos sobre manejo sostenible debosques naturales tropicales, abarcando la diversidad de bienes yservicios que proveen.
Conocer y compartir experiencias relacionadas con los aspectossociales, económicos y ambientales que influyen en la toma dedecisiones en el manejo diversificado de los bosques naturales.
Para más información, dirigirse a
Coordinador del curso: Fernando Carrera
Dirección electrónica: [email protected] < mailto:[email protected]>
Global Summit on Medicinal Plants (GSMP)
26 September-1 October, 2003
Mauritius
From ancient times plants have been used as a source of medicine. Manypeople in the modern world are turning to Herbal medicine. The use oftraditional medicine and other Alternative Therapies for themaintenance of good health has been widely observed in most countries.Traditional medicine is rich in domestic recipes and communalpractices. The recent upsurge in the use of herbal medicines has ledto enormous commercial possibilities, but many issues remainunresolved. Today, many medicinal plant species face extinction orsevere genetic loss, but detailed information is lacking. For most ofthe endangered species, no conservation action has taken place.
In the present context, an International Summit on Medicinal Plantswill be a forum for scientists, researchers and policy makers to meetand discuss the key areas of conservation of medicinal plants, healthcare and ethnomedicine etc. The main theme of the Conference, which isbeing hosted by Century Foundation, is `Recent Trends in Phytomedicineand Other Alternative Therapies for Human Welfare'.
The Island of Mauritius, which is the venue of the conference, isunique in its Flora and Fauna. The flora is composed of 700 speciesof indigenous plants, of which about 300 are endemic to the region.Several endemic and indigenous species are used in the traditionalmedicines. Traditional Knowledge in Mauritius is an importantsource of income, food and health care locally. However manyendemic plants in Mauritius are on the verge of extinction. Hencethere is a need to promote the Revitalization and use of localhealth Traditions of ethnomedicine in the region and share thebenefits derived from traditional knowledge with the Globalcommunity.
This conference will draw attention to the vital importance ofmedicinal plants and other therapies in health care. There will beexciting programmes of plenary lectures, oral and Posterpresentations and round table discussions. In addition to thescientific events, there will be opportunities for socialinteractions at the welcome reception and cultural events andprogramme of local visits.
For Registration and further information on the conference pleasecontact: visit our website: www.cenfound.org/global/global.html < http://www.cenfound.org/global/global.html>
or contact:
Dr V Sivaram,
President
Global Summit on Medicinal Plants
Department of Botany
Post - Graduate Centre
Bangalore University Kolar - 563101,
India.
Phone: + 91-80-3650312
Telefax: 91-80-5244592 Email: [email protected] < mailto:[email protected]>
or
Dr Anita Menon,
Organizing secretary,
Global Summit on Medicinal Plants
Century Foundation
# 35, 3rd Cross, Vignannagar
Malleshpalya, Bangalore-560075
India
Phone: +91-80-5249900 Telefax: +91-80-5244592
E-mail: cenfound@yahoo.co.uk
[email protected]
World Congress on Export Potential of Medicinal Plants &Primary Health Care for Tribal Development
2-4 October 2003
Bhopal, India
This Congress is the first of its kind and is an attempt towards theeradication of poverty and to enrich Green Health Campaign through theproper utilization of US$62 billion (2,67,000 Cr.) market, andintroducing one of the most ancient and rich traditional systems ofmedicine to national and international communities.
Global Herbal Market: -
As per our various market analysis & development, of the GlobalHerbal Market of about US$ 62 billion, India's share is only US$1billion. The Global Herbal Market is distributed as US$28 billionin E.U., US$10.8 billion in Asia, US$9.8 billion in Japan, US$6.9billion in North America, US$2.4 billion in the Rest Europe andUS$4.1 billion in Others. The World Bank Predicts the global saleof Botanical Medicines will reach US$3trillion by 2050. We aresure, this conference would set a new agenda for the green earthmovement.
Organized by: -
1. People For Animals (Jeev-Jantu Kalyan Sangathan) Bhopal (M.P.)
2. International Gayatri Pariwar, Bhopal
3. Oriental Institute of Science & Technology & Thakral College of Technology, Bhopal.
4. Sanjeevani Mahila Sangh, Bhopal.
Sponsored by: -
Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India, New Delhi.
Ministry of Environment & Forest, Govt. of India, New Delhi.
Last date for submission of abstract: - 31 Jan 2003
Last date for submission of detail paper: - 15 Feb 2003
Paper Presentation; - English & Hindi
For further details please contact the Congress secretariat at:
The Secretary General
World Congress on Export Potential of Medicinal Plants & Primary Health Care for Tribal Development
"Vasundhara Bhavan," E-4, Patel Nagar
Raisen Road, Bhopal- 462 021, India
Tel; +91-0755-754941,713713,752727
Email- [email protected]
Web site- www.gaytripariwar.org
or
The General Convener
NRI Institute of Information Science &
Technology, 1 Sajjansingh Nagar, Opp.
Patel Nagar, Raisen Road, KhajuriKalan,
Bhopal-462 021, India
Tel; 684058,684060,241005
Website- www.niist.com
21. Papers on TraditionalKnowledge
Source: BIO-IPR, 29 January 2003, GRAINLos Banos [[email protected]]
The 9th biennial conference of the International Association for theStudy of Common Property was held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, 17-21June 2002, on the theme "The Commons in an Age of Globalisation". The150 papers presented at the conference are now online, full-text, atthe Digital Library of the Commons. Many of them touch onbiodiversity, intellectual property and traditional knowledge.
http://dlc.dlib.indiana.edu/ (browse -> recentsubmissions -> last three months)
Background to the conference: http://www.iascp2002.org/
22. Funding Sources World Wide
From: Dr. R. Sugandhi[[email protected]]
The concept of new usable knowledge is becoming a dominating factor inthe present day world economy for its sustained development. Asustainable society is one that satisfies its needs withoutdiminishing the prospects of future generations. Money is biggestpower for Green health campaign. World Bank predicts global sales ofbotanical medicines will reach US$ 3 trillion by the year 2050. Tofulfil our mission for a green earth dedicated welfare organizations,scientists, & technologists will be needed. In Funding SourcesWorld Wide, 213 funding agencies have been listed. The informationgiven in the book is simple & easily understandable. The nature& scope of the funding agencies has been explained & contactdetails are provided in full.
If anyone is interested then please contact:
Dr. R. Sugandhi
President, People for Animals,
"Vasundhara Bhawan"
E-4 Patel Nagar, Bhopal - 462021
M.P. (INDIA)
Tele: +91-0755-275 2727, 275 4941, 271 3713
Email. [email protected]
23. Growing at-risk medicinalherbs
From: Uwe Schippmann[[email protected]]
Cech, R. & Cech, S. 2002. Growing at-risk medicinal herbs.Cultivation, conservation and ecology. - vii+314 pp., Horizon Herbs,Williams, USA.
For more information, please contact: Horizon Herbs, PO Box 69,Williams, Oregon, 97544-0069, USA, www.horizonherbs.com, Price: US$14.95.
Review by Uwe Schippmann: Despite many efforts from responsibleharvesters, craftsmen and authorities alike, wild harvesting ofmedicinal plants is in many cases still far from being sustainable ona long-term basis. This book is full of examples where unregulatedcollection has at least locally extinguished populations of valuableplants that used to be thriving and plentiful. Powered by thisbackground of continuing loss, the author has put together hiscomprehensive experience as a plant grower, focussing on the specieswhich have to be regarded "at risk" in the United Plant Saver'sterminology. 17 plant species and three genera are covered (inCypripedium twelve species are differentiated, nine in Echinacea),each with an entry of 10-12 pages.
Typically, the following headings are covered for each of them:range (i.e. distribution, mostly in the US; with a US state mapwith present/not present status; in the case of Piper methysticum amap of the Pacific islands); hardiness and adaptability; ecology;plant community; life cycle; cultivation from seed; cultivationfrom sections, cuttings or runners; general care (afterestablishment of plants; aspects of soils, water, fertilization);medicine (i.e. plant parts used); yield; harvest, processing andstorage; seed collecting, cleaning, storage and longevity;conservation status; adulteration and nomenclature; information onother species; and literature references.
In the conservation sections, the authors pull together data ondomestic or international trade, if available, and assess thecauses of threat for the species, over-harvest, land use changes orhabitat loss.
As an ultimate bonus all taxa are presented as b/w drawings carriedout by Sena Cech, both portraying above-ground and undergroundplant parts (my favourite: Trillium erectum, p. 224). This book isa treasure chest for gardeners and non-gardeners. It is availableat the authors' own publishing house, straight from Williams,Oregon, for an unbeatable US$ 14.95.
Taxa covered: Aletris farinosa, Aristolochia serpentaria,Caulophyllum thalictroides, Chamaelirium luteum, Cimicifuga racemosa,Cypripedium acaule, Cypripedium arietinum, Cypripedium californicum,Cypripedium candidum, Cypripedium fasciculatum, Cypripedium guttatum,Cypripedium kentuckiense, Cypripedium montanum, Cypripediumparviflorum, Cypripedium passerinum, Cypripedium pubescens,Cypripedium reginae, Dionaea muscipula, Dioscorea quaternata,Dioscorea villosa, Drosera rotundifolia, Echinacea, Hydrastiscanadensis, Ligusticum porteri, Lomatium dissectum, Lophophorawilliamsii, Panax quinquefolius, Piper methysticum, Sanguinariacanadensis, Stillingia sylvatica, Trillium erectum, Ulmus rubra
24. Other publications ofinterest
From: FAO's NWFP Programme
Bruna, E.M., and Kress, W.J. 2002. Habitat fragmentation andthe demographic structure of an Amazonian understory herb(Heliconia acuminata). Conserv. Biol. 16(5):1256-1266.
Demmer, J., Godoy, R., Wilkie, D., Overman, H., Taimur, M.,Fernando, K., Gupta, R., McSweeney, K., Brokaw, N., Sriram, S., andPrice, T. 2002. Do levels of income explain differences in gameabundance? An empirical test in two Honduran villages. Biodivers.Conserv. 11(10):1845-1868.
Fine, P.V.A. 2002. The invasibility of tropical forests byexotic plants. J. Trop. Ecol.18:687-705.
Gemma, J.N., Koske, R.E., and Habte, M. 2002. Mycorrhizaldependency of some endemic and endangered Hawaiian plant species. Am. J. Bot. 89(2):337-345.
Guillén, Abraham; Laird, Sarah A.; Shanley, Patricia; andPierce, Alan R. (eds.). Tapping the Green Market Certificationand Management of Non-Timber Forest Products. ISBN:1853838101
This new edition to the People and Plants Conservation Series looks atthe rapidly growing interest in, and demand for non-timber forestproducts. They provide critical resources across the globe, fulfillingnutritional, medicinal, financial and cultural needs.
Tapping the Green Market explains the use and importance ofcertification and eco-labelling for guaranteeing best managementpractices of non-timber forest products in the field.
Using extensive case studies and global profiles of non-timberforest products, this volume not only furthers our comprehension ofcertification processes but also broadens our understanding ofnon-timber forest product management, harvesting and marketing.
This comprehensive resource will be invaluable for forest managers,policy makers and conservation organizations as well as foracademics in these areas.
For more information visit: http://www.earthscan.co.uk/asp/bookdetails.asp?key=3827
Heikkinen, R.K. 2002. Complementarity and other key criteria inthe conservation of herb-rich forests in Finland. Biodivers.Conserv. 11(11):1939-1958.
Hoff, M., de Granville, J.J., Lochon, S., Bordenave, B., andHequet, V. 2002. A protected plant species list for French Guiana.Acta Bot. Gallica 149(3):339-354.
Ibáñez, R., Condit, R., Angehr, G., Aguilar, S.,García, T., Martínez, R., Sanjur, A., Stallard, R.,Wright, S.J., Rand, A.S., and Heckadon, S. 2002. An ecosystemreport on the Panama Canal: monitoring the status of the forestcommunities and the watershed. Environ. Monit. Assess.80(1):65-95.
Lacuna-Richman, C. 2002. The socio-economic significance ofsubsistence non-wood forest products in Leyte, Philippines. Environ. Conserv. 29(2):253-262.
Marcano-Vega, H., Aide, T.M., and Báez, D. 2002. Forestregeneration in abandoned coffee plantations and pastures in theCordillera Central of Puerto Rico. Plant Ecol. 161(1):75-87.
Mason, C.F., and MacDonald, S.M. 2002. Responses of groundflora to coppice management in an English woodland - a study usingpermanent quadrats. Biodivers. Conserv. 11(10):1773-1789.
Matos, D.M.S., and Bovi, M.L.A. 2002. Understanding the threatsto biological diversity in southeastern Brazil. Biodivers.Conserv. 11(10):1747-1758.
Peña-Neira, S., Dieperink, C. and Addink, H. 2002.Equitably Sharing Benefits from the Utilization of Natural GeneticResources: The Brazilian Interpretation of the Convention onBiological Diversity. Electronic Journal of Comparative Law,Vol 6.3, October 2002.
http://www.ejcl.org/63/art63-2.html
Scarano, F.R. 2002. Structure, function and floristicrelationships of plant communities in stressful habitats marginal tothe Brazilian Atlantic rainforest. Ann. Botany90(4):517-524.
Sheil, D., and Wunder, S. 2002. The value of tropical forest tolocal communities: complications, caveats, and cautions. Conserv.Ecol. [Online] 6(2):9. http://www.consecol.org/vol6/iss2/art9
Tonhasca, A., Blackmer, J.L., and Albuquerque, G.S. 2002.Abundance and diversity of euglossine bees in the fragmented landscapeof the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Biotropica 34(3):416-422.
Van Mele, P. (ed.) 2003. Way Out of the Woods: Learning Howto Manage Trees and Forests. CPLPress, Newbury, UK, pp. 143.
The Way Out of the Woods is an account of how the success offorestry and agroforestry projects in three countries (Nepal, Kenyaand Bolivia) depends on understanding biological, social and culturaldiversity and applying this knowledge to meet the needs of ruralpeople. The solutions to sustainable management lie in using local andscientific knowledge. This knowledge illuminates the path out ofdarkness, the metaphorical place deep in the woods.
Subject headings: Biodiversity, Forestry, Agroforestry, Soilfertility, Ethnobotany, Anthropology, Sociology, Researchmethodologies, Indigenous knowledge, Endogenous development,Non-timber forest products, Marketing
ISBN 1-872691-67-6; Price: 50 Euro
Books can be ordered at:
MARNIX Book store
Nederkouter 109
B-9000 Gent
Belgium
Fax 32 9 223 55 56
Tel 32 9 225 10 92
email: [email protected]
Williams-Linera, G. 2002. Tree species richnesscomplementarity, disturbance and fragmentation in a Mexican tropicalmontane cloud forest. Biodivers. Conserv. 11(10):1825-1843.
Zapfack, L., Engwald, S., Sonke, B., Achoundong, G., and Madong,B.A. 2002. The impact of land conversion on plant biodiversity inthe forest zone of Cameroon. Biodivers. Conserv. 11(11):2047-2061.
25. Request for information - chargesfor picking NWFPs
From: Mustafa Yagcioglu[[email protected]], Turkey
Fallows, laurel leaves, thyme, cumin, linden tree and garden sage areaccepted non-wood forest products in our country. These products canbe grown in forests and forest areas belonging to the government. Forexample, if I want to pick these products in government forest areas,I have to pay a treasury charge to the Forest Directorate in the area.
I would like to learn about this type of situation in other countriesin the world. Are there similar applications in other countries? Dothey also pay any charges to the government or any other relatedinstitution?
Mustafa Yaðcýoðlu
Economist/Turkey
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