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Forests offer more than wood
Vietnam - June 13th 2007 - A four-day international conference began yesterday in Ha Noi to explore the role of non-timber forest product (NTFP) in poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation. Profitable NTFPs can include a number of food, medicines, and construction materials and include fibres like rattan and bamboo, edible plant products, resins and gums, tannin and dyes, essential oils, insecticides, medicinal herbs, ornamental plants and animal products. These "minor" forest products could have a major impact on poverty alleviation and promote biodiversity conservation, said Katherine Warner, World Conservation Union country group head for Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam.
The
conference entitled The Role of NTFPs in Poverty Alleviation and
Biodiversity Conservation, held by the Ministry of Agriculture and
Rural Development (MARD) and the World Conservation Union, among
others, is part of the NTFP Support Project being executed by MARD with
financial support from the Netherlands and technical support from the
World Conservation Union. Participants in the conference, including
enterprises that have found ways to address rural poverty while
maintaining biodiversity, are sharing methodologies, product and market
information and other lessons learned from NTFP and conservation
initiatives. The third day of the conference will include a trade fair
for NTFP producers to display products and meet potential buyers. On
Thursday, the last day of the conference, participants will make a
field trip to Quang Ninh Province. The NTFP Support Project has been
ongoing in Viet Nam since 1998 in two phases and will continue through
next month. The first phase in 1998 – 2002, entitled Sustainable Use of
NTFPs, focused on two field sites in Bac Kan and Ha Tinh. The second
phase, entitled NTFP Sub-Sector Support Project in Viet Nam, began in
2003 and took place in five field sites including Bac Giang, Quang
Ninh, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri.
The overall objective
of the project is forest and biodiversity conservation through
strengthening sustainable use of NTFPs. The project’s main achievements
so far include capacity building for planning and research, the
transfering of sustainable NTFP development methods and raising
awareness on NTFP, according to MARD.
Source: Vietnam News
Posted By Anne-Sophie Samjee at 10:23am on June 13, 2007
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