Eco Certification for NTFPs & Plant Extractions from Forests in India

Snehlata Nath

BACKGROUND

Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFPs) are important natural products harvested from the forest, forming an important part of the subsistence of many indigenous communities and also a trade item for earning an income. In India, this collection and trade is important till date, the intensity varying between different communities and forest type. NTFPs, especially medicinal plants are harvested from wild landscapes and used mainly in the local health traditions, Indian systems of medicine (ayurvedic, unani and siddha) and herbal cosmetic industry. According to present market trends this herbal industry is growing at the rate of 35% per annum due to the growing demand in this sector. This has led to increased demand of raw material from the forest. According to a global estimate 70-90% of demand of medicinal plants is met by wild and uncultivated natural resources – also ensuring livelihood avenues to millions of people. This scenario necessitates a deeper look into the resources, their ecological status and their collection details by the different communities.

The trade and market organization of these NTFPs in India is mainly through traditional markets comprising local traders, retailers and wholesale merchants located in strategic areas across the country. These traders organize the movement of NTFPs towards industries like the medicine, paint and varnish, construction, tanning, crafts and food processing sectors.

This system is now being challenged for its exploitative practices and organized at the grassroots level with state floated institutions of Joint Forest Management – namely the Village Forest Committees and Vana Samrakshana Samitis. Few NGOs are also addressing this issue by organizing the harvesters to get a better price from the market. Others work with Women Self Help Groups to locally value add NTFPs. With the advent of the Forest Rights Act, institutions in thePanchayat system have also become role players. However, it’s the harvesters and gatherers that finally need better returns, improved systems of harvest and practices, assured markets, and quality conscious solutions. The issue of ‘sustainability’ is one of main concern for both the livelihood of the people and the demand in the industry. The availability of these resources needs to be assured by introducing new concepts of community ecological monitoring, mapping and resource assessments to survey the species and the health of the forest from where extractions are taking place.

This note expands on the idea of eco-certification of NTFPs taking into consideration the above and including the aspects of:

1. Local institutions and tenure

2. Ecological sustainability

3. Social equity and fair trade

4. Responsible business practices

Commercial transactions with NTFPs need to keep in mind the basic facts that forests resources arefinite and have many other biotic pressures which degrade them. This is apart from policies that allow for the diversion of forest lands for the making of dams, mining and other infra structure. This poses a constant threat to traditional rights of indigenous people and their livelihoods. The industry using these products may have to necessarily understand that their profits depend on their constant supply following both fair-trade and ecologically sustainable principles.

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION

Why certification? What are the advantages? Why should we initiate this with the community? These are common questions asked while dealing with NTFPs. Certification has the possibility of incorporating improved management of resources when the market comes into play. It is a market based tool leading to:

• Improved species/forest management over time
•  Social benefits/parity/rights of forest communities involved in collection
• Low wastage, no adulteration & higher quality of product
• Geographical track back & source identity
• Information on ‘Chain of Custody’ of NTFPs

Work has been done in the past on certification of NTFPs with examples from across the world. The cases of Brazil nut and Kenyan wood craft are discussed extensively by researchers. The FSC labeling applied to NTFPs has had mixed results for maple syrup, though its key focus is on ecological and social sustainability. Third party certification has also made the process expensive and unaffordable for indigenous communities and gatherers of NTFP.

In this note, we will be trying to work out a workable model that can be easily managed by community members and/or leaders of the VFC/ VSS group. This is assumed to be the institution, where this process of certification can be grounded. Whereas other certification criteria need technical expertise, specialized ecology or third party checks/ inspections – this method is based on the principles of participation, transparency, community based ecological monitoring and indigenous knowledge.

This process demands the following basic features:

1. The gatherers are organized in groups/ institutions at the village scale. This group selects 3-4 people to manage their harvests and maintain records

2. A nationally recognized information database is available to base ecological information (Forest and Botanical Research Institutions/ Organisations)

3. The buyers/traders are registered and known to the village committee

4. The market/buyer is sensitive to sustainability, quality and welfare (Good Manufacturing practices amongst the industry)

5. NTFP collection is legal and recognized for indigenous communities and forest dwellers (as ensured through the Forest Rights Act)

6. Collection of rare, endangered and threatened species is not permitted

At the community group level, the following steps are required to be done to get the certification process underway.

Step 1 – Resource assessment and Ecological Monitoring

• Draw a map of the community’s forest boundaries and mark which NTFPs are available
• Find out from a recognized institution about the global/local status of the species in the area
• Conduct a species specific population assessment in the forest
• Document methods used for harvest by the community
• Is the habitat/forests being monitored for ecological changes?

Step 2 – Harvesters and Collection information

• Season and Place of harvest
• Name of harvester – M/F
• Quantity harvested
• Quality Grade A/B/C (made according to harvest protocols)
• Price/rate disbursed or due (varying based on quality criteria)

Step 3 – Product Quality, Grading and Storage (physical verification in the storing area)

• There is a standard drying and grading facility
• Each pack is labeled with name, grade, quantity and place of origin mentioned
• Basic hygiene is maintained
• Storage is free from rodents, fungus, dampness and termites, etc.
• Storage is free of toxics like DDT, chemicals, non-food grade substances, etc.

The following procedure is suggested to be followed by the community group and a cluster and a district level federation

1. A meeting is held with all harvesters in the village to do the map and gather all the basic NTFP information in the beginning.

2. 2 people from the community are trained in species ecological assessment

3. All harvesters are trained in preferred harvest methods and grades accordingly assigned

4. 2 people undertake community monitoring and maintain records at a regular interval

5. 2 people from the community are in-charge of the collection/storage and sales records

6. There is a post harvest/season meeting to share the results of each species – this could cover the ecological status results, who harvested good/poor quality, sales proceeds, etc.

7. All records are made available to the members or members of other groups

It is envisaged that 20 villages can form a cluster and benefit from bulk sales, improved bargaining power and collective try to raise the price for their produce. This cluster of 20 villages can share information methods and techniques/knowledge. Each community group has to be visited by 2 other member groups and records of meetings held maintained.

If all the 20 villages follow this norm – their produce can be ‘Eco-Marked’ in a participatory way. (These numbers can change according to local norms, populations, etc.)

WHO WILL GIVE THE CERTIFICATE/ MARK

The community group will maintain these records as a VSS/VFC or any other group at the village. All information will be recorded and documented and made available. The procedure followed by Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) will be applied here to guarantee the product as being fair trade and sustainably harvested. These products will be sold with an ECO MARK.

As of now the mark is called PGS Wild, as it is based on the principles of Participatory Guarantee System applicable to small and marginal organic farmers.

NEXT STEPS

After undertaking work in this aspect for several years and applying it to wild honey collection – Keystone has seen some success in the process. The effort has not been implemented as visualized now and elaborated in the document, but adapted for a field situation where honey gatherers were spread over a vast geographical area & honey gathering not being a common large scale activity. Now, it is necessary to apply these principles in as many NTFP rich areas as possible. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Waynad, Nilambur, Sathyamangalam, Pillur would be suitable areas – where a model can be created both through work with recognized institutions like VFC/VSS and other non formal village groups. This effort can then be analysed and improved as the situation demands.

Besides the local institutions, VSS and harvesters, we will also have to address the industry and the consumers. Sensitizing and holding dialogues with major industries in Ayurveda and the state supported manufacturing units will be required. This will encourage them to buy eco-labeled products. It is also important to bring together all the research that has been done in a particular area/ species.

Consumer awareness through popular articles and campaigns need to be done to make them aware of the products they use and the source of the same. Advertisements that explain the NTFP scenario, adivasi rights and species conservation need to be made and used in the right forum.

Besides, the PGS Organic India Council has to be addressed to adopt and incorporate this concept for products collected from the forest.