Editorial: Voices No. 9

While the NTFP-EP’s work has always aimed to be holistic and integrative, this issue of Voices brings to the fore efforts in marketing. It is an area which needs much attention given the cut-throat competition and the wide array of products seeking markets.  By knowing the rules of the game, NTFPs have made headway in both the fair trade and mainstream markets.

One activity aimed at sharing experiences in marketing was an exchange amongst partners in Indonesia, India and the Philippines. On-the-job, T. Samraj (Keystone, India) and Nina Ernawati (Riak Bumi, Indonesia) saw firsthand how the Upland Marketing Foundation goes about marketing various NTFP products in supermarkets in the big city. They also discovered how the CustomMade Crafts Center has been actively promoting its handicrafts through its brandnames CustomMade and Modi. Already, Sam and Nina see areas for integration of their learnings in their own work.

With the Philippine crafts center going full blast, it is now exploring how to break into the European market. Nola Andaya shares these opportunities for Philippines crafts based on her insights from her recent trip to France and the Netherlands.
Nabaghan Ojha, from our partner, the Regional Center for Development Cooperation in India, sums up over a decades’ long experience work on NTFPs.
Robert Leo from Keystone, an expert in honey, shares his impressions from his visit to Indonesian partner Riak Bumi, also involved in honey work.

Our team-up with Telapak from Bogor, Indonesia has been fruitful and we have two new films showcasing NTFP-related work.  “Voices from the Forest” and “Profiting from Honey” tell the stories behind the products. You can expect more exciting films in the near future.

Finally, this year’s regional NTFP meeting, was shared by the newest member of the NTFP-EP fold, Joanna de Rozario. She will be working with friends in Malaysia and Indonesia as the regional coordinator. Our warmest welcome to Joanna!

– Aloisa Zamora-Santos