Phnom Penh, 23th, September, the Non-Timber Forests Products Exchange Programme (NTFP-EP) for South and Southeast Asia, and the Cambodia NTFP Working Group, with the support from the Creative Industries Support Programme – United Nations MDG Fund hosted and organized a Stakeholder Forum on Sustainable & Pro-poor Oleoresin Industry Development in Cambodia. The Forum invited various practitioners, experts, donors, government representatives and local communities from Preah Vihear and Mondulkiri provinces where most of the NTFPs are traditionally utilized for both subsistence and cash needs.
There were 78 participants from different stakeholders especially four UN Agencies (UNESCO, UNDP, ILO and FAO) as well as four Royal Government Ministries (Ministry of Culture & Fine Arts; Ministry of Commerce; Ministry of Industry, Mines & Energy; Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) NGOs and other private sectors . The Forum today emphasizes key messages among key concerned groups especially policy-makers, private sectors and the local communities.
Blaise Kilian, Joint Programme Coordinator of the CISP in his opening remarks noted that “provided forest areas remain available and accessible to indigenous communities, resin tapping can play a strong role to support the RGC’s fight against poverty and to empower indigenous communities, thus contributing to the overall sustainable development of Cambodia.”
Cambodia is endowed with natural resources including the tropical forests, and the people of Cambodia have cultivated life from different ecosystem services and products including oleoresins. Dipterocarp balsams or oleoresins, Choar Toeuk to Cambodians, is primarily sourced from Chheuteal Toeuk (Dipterocarpus alatus) and Trach (Dipterocarpus intricatus) and commonly growing in provinces of Mondulkiri and Preah Vihear.
Why the focus on oleoresins? Femy Pinto, Cambodia Facilitator of NTFP-EP, stated that “oleoresins is probably one of the most representative of all forest products in Cambodia of the livelihood of forest dependent communities: Harvested year-round, oleoresin meets both subsistence and cash needs of these communities. It is also culturally significant as knowledge and principles in resin management is embedded in traditional and indigenous ecological knowledge of the local communities. Finally resin trees also determine rootedness of communities, especially of indigenous communities in Cambodia, to forest areas. The customary and economic importance of resin trees are already recognized in the Forestry Law and plays a prominent role, for example in Chapter 8, Article 29 with the prohibition of the harvest or cutting of resin trees, and in Chapter 9, Article 40 recognizing the traditional user rights of communities, which include the right to barter or sell forest by-products if these activities do not cause significant threat to the sustainability of the forest.”
Long Ratanakoma, Deputy Director at the Forestry Administration agreed that oleoresins are valuable – traditionally used and well worth supporting for its development especially within the context of community forestry. Deputy Director of the General Department for Nature Conservation and Protection under the Ministry of Environment encouraged co-management and protected areas management in order to complement the objectives of sustainable community NTFP enterprises.
Findings from NTFP-EP and science and technology and market research with partners from the Philippines and France, show significant potential for commercialization and value addition of Cambodian oleoresins. Key regional and international markets for oleoresins and its valuable by-products – hydro-distilled essential oil and hydro-distilled resins – are Singapore, France, Vietnam, Thailand, and others industries such as spa, tourism, paints, and varnish (green construction), cosmeteuticals (skincare with medicinal properties), fragrance, fine arts and biopesticides. Research show that the demand is rising as markets are expanding along with an increase demand for natural, sustainable, and green products. Current market value of resins in the international market is $.7B in 2010, a 17% increase from 2009.
Participants including government and community representatives encouraged support and collaboration for further development for a longer term program framework of sustainable forest enterprises which supports the RGC’s agenda for pro-poor and sustainable enterprise development and community forestry and protected area development.
The forum was capped with an interactive unique exhibition mounted by NatureWild, a new community and social enterprise and marketing service provider which featured resin based products and other samples of community products out of non-timber forest products. NatureWild & The Resin Story was presented with a mix of video and powerpoint presentation as well as a gallery of the traditional, current and potential uses of oleoresins including for caulking boats and torches for its traditional and current uses, and essential oils, natural varnish and laquered decorative crafts for its potential uses. NTFP-EP will be re-mounting NatureWild & The Resin Story in the following months as part of its effort to raise further awareness on the economic importance of NTFPs in Cambodia as well as to grow a community in Cambodia that is committed to sustainable living and the protection of Cambodia’sforests and forest community livelihood.