NTFP-EP launched seven important knowledge products and policy research in its role in providing evidence-based policy support and recommendations as part of the ASEAN-Swiss Partnership on Social Forestry and Climate Change (ASFCC) program.
Among these are the Gap Analysis on ASEAN Standards on NTFPs, Assessment Study on NTFP Policies, and a briefing paper on Developing Guidelines for Sustainable Harvest and Resource Management Protocols for NTFPs.
The NTFP standards gap analysis report was commissioned by the ASEAN Senior Officials in Forestry, through the ASEAN Working Group on Social Forestry (AWG-SF). The analysis report hopes to serve as a reference document to inform and support the ASEAN Member States and social forestry stakeholders on the preconditions and plans to standard development in the region, and in developing their future strategic interventions to gain competitiveness in non-timber forest products trade in the region and globally. Further, the report also hopes to contribute in their effort to improve their forest products to meet market requirements and ensure the quality of products.
Another set of policy research done by NTFP-EP are the NTFP Policy Assessment Reports. Conducted in four ASEAN countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines), the policy studies aimed to assess policies on the harvest, utilization, trade, transport, and management of non-timber forest products in Southeast Asia through desk research and analysis of gathered literature and documentation of policies and programs on NTFPs in Southeast Asia.
Meanwhile, the briefing paper on NTFP sustainable harvest and resource management protocols provides a snapshot of the guideline development process and presents initial findings on NTFP protocols for honey and resin, which are currently being reviewed at the ASEAN level.
These knowledge products were officially launched last February 2020 during the ASFCC Knowledge Sharing & Closing Event last 26 February 2020, held at the ASEAN Secretariat building in Jakarta, Indonesia. The event was hosted by the ASEAN Working Group on Social Forestry, the ASEAN secretariat, Ministry of Environment and Forestry Indonesia and the Embassy of Switzerland in Indonesia.
During this event, NTFP-EP also expressed its commitment to continue to work and collaborate with the AWGSF and ASFCC partner organizations in the future as the ASFCC program officially ends.
All of the mentioned publications can be downloaded for free at the NTFP-EP Publications page.
The NTFP policy assessment studies were produced with the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) under the ASEAN-Swiss Partnership for Social Forestry and Climate Change (ASFCC) program. The contents of this studies is the sole responsibility of NTFP-EP and does not necessarily reflect the views of the SDC.
Article by Dazzle Labapis, NTFP-EP Asia.
