Phetsoulaphonh N. Choulatida

Robin Aus der Beek

Potential of community-based NTFP management as

coping mechanisms (food security and income)

in response to climate hazards

Preliminary study from Phongsaly province, Lao PDR.

Objectives of the study

1) To explore the availability and use of NTFPs in three districts (Phongsaly) and their contribution for food, trade, and medicine

2) Understand knowledge, practice, and attitude of communities in managing natural resources

3) To explore importance and potential of NTFPs for community adaptation and coping with climate change (particularly hazards)

Methodology

Main content in the questionnaires:

Village profile (demographic data, infrastructure,

land/forest use)

Non-Timber Forest Product: harvesting calendar and

gender role

NTFP uses for food, trade, and medicine

NTFP nutrition value (carbohydrate, protein, fat, sugar,

vitamins and minerals)

Mapping of NTFP value chain

Climate change adaptation (trends and changes, how

people forecast seasonal weather, etc.)

NTFP collection (purpose and gender roles)

Categories

Purpose

of use (%) Gender role (%)

Home Girl Woman Boy Man

Forest food

Mushrooms (Russula spp.) 80 20 50 10 20

Bamboo and rattan shoots 60 15 50 5 30

Wild fruits 90 5 5 20 70

Wild vegetables 70 15 50 15 20

Wildlife 60 5 5 15 80

Fresh water aquatic wildlife 80 35 40 15 10

Insects 70 20 50 10 20

1. NTFP contribution to healthy diet/nutrition

Energy Micronutrients

Carbohydrate Protein Fat Sugar Vitamins Minerals

Yam tubers,

roots, nuts,

dioscorea

hispida

Dennst,

Irvingia

nuts, bird,

deer, rat,

bird, bat,

fish,

squirrel,

Irvingia

nuts,

Livistona

saribus,

wild pig,

crab, fish

Sugar palm,

honey,

Arenga

westerhout

ii (Mak

Tao),

Baccaurea

berries

Honey (A),

insects larvae

and eggs (A and

B12), Flacourtia

indica (Burm.f)

Merr and malva

nuts (C), Thiara

aspernata (E),

bamboo and

rattan shoots

(beta-

carotene).

Snails, crabs, shrimps, mushroom, Termites,

dung, long

horn beetles,

wild fruits,

wild berries,

mushrooms

Medicine

NTFP trade

Forest food

NTFPs

Consumption

Domestic Sale

Export to

China, Vietnam

Home use

Pharmacy

Traditional

pharmacist

Village forest Villagers products Markets

Forest

managed

Group

strengthened Supply chain Market chain

2. NTFP contribution to income generation

a). Bee keeping

Three villages do bee keeping in Khua

district

(1). Senlath village (12 HHs)

-800 log hives

-400 occupied with bees

-500 liters honey produced

(2). Khungkhuey village (14 HHs)

-200 hives

-150 occupied with bees

-150 liters honey

(3). Ommok village (7 HHs)

-500 hives

-300 occupied with bees

-370 liters honey produced

• Honey production per hive: about 1-2 liters

• Each village extracts 2-3 times per season and the honey is stored in plastic buckets.

• The price per liter ranges from 18,000 - 28,000 Kip. Wax sells for 15,000 Kip to 35,000 Kip.

• The variance in price is due solely to market conditions-large honey harvests drive the prices down.

NET PROFIT for 1x Jar/Honey:

15,000 Kip (income) - 2,940 Kip (cost) = 12,060 Kip/Jar profit

Bee keeping

b). Cardamom (Amomum spp.)

Cardamom

plantation

in farmer’s

plots

Ngot-Ou Samphan Khua Total

5 villages 5 villages 2 villages 12 villages

157 HHs 119 HHs 39 HHs 315 HHs

Cardamom

forest area

Ngot-Ou Samphan Khua Total

5 villages 5 villages 2 villages 12 villages

200 Ha 150 Ha 140 Ha 490 Ha

2x varieties: Kuangtung (higher value) and Paksong

Traders buy both fresh and dried fruits

The market destination is China and Vietnam

Selling price for dried fruits = about 50,000 kips/kg

Selling price for fresh fruit = about 5,000 kip/Kg.

c). Galangal (Alpinia spp.)

Galangal is planted in larger scale in upland fallow land

after upland rice cultivation.

Galangals Plantation

Ngot-Ou Samphan Khua Total

7 villages 9 villages 12 villages 28 villages

192 Ha 117 Ha 254 Ha 563 Ha

48 Tons 57 Tons 87 Tons 192 Tons

Hazard Year Effects Coping strategies Animal

Disease

outbreaks

2009 A bird flu outbreak has been

confirmed in Khua district (no

risk to humans)

Protein found in form of

aquatic animals and wildlife

(except wild poultry).

Freezing

2010

Loss of crop production

Source of food can be

mainly NTFP and some

stock grains in the house

Storm and

flood

2011 Serious crops losses (floods)

(NTFP losses =100 million Kip.)

Cultivation/planting of

commercial NTFPs

Pests (rats

eat rice)

2013 After bamboo flowering rats

damaged rice crops

Yam tubers and roots (as

carbohydrate).

Late rainy

season

2014

Loss of rice production

Grow less water-consuming

crops and harvest NTFP for

income

3. Importance of NTFPs as coping strategy after

hazards

4. Traditional weather forecasting based on the

observation of nature

• Ants move from ground to higher place Flooding

• Toads and frogs make noise

• Firefly beetles move around

• Some fruit tress give many flowers

Raining

• Tree gives flowers but no fruit

• Washing face (morning) is not smooth

• Elders feel pain in some body parts

• Cicada insects make noise during half day

Drought

• Cattle/buffalo behave in panic

• Large movement of birds to safe places Storm

4. How to enhance NTFP’s contribution for climate

change adaptation …

Ensure the sustainable and efficient use of NTFP

(stop depletion due to foreign market demand):

Secure access to natural resources

Promote sustainable NTFPs cultivation

(production systems)

Increase marketing profit (less waste, better

harvesting and processing, etc.)

Domestication of NTFPs in agro-forestry system

and community-based NTFPs management.

Community / village forest management

regulations.

5. Conclusions

In target villages, seven categories of forest foods contribute to food security and nutrition

Many NTFPs are very important for both nutrition and income generation (e.g. bee keeping, Cardamom, and Galangals)

All communities consider NTFPs for coping with climate hazards (forest food can afford to give nutrition to people and still earn profit from selling them).

Given the importance of good forest governance, future works could also delve into establishing and strengthening community-based groups manage their sustainable use of forest and NTFPs.

6. Recommendation

Policy makers (local governmental authorities):

Implement LUP

Prepare forest management plan

Support nursery and plantation

Set up E&D plots

The local traders and agro-business companies require formal permission

from the Agriculture Offices (PAFO, DAFOs) and from the Trade Department

at the Province and District Trade Office.

Quota giving to each agro-business company should be monitored

Facilitate multi-stakeholder workshop to evaluate progress and challenges

Enforce formal ban for trading of endangered NTFPs (e.g. Rattan, Cinnamon,

Wild orchid)

Add qualitative and quantitative criteria for formal permits (quantity, prices and

the products’ quality)

Recommendation

Extension staff (INGOs, CSOs):

Facilitate organised/collective production

Promote market information and information exchange

Enforcement of forest regulation

Improve livestock rearing practices and enforce community (social)

disciplines

Provide technical knowledge and skills

Focus plan

Recommendation

Community-Based Groups (Farmer leaders and women

representatives):

Formulation the group

Complete LUP

Complete village forest management plan

Make forest inventory in each three years

Set up demonstration treatment (harvesting plots)

Secure access to natural resource in form of communal land titling

Conduct annual forest monitoring

Test different types of business modalities

Fee collection system for maintaining forest

Recommendation

Private sector (village collectors, and local traders):

The agri-business companies collected the products through

assigning the local agents (usually the local villagers).

provide facilities for proper storage to the local agents who

normally use their own house to keep the products temporarily.

Promote sustainable harvesting technique to villagers

Apply fair contract farming for WIN-WIN

Provide market information

Pay fee for village forest maintaining and monitoring

Thank you