Trade of CITES species resumes in Nepal with the formulation of CITES regulation 2019
The Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) has developed the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Regulations of Nepal in order to address the inadvertent ban on exports of CITES-listed species from Nepal that was caused after the promulgation of CITES Act. The Act was adopted in 2017 by the Government of Nepal in order to strengthen CITES implementation in the country, but legal unclarity caused unintended ban of the trade and business of all Appendix II listed species, including Jatamansi that is an important source of income and employment to the poor mountainous communities by involving over 25,000 households and contributing about one fourth of their total income. It affected to the livelihoods of the many rural communities.
ANSAB supported to the development of the regulations by closely working with the MoFE and providing expert inputs. ANSAB worked with the MoFE to organize a write-shop in Kathmandu on March 27-29, 2019 involving the working task group members, where every aspects of the regulations were discussed in detail. It was followed by a national level consultation workshop on March 31, 2019 and sharing of the draft regulations among the wider range of stakeholders. The development process included development of the final draft incorporating feedbacks from the stakeholders, and review of the draft regulations by the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs of Nepal. The regulations were finally passed by the Parliament of Nepal, and was effective from December 16, 2019. The development of the regulations is instrumental for resumption of trade of CITES species, including Jatamansi, creating opportunity to the community level harvesters, producer companies and private sector, who depend on this trade as a source of income to support their livelihoods. In 2019, the government has approved a total of 382.4 metric ton quota for collection and trade of Jatamansi from Nepal. After the enactment of the regulations, it is reported that 150 kg of Jatamansi oil and 15,830 kg of Jatamansi marc is exported to India and 37,300 kg of marc is exported to Pakistan.