Succeeding with CITES: Sustainable and equitable Jatamansi trade from Nepal

This project had the objective to deliver a locally-appropriate market-based model for sustainable and equitable Jatamansi (Nardostachys grandiflora) trade from Nepal, supporting Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) commitments and addressing the combined threats to local incomes and healthcare of biodiversity loss, habitat degradation and declining access to natural resources through application of FairWild certification standard.

KNOWLEDGE GENERATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING

1. Information has been compiled on Jatamansi and similar species, helping with identification, and providing reliable information on threats, distribution and altitudinal range, flowering and fruiting times, and uses.
2. Detailed resource assessments, to establish sustainable harvest amounts of Jatamansi and other associated non-timber forest products (NTFPs) have been carried out through surveys of the project harvest sites and this information used to update local community forest operational plans.
3. Representatives from community forest user groups were trained on sustainable harvesting practices, who onward provided training to about 1,000 Jatamansi harvesters.

CERTIFICATION

1. The FairWild Standard and Performance Indicators have been translated into Nepali, and 1000 copies distributed to community groups, NGOs and others.
2. A registration system has been developed to ensure that all Jatamansi harvesters in the project area are trained in sustainable harvesting and receive the benefits of FairWild premium payments.
3. Potential FairWild auditors in Nepal have been trained, to facilitate auditing for FairWild certification through in-country capacities.
4. Himalayan Bio-Trade Pvt. Ltd. has received FairWild Certification for Jatamansi and Kutki.

VALUE ADDITION AND MARKETING

1. Two essential oil processing facilities have been upgraded, allowing for local oil distillation and increasing the potential to add value to harvested roots and boosting local harvesters’ income.
2. 10 Nepalese suppliers of Jatamansi and other essential oils were supported by assessing their gaps to meet requirements of exporting to Europe, and providing recommendations to develop their marketing strategy and action plans.
3. 4 national level exporters of Jatamansi were introduced to the international buyers. A company was supported with ethical buyers’ meetings at the BioFach 2020 trade fair.

LEGISLATION AND CITES IMPLEMENTATION

1. The project collaborated with the government of Nepal to amend CITES Act and formulate CITES Regulation, that reversed a previous inadvertent ban on exports of CITES-listed species from Nepal, and enabled international export of Jatamansi to resume.
2. The project provided technical input to preparation for non-detriment findings and 2019 and 2020 CITES quotas.

KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTS PUBLISHED THROUGH THIS PROJECTS ARE LISTED BELOW:

• COMPILATION OF GENERIC GUIDELINES: FAIRTRADE, TRACEABILITY AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (NEPALI AND ENGLISH LANGUAGES)
• GOOD COLLECTION PRACTICES OF JATAMANSI (NEPALI LANGUAGE)
• WORKERS OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN PRODUCER ENTERPRISES (NEPALI LANGUAGE)
• CITES CONVENTION AND CITES ACT OF NEPAL (NEPALI AND ENGLISH LANGUAGES)
• FAIRWILD STANDARDS VERSION 2.0 (NEPALI LANGUAGE)
• FAIRWILD STANDARDS VERSION 2.0 PERFORMANCE INDICATOR(NEPALI LANGUAGE)
• FLYER ON JATAMANSI (ENGLISH LANGUAGE)