All about Non timber forest in nepal.

1. Non Timber Forest Product & its
Trade in Nepal
By:
Chhabi Acharya

2. INTRODUCTION:
 Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are wild plant and animal
products harvested from forests.
 These include plants and plant materials used for food, fuel, storage
and medicine, cottage and wrapping materials, biochemical, as well as
animals, birds, reptiles and fishes, for food and feather.
 Although NTFPs (Plant product) are harvested from the wild, people
often gather the seeds of useful plants from the forest and plant them
near their homes.
 These plants are then in the process of domestication. Plants and trees
exclusively cultivated in plantations or gardens and no longer
collected in the wild (e.g. neem tree) are considered to be agricultural
products.

3. Contd…
 Millions of people – especially those living in rural areas
in developing countries – collect these products daily, and
many regard selling them as a means of earning.
 In the late 1980s, the annual export value of NTFPs was
approximately US$32 M in Thailand, US$238 M in
Indonesia, and more than US$11 M in Malaysia.
 About 80% of the populations of developing countries use
NTFPs to meet some of their health and nutritional needs.

4. 'Living bridge' Formed of the Aerial Roots of the India-rubber in India

5. CLASSIFICATION OF NTFPs
 Edibles: such as mushroom, the most well known and
documented edible forest products and many other food
products gathered from the forest.
 Medicinal and dietary supplements: This includes plant
based products that are processed into medicines.
 Beginning in the late eighteenth century, over 100 plant
species indigenous to the U.S were commonly accepted
for their medicinal properties.
 Floral products: It includes pine boughs, grapevines,
ferns, and other plant products used for decorative
applications.

6. Contd…
 These unique forest products may appear in floral
arrangements, dried flower decorations, and ornaments,
common example include products made from pine
boughs, grape vines, moss, ferns and flowers.
 Specialty wood products: include handicrafts, carving and
turnings, musical instrument containers (basket), special
furniture pieces as well as utensils.
 In general, specialty wood products are considered non
traditional if they are produced directly from trees and not
from timber purchased from mills.

7. Fig. Kava leaf and preparing the Kava roots to make a beverage from it, South
Pacific.

8. ECONOMIC VALUE OF NTFPs
 From the economic viewpoint, NTFPs are equally
important as wood based products.
 About 150 types of NTFPs are significant in international
trade.
 They are also increasingly being acknowledged for their
role in sustainable development and conservation of
ecosystem.
 Up to 80 percent of the population in developing countries
depends on NTFPs for subsistence, both economically and
for nutrition.

9. IN NEPAL:
 The collection and sale of non-timber forest products is a major
source of livelihood in some regions of Nepal.
 Nepal comprises 0.1% of the earth land area yet it ranks within the
first quartile for global biodiversity importance. This is because of its
unique bio-geographic location, altitudinal variation and diverse
climatic and topographic conditions.
 Out of 6500 flowering plants found in the country, more than 700
species are recognized as non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and
about 100 species of these are commonly traded.
 Since processing capacity in Nepal is limited, a large quantity of
NTFPs (10,000 - 15,000 tonnes per annum) is exported in raw form,
mainly to India. This is worth about US$26.5 M a year,
approximately 4% of the national gross domestic product of Nepal.

11. Contd…
 Collectors are usually people living in the hills and remote parts of
the country.
 Because of geographical proximity and non-availability of other
means of earning, their livelihood is depended on NTFPs. They
determine the primary management of NTFPs, and hence most
directly determine the biological sustainability of NTFPs and the
consequent impacts on ecosystem health.
 In particular, overexploitation has placed several high-value NTFPs –
including Nardostachys gradiflora, Rawolfia serpentina and
valeriana jatamansi – under a threat of extinction in Nepal.
 An improved understanding amongst collectors of the marketing,
technical and regulatory aspects of the NTFP supply chains in which
they work may improve both their own incomes and the sustainability
of production.

12. Wintergreen leaves harvesting in Dolakha

13. Contd..
 There are many local level enterprises based on NTFPs of nepal,
notably those involving:
 Bamboos for mat and basket-making.
 Daphne bark for lokta paper production, and Girardinia diversifolia
fibres for allo cloth production.
 NTFPs also provide a limited range of raw materials for industry in
Nepal. Of most significance are:
 resin tapping from Pinus roxburghii;
 katha extraction, a dye from the heartwood of Acacia catechu, and
 paper from sabai grass (Eulalopsis binata). However, this paper is
restricted to the littleknown rade in raw materials for which the only
significant markets are in India, beyond Nepal's southern border.

14. Conclusion
 The above observed point and data shows that there are a
lot possibilities which upgrades the peoples lifestyle
related to the NTFPs and its market value.
 But there is no any proper program to introduce such
program by government. So the main point to focused is
it. Thus there should be the program by government and
other concern site to develop such possibilities, specially
for the people of rural area and for non timber forest area.

15. References:
 www.MPRA.com
 www.agriculturejournel.com
 www.forest.org.com