NTFP-EP Brochure

People and forests shape and re-shape each other in a mutual
embrace of dynamic cultures and evolving landscapes.

However, there has been a drastic decline of forests in most
countries, threatening not only the diverse flora and fauna but
also vulnerable communities living in and around forests.

Given the intrinsic link between people and forests, a community-
based approach is an effective and strategic response to this
challenge.

The sustainable management of forest resources such as non-timber
forest products (NTFPs) provides significant socio-economic,
ecological and cultural benefits to local communities.

Non-Timber Forest Products – Exchange Programme
(NTFP-EP) is a collaborative network of non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations in Asia.
It works towards strengthening the capacity of forest-dependent
communities to sustainably manage their natural resources.
NTFP-EP believes that adding value to non-timber forest products
can secure better livelihoods and healthier forests.
Today, NTFP-EP is present in 6 countries in Asia: Cambodia, India,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam, and facilitates and
participates in national to global civil society networks.

NTFP-EP envisions self- COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION
empowered generations TENURE RIGHTS AND GOVERNANCE
of forest-dependent
communities, contributing
to and benefiting from
sustainably managed forested
landscapes and ecosystems,
knowledge and cultural
traditions.

NTFP-EP’s mission is to act INDIGENOUS FOOD AND HEALTH
as a catalyst in empowering SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY LIVELIHOODS
local organizations working
with marginalized, forest CULTURE
dependent communities, GENDER
mainly indigenous peoples
in Asia, towards sustainable
management of forested
landscapes and ecosystems,
and the right to access natural
resources, livelihood, cultural
identity and gender equality.

NTFP-EP’s goal is to secure
the empowerment of forest-
dependent communities
through programmes on
community conservation
and resource management,
indigenous food and health,
tenure rights and governance,
and sustainable community
livelihoods in Asia.

WHAT ARE NTFPs?

The term ‘non timber forest product’ encompasses all
biological materials other than timber which are extracted
from forests for human use (de Beer & McDermott, 1996).

About one-fifth of the global population depends on forests
for their income, sustenance, and health.

While timber is by far the most dominant forest product used
for various purposes, all other products derived from forests are
collectively described as non-timber forest products (NTFPs).
These products, which include nuts, seeds, fruits, mushrooms,
oils, rattan, resins, gums, medicinal plants and honey, often
have significant uses for forest-dependent communities.

NTFPs play an important role in the livelihoods of the rural
poor as a source of food, medicine, construction materials,
and income. Additionally, these products have significant
sociocultural uses especially in the practice of the traditional
ecological knowledge of many indigenous and local
communities.

As such, unsustainable forest management practices,
economic fluctuations, and drastic environmental changes can
have significant effects not only on their livelihoods but also
on the cultural integrity of these communities.

Increasing the value of NTFPs might not be the only way to
achieve the protection and enrichment of forests and at the
same time to fight poverty, but it is certainly a good place to
start.

NTFP as an approach seeks a solution to the oftentimes
“opposing” concepts of conservation and development.
Compared to high-impact timber harvesting, these resources
that are often used by forest-dependent communities are
renewable and can be developed in a way that will improve
livelihoods but not be detrimental to forests and culture.

www.ntfp.org facebook.com/ntfpep @ntfp_ep [email protected]

COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION

Ensuring healthy forests by supporting communities to use forest
resources sustainably through community-based ecosystem and
NTFP management strategies that uphold traditional knowledge

NTFP-EP interventions take a participatory and integrative approach
to strengthen the capacity of communities in ecosystem management.
Specifically, NTFP-EP targets the following outcomes:

1. Effective community-based ecological monitoring is being practiced;
2. Traditional ecological knowledge and practices are maintained and

revitalized;
3. Community forest areas are restored, protected and managed;
4. Sustainable NTFP harvest practices are in place; and
5. The government and public appreciate the value of NTFPs and

provide support to community-based conservation initiatives.

STRATEGIC ACTIONS

• Strengthen community practices of sustainable NTFP collection.
• Document and popularize traditional ecological knowledge (TEK).
• Encourage young people in local and indigenous communities to value

and use TEK, and for other stakeholders to appreciate its soundness.
• Enable communities to conduct regular monitoring of forest health

changes and utilize their data for community forest management.
• Forge linkages with scientists to complement sustainable traditional

NTFP harvest practices.
• Engage with governments to accelerate the recognition of community

forest tenure rights and sustainable practices of indigenous peoples and
forest-dependent communities.
• Give appropriate support to Indigenous Communities’ and Local
Communities’ Conserved Territories and Areas (ICCAs).
• Restore essential NTFP species in community forests.
• Assist in the development and implementation of partners’ community
development plans.
• Build capacity on technological approaches such as land use and climate
proof planning.
• Establish NTFP learning centers in countries where NTFP-EP works.
• Establish partnerships and use social marketing tools that will result in
better appreciation and support of community based conservation and
NTFPs.

www.ntfp.org facebook.com/ntfpep @ntfp_ep [email protected]

TENURE RIGHTS AND GOVERNANCE

Advocating for enabling policies that promote the
recognition of communal tenure rights and forest

management and governance systems

NTFP-EP facilitates the creation of spaces that allow for multi-stakeholder
approaches in advocating for a community-centered forest rights agenda.
Specifically, NTFP-EP targets the following outcomes:

1. Government policies and programmes promoting NTFPs and
sustainable forest management;

2. Institutions promoting equitable, gender-responsive and inclusive
governance in forest resources utilization and management;

3. Regional and local constituencies advocating for NTFPs, social forestry,
tenure and resource use rights are built, strengthened and expanded;
and

4. Communities are united and enabled to secure and enjoy their
customary tenure and/or resource use rights.

STRATEGIC ACTIONS

• Facilitate learning opportunities for government offices and civil society
organizations (CSOs) in participatory and multi-stakeholder approaches
to securing forest tenure and natural resources governance.

• Conduct evidence-based policy analysis on tenure rights and forest/
natural resources governance and prepare policy briefs with the
academe and CSOs.

• Advocate for and support processes to secure NTFP permits, tenurial
agreements, memoranda of agreements, and recognition and
registration of community based forestry, protected areas, indigenous
and local community conserved areas (ICCAs), and others.

• Demonstrate, adopt and promote FPIC principles and processes in the
exercise of NTFP-EP interventions, and advocate the same over policies
and projects that affect local and indigenous communities.

• Develop and champion a community-centred forest rights agenda
through multi-stakeholder dialogue and site-based approaches; where
appropriate, employ negotiation, mediation and litigation strategies,
and build key competencies around these.

• Build and participate in technical working groups, multi-stakeholder
platforms, alliances and coalitions for advocacy on forest rights,
particularly pertaining to resource use and access, safeguards and
tenure.

• Conduct awareness-raising (including learning and exchange activities),
and use multimedia and community-appropriate communications
channels in community capacity building.

• Develop site level strategies (both short- and long-term) for engaging
policymakers to improve resource access and community tenure rights.

www.ntfp.org facebook.com/ntfpep @ntfp_ep [email protected]

INDIGENOUS FOOD AND HEALTH

Promoting the nutritional and medicinal values of forest
foods and medicines which nourish communities and
sustain indigenous traditions.

The need to link local and cultural information about forest foods to scientific
policy analysis can be achieved by building a community of practice that
allows for building a broader understanding about indigenous food and
health. NTFP-EP targets the following outcomes:

1. Increased knowledge on subsistence uses of NTFPs;
2. Availability and continued use of scarce forest foods and medicines;
3. Raised appreciation and cultural pride in forest foods especially among

indigenous youth; and
4. Policies take into account the changing food habits of communities

due to limited or threatened access to traditional food resources.

STRATEGIC ACTIONS

• Conduct capacity building for communities on data collection,
documentation, and monitoring and analysis of forest foods and NTFPs.

• Facilitate health and nutrition workshops, learning exchanges and other
events to reinforce the importance of forest foods and medicines.

• Organize festivals to promote forest foods.
• Support the propagation of forest food gardens, nurseries and

demonstration sites in partner communities.
• Develop and implement an advocacy agenda on forests for food security

and community health.
• Publish case studies and other materials for public appreciation on

indigenous foods and health systems.

www.ntfp.org facebook.com/ntfpep @ntfp_ep [email protected]

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY LIVELIHOODS

Improving opportunities for sustainable market links
towards alleviating poverty and increasing incomes

for forest-dependent communities

NTFP-EP assists local and indigenous communities in developing
community-based non-timber forest products enterprises (CBNEs) that
provide opportunities for good community leadership, the maintenance of
sustainable resource management systems and practices, and the assertion
of their cultural identities as forest communities. NTFP-EP targets the
following outcomes:

1. An enabling environment for community forest-based livelihood and
enterprise strategies;

2. CBNEs allow community participation and benefit sharing;
3. CBNEs are profitable, sustainable, and resilient; and
4. CBNEs contribute to culture protection and promotion.

SUSTAINABSLTERACTOEMGMICUANCITIYOLNIVSELIHOODS

• Facilitate CBNE development across partner communities under NTFP-
EP CBNE development guidelines, principles and agreements with
communities that conform with NTFP-EP values and principles.

• Develop and enable value-based and sustainable market linkages
for CBNEs through green intermediaries and equitable partnership
agreements.

• Facilitate the creation of committees to oversee the enterprises, conduct
open consultations with stakeholders, and ensure that enterprises/
projects will comply with the free, prior and informed consent
requirement.

• Document agreements that specify the benefits of these enterprises to
local and indigenous communities.

• Conduct feasibility studies and develop markets that are willing to
accept the limited volume capacity of CBNEs. This entails responsible
branding, value chain management, and ensuring the standardization of
quality, social responsibility, and environmental accountability.

• Develop and integrate a community-based resource management
approach into the CBNE model which will include education and
capacity building, resource assessment, regeneration, sustainable
harvesting, and monitoring systems.

• Climate-proof all CBNEs in the partner communities.
• Document traditional knowledge and technologies in partner

communities.
• Conduct educational campaigns to highlight the detrimental effects

and health hazards of destructive industries or enterprises that may be
destructive to ecosystems, culture and traditional livelihoods.
• Adopt culturally-appropriate technologies and market instruments that
will enhance the value and benefit of community and forest-based
livelihood programmes.
• Support the transfer of traditional livelihood skills and practices to the
younger generation.
• Engage policymakers to push for policies that support CBNEs.
• Maintain a database of good practices community economy and
livelihood development; the database is available and maintained in all
NTFP-EP countries; replicate and upscale where appropriate.

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CULTURE

Reviving and strengthening cultural identity
and respect for cultural integrity

NTFP-EP respects the cultural traditions and understands the values and
way of life of its partner communities. NTFP-EP believes that these customs
are often embedded in the historical identity of cultural groups, hence
the primary importance of respecting the cultural integrity of its partners.
Specifically, NTFP-EP focuses on the following:

1. Conduct of free, prior and informed consent validations on projects
and community support;

2. Target the youth in cultivating and strengthening their cultural identity
and pride;

3. Create and apply of culturally-appropriate messages in engaging with
partner communities; and

4. Develop culturally-appropriate tools in our strategies.

STRATEGIC ACTIONS

• Conduct free, prior and informed consent validations on NTFP-EP
projects and indigenous community support.

• Conduct case studies and organize orientations on culturally-appropriate
methods for securing free, prior and informed consent from local
communities regarding the entry of projects and programmes.

• Organize food and cultural festivals and youth camps that cultivate and
strengthen cultural identity and pride.

• Develop culture-based messaging and culturally appropriate tools in
communications, knowledge management and marketing strategies.

www.ntfp.org facebook.com/ntfpep @ntfp_ep [email protected]

GENDER

Promoting gender equality,
strengthening women’s voice and empowering women.

Improving gender relations will ensure equitable benefits and outcomes
in its forest conservation, management and community development
efforts. NTFP-EP believes that gender responsiveness is a key element in its
engagement with partners. NTFP-EP commits to the following outcomes:

1. Address gender issues programmatically;
2. Ensure gender-sensitive and responsive staff in all levels and areas of

NTFP-EP’s work;
3. Achieve gender balance of participants in NTFP-EPs activities; and
4. Include gender equity in decision-making at all levels of intervention

and practice.

STRATEGIC ACTIONS

• Activate a team of gender focal persons.
• Build capacity of staff and partner communities on gender.
• Organize leadership skills training for both women and men.
• Develop monitoring and impact assessment tools that indicate and

consider women and men’s participation, perceptions and impacts.
• Conduct gender-based analysis and studies including project

evaluations, case studies and documentation of good practices and
lessons learned, enterprise monitoring reports, and the like.

www.ntfp.org facebook.com/ntfpep @ntfp_ep [email protected]

The Pastor Rice Small Grants Fund (PRSGF) is a community-oriented small
grants facility established by the Non-Timber Forest Products - Exchange
Programme (NTFP-EP) to continue the legacy of one of the founding Board
of Trustees of the organization, Reverend Delbert Arthur Rice.

Pastor Rice was an American missionary who first arrived in the mountainous
Barangay Imugan, Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya, Northern Luzon, Philippines
in the mid-1960s and stayed to live there with the Ikalahan indigenous
community until his demise in 2014. As an anthropologist, electrical engineer,
educator and environmentalist, he championed for the indigenous peoples
and of sustainable upland ecosystems, which laid also the foundation for
community-based forest management in the Philippines.

PRSGF, formerly referred as the Micro Grants Facility (MGF), has supported
various community initiatives in South and Southeast Asia since 2007 through
the support from various donors such as Broederlijk Delen, Both ENDS/Rich
Forests, Ecosystem Alliance, IUCN- National Committee of The Netherlands
(IUCN-NL) and the Samdhana Institute.

In 2016, the Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action (GAGGA), a
global program led by international women’s funds and rights based
organizations namely, FCAM, Mama Cash and BothEnds, has provided
funding for PRSGF. In this regard, PRSGF has been opened for proposals
that are aimed at strengthening capabilities and unify grassroots groups to
lobby and advocate for women’s rights and environmental justice agendas.

In this funding facility, we accept applications of grassroots organizations
giving particular attention to:
1. Empowerment and rights of women and girls;
2. Innovation and sustainable solutions to environmental and

poverty-related issues;
3. Partnership and collective action initiated and led by women and

girls.

Themes of the initiative must fall under any one or combined thematic areas
of natural resources management, tenure, livelihoods, threats, and
climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Types of Grants
• Small grant award amounts are modest of up to € 5,000, but serve a

catalytic purpose and are meant to mobilize additional resources.
• Strategic grant award amounts of over € 5,000 to a maximum of

€ 10,000 for projects with strategic and innovative initiatives such
as transboundary community-based projects, exchanges, learning
workshops and the like. A strong compelling argument should be
made to award the grant.
• Travel grant award a maximum of € 1,500 for applications that
indicate participation of women in NTFP-EP training, exchange
and action research in the key themes of community conservation,
indigenous food and health, NTFP enterprise and fair trade, tenure /
ICCAs.

Grant Implementation
Duration of the project should not exceed 12 months.
For more information about the grant facility, check out our website or
inquire at [email protected].

www.ntfp.org facebook.com/ntfpep @ntfp_ep [email protected]

Expanding Community Enterprise and Economic Development or
EXCEED is the training and advisory programme of the Non-Timber Forest
Products - Exchange Programme (NTFP-EP) targeted to support the work of
non-government organizations, government agencies and community-based
organizations in Asia on sustainable livelihoods in rural, forest, and protected
areas. It specializes in community-based non-timber forest products (NTFP)
enterprise development anchored on sustainable resource management.

The programme draws from lessons learned and strategies tested from over
12 years of direct work with local organizations and community enterprises
in 5 countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Malaysia and the Philippines. It is
an integration of knowledge and experience of 25 organizations, and a pool
of international experts from a range of backgrounds including: community
enterprise development, resource management, forest products research,
marketing, design, and others.

OUR VISION
EXCEED envisions successful, resilient community-based enterprises based
on value-added NTFPs, employing sustainable resource management
practices, enhancing local economies, and respecting and promoting
traditional knowledge.

OUR APPROACH
For NTFP-EP, non-timber forest products and rural enterprise development
is a strategy for both poverty reduction and forest conservation. Improving
sustainable income streams complements well-being goals of food and
health security as well. Community-based enterprises linked to eco-fair
industries can contribute to the green economy and can provide local drivers
for sustainable development. These initiatives can enhance livelihoods,
increase economic benefits to households and conserve forest resources.

EXCEED is anchored on the following principles:

• Tools and methodologies strive to adopt traditional knowledge and
are customized to community realities and capacities.

• Sustainable Resource Management (SRM) is embedded in the
whole enterprise development processes.

• Enterprise development is based on market information and the
possibility of links to value chain actors.

• Assets and vulnerabilities are assessed against evolving
opportunities and challenges (globalization, climate change, etc.).

• Post-training follow-up is part of the intervention strategy to
increase the likelihood of success and sustainability of the
community enterprise.

EXCEED offers courses that cover various topics relating to community-based
enterprise development to non-government organizations, government
agencies and community-based organizations. Specialized topics and need-
based trainings are also developed to address challenges and opportunities
in the field and accommodate needs of organizations. Course programs
are offered and scheduled based on emerging needs, and demand of
communities and their support groups.

www.ntfp.org facebook.com/ntfpep @ntfp_ep [email protected]

CSO FORUM ON
SOCIAL FORESTRY
IN ASEAN

The CSO Forum envisions empowered and resilient indigenous peoples
and forest-dependent local communities in ASEAN with secured equal
rights and well-being, through an institutionalized CSO platform working
towards recognition and promotion of indigenous knowledge and wisdom,
forest tenure and access rights, community economy, and livelihood,

safeguards and inclusive governance mechanisms.

Convened by NTFP-EP in 2012, the Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Forum
on Social Forestry in ASEAN has served as a platform of engagement for
local communities, indigenous people’s organizations, and civil society
organizations. Through coordination and facilitation at the country and
regional levels, the forum consolidates and elevates key messages.

The CSO Forum regularly engages the ASEAN Working Group on Social
Forestry (AWG-SF) and other relevant subsidiary bodies on forestry, trade
and the ASEAN Economic Community, and climate change.

Today, over 50 participants representing 40 organizations from 8 countries in
Southeast Asia are actively engaged in capacity building, networking, policy
advocacy and communication.

In line with the ASEAN Cooperation on Forestry, Key Performance
Indicators on Food, Agriculture and Forestry, and Strategic Plan of Action of
the AWG-SF, the following thematic goals have been identified by the CSO
Forum on Social Forestry in ASEAN:

GOALS

COMMUNITY Development of economic policies and programs
ECONOMY AND that allow for the sustainable engagement of
community forest enterprises in trade.
LIVELIHOODS
FOREST Protection of indigenous peoples and local
communities’ access and tenure rights to their
TENURE AND community-managed forest and customary lands
ACCESS RIGHTS through established and enforced laws and
GOVERNANCE regulations
MECHANISMS
SAFEGUARDS Realization of self-mobilization of indigenous
peoples and local communities and their
Convened by organizations towards participatory and effective
forest governance

Recognition of customary forests and the
adoption and implementation of FPIC in line with
the UNDRIP as a minimum standard, as well as
development of safeguard policies, measures, and
mechanisms on social forestry

Supported by

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NTFP-EP Asia For more information about the
20A Maaralin St. NTFP-EP, get in touch via:
Bgy. Central, Diliman,
Quezon City Philippines 1100 www.ntfp.org
Email: [email protected] facebook.com/ntfpep
NTFP-EP Cambodia @ntfp_ep
#17B Street 494 Sangkat [email protected]
Phsa Doeum Thkov,
Khan Chamkarmon,
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
[email protected]
NTFP-EP India
c/o Keystone Foundation,
Grove Hill Road, PB No. 35,
Kotagiri,
Tamil Nadu, India
[email protected]
NTFP-EP Indonesia
Jl. Puspa sari Blok w6 no. 1i
Kedung Waringing Tanah Sareal
kota Bogor 16164, Indonesia
[email protected]
NTFP-EP Malaysia
Lot 6788, 1st Floor,
Taman Tunku Commercial
Center, 98000 Miri,
Sarawak, Malaysia
[email protected]
NTFP-EP Philippines
61 Masikap Ext.
Bgy. Central, Diliman,
Quezon City, Philippines 1100
[email protected]
NTFP-EP Vietnam
c/o Southern Institute of
Ecology-Vietnam Academy of
Science & Technology,
01 Mac Dinh Chi Street,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
[email protected]