(Agenda item 7)
35. Based on a review of the draft papers submitted prior to the meeting, a Summary Note was elaborated by the FAO Secretariat, which listed the key characteristics of the rattan sector, the major gaps and possible issues to be addressed during the meeting. This note was distributed to the meeting participants as reference.
36. Based on the above note, the presentations delivered at the meeting and the ensuing discussions, Mr Killmann, in his presentation Key issues for required action, summed up the key issues that had been identified. He highlighted that on the supply side only a fraction of the known rattan species were commercially used, 90 percent of which originated from wild gathering from unmanaged and overharvested sources. He further emphasized that there was lack of comparable rattan inventories, that rattan cultivation was fragmented and the precise area of plantations unknown. On the processing and trade side, Mr Killmann listed the lack of cane standards and grading; the high wastage in harvesting and processing; the declining quantities and quality of available canes; rattan substitution; and the lack of accurate and comparable statistics on the socio-economic importance of the rattan sector and its trade.
37. Mr Killmann then presented an outline of proposed actions, which would serve as a basis for further plenary discussion, related to improving the supply and utilization of cane from wild and cultivated sources through integrating rattan into forest management prescriptions; better regulation of harvesting and provision of incentives for rattan enrichment planting and management in logged-over forests; introduction of processing standards; improvement of market information and statistics; and introduction of certification. He further emphasized the urgent social need of clarifying and reviewing ownership and resource access rights and land tenure regulations for forest-dependent people. He concluded mentioning the required policy and institutional improvements, such as the need to identify a lead unit on rattan within the forest departments and strengthen its rattan development programmes; and develop an appropriate legal framework for rattan and the means to enforce related laws. He further made a call for concerted action among the relevant agencies to assist countries to better manage and use their rattan resources.
38. Based on the above presentation and ensuing discussion, the meeting identified the lack of management of rattan as the key problem. In addition, it was underlined by the participants that rattan is the flagship of NWFP, and the success or failure of the management and development of rattan would have a far-reaching impact on the management and development of other NWFP. The present state of failure in the management of rattan had resulted in the following: depleting resource, diminishing supply, increased threat to the rattan industry, disappearing genetic resource, reduced rural income and loss of opportunity for socio-economic and forestry development.
38. In order to address the above problems and related issues, the following three working groups were set up:
· Rattan supply issues from natural forests and plantations (Chairman: Mr Tesoro);
· Socio-economic issues: rural incomes, industrial development and economic incentives (Chairman: Mr Belcher); and
· Environment and conservation of rattan (chairman: Mr Vongkaluang).
The task of the working groups was to revisit the issues raised during the meeting with regard to the respective topics and to prepare a report identifying key problems, possible solutions and strategies for action at the local, regional and international levels, including institutional and policy issues; and formulating recommendations for all relevant stakeholders.
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