Box A4.3: Gum Karaya Value Chain Development in Andhra Pradesh (AP) Kovel Foundation is the apex body of 250 Associations of Girijan Gum Pickers (GGPAs) across Andhra Pradesh. It developed scientific methods of tapping, collection, transportation, handling, cleaning, grading, drying and storage of gum karaya. Its improved tool kit consists of sickle, polythene liners, forceps, bamboo basket and bamboo mat (for collection and drying). Kovel Foundation collaborated with 60 botanists including Dr. K. P. Rao of NIRD, to develop sustainable harvesting protocols and scientific post-harvesting methods. Hundreds of educated tribal youth known as Village Liaison Workers (VLWs) were also trained. The Girijan Cooperative Corporation (GCC) is a public sector undertaking of the Government of Andhra Pradesh established in 1956 working for the improvement of the socio-economic status of tribals in the State. It is vested with monopoly rights over NTFPs including gum karaya. Collaboration between Kovel Foundation and GCC has created a tremendous impact on the production, processing and marketing of gum karaya. Today its brand ‘Girijan Gum’, enjoys a high reputation in the international market and fetches good returns for the primary collectors. Primary producers earn in the range of Rs. 5,000 to 8,000 per annum (prices fo 2007-08). The AP forest department also contributed to this effort by facilitating the formation of Vana Samarakashana Samitis to protect the forests. The intervention resulted in a five-fold increase in the price realised by the primary producer. The price of grade 1 gum karaya which was INR 30 per kg in 1990 increased to INR 170 per kg in 2007-08. This has resulted in business worth of INR 70 million in 2007-08 compared to Rs 35 million five years ago. Source: Panda, 2010 and Kovel Foundation, 2012
Standards and Certification Even where protocols for sustainable harvest are developed and implemented, consumers are often skeptical about claims made by producers and suppliers. Here, establishment of standards and certification of processes provides the necessary assurances to consumers and the public at large. Certification also proves to be an effective marketing tool for suppliers and producers. It helps to differentiate their produce in the market and thereby claim a higher price. Certification is often associated with cumbersome and lengthy procedures and high costs, which marginal producers with low or zero literacy would find difficult to deal with. A few examples of group certification (MYKAPS in organic cotton, Keystone Foundation for honey and bee-wax) have shown that this constraint can be overcome provided the farmers have the backing of a strong support institution. Standards applicable to non-timber forest products have been developed in the areas of organic forest management, fair-trade, quality control and sustainable harvest. For examples of standards that apply to NTFPs refer to Pierce and Laird (2003). The widely used international certification systems that offer consumer labeling of NTFPs include (Mallet, 1999): •
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
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The International Federation of OrganicAgriculture Movements (IFOAM)
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Fairtrade LabellingOrganisation International (FLO)
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FairWild Foundation
Among these, Fair-Wild Foundation established in 2008 is the most recent. It promotes sustainable use of produce collected from the wild with a fair deal for all those involved in the supply chain. FairWild has opened a chapter in India as well. While individual organisations can get accredited for certification, governmental institutions can partner with FairWild on issues of CITES, Integration into legal frameworks, national biodiversity and resource management strategies (Fair-Wild Foundation website accessed May 2012). Greening Rural Development 47