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Environment, Natural Resources and Food
Underutilized Plant Speciesand Poverty AlleviationInternational Workshop, 6–8 May 2003
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
3
Contents
Acknowledgement IV
Summary V
Introduction 1Background 1Objectives and focus of the workshop 3Workshop process 4
Workshop Outputs 7Definition of underutilized plant species 7Approaches used for promotion 8Contributions of underutilized plant species to poverty alleviation 13Strategic elements for the promotion and sustainable utilization of underutilized plant species 21
Workshop Conclusions and Outlook 30Conclusions 30Actions required and potential actors 33Future actions of the global facilitation unit 37
Appendix 1 – Statements from the High Table 41
Acronyms 48
International Workshop on Underutilized Plant SpeciesNew City Hall, Leipzig, Federal Republic of Germany, 6 - 8 May, 2003
Senior Project Manager: Ms. Barbara KrauseWorkshop moderation: Dr. Sabine Gündel
InWEnt Capacity Building International, GermanyDivision Natural Resources and Biodiversity in Leipzig-ZschortauLeipziger Strasse 1504509 Zschortau/Germany
phone: +49(0)342 02– 8457-00fax: +49(0)342 02– 8457-77email: zschortau@inwent.org
Proceedings
Edited by Sabine Gündel, Irmgard Höschle-Zeledon, Barbara Krause and Kirsten Probst
Concept & Design: EYES-OPEN, BerlinCover Photo: IPGRI
Leipzig/Germany 2003
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
5
SummaryThe International Workshop on Underutilized Plant Species was carried outby Capacity Building International (InWEnt), commissioned by the GermanMinistry of Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ) and jointlyorganized with the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and theGlobal Facilitation Unit for Underutilized Species (GFU) with financial supportfrom the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and theTechnical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation (CTA).
The objectives of the workshop were to identify strategic elements for thepromotion and sustainable utilization of underutilized plant species and torecommend next steps and potential actors for implementation.
Professionals came together from more than 30 countries and various back-grounds to discuss future possibilities for enhancing the use of underutilizedplant species to improve the livelihoods of poor people. The workshop, therefore,had a clear development mission and the focus was on underutilized plantspecies within pro-poor development. This is reflected in the issues discussedand the aspects covered during the workshop.
Food security and health: many underutilized plant species arenutritionally rich, they contribute to combat hidden hunger,have a direct impact on well-being and health, and are accessibleresources for the urban and rural poor.
Income generation and local economies: there is a generalgrowing consumer demand for product diversity, which may offernew market opportunities and create employment at various levels.This contributes to the diversification of livelihood opportunitiesfor poor people, especially vulnerable groups.
Non-material benefits: the cultural identity of local communitiesis strongly related to the use of many traditional plant species and available indigenous knowledge. This represents an importantasset for those local communities and society in general.
4
AcknowledgementThis synthesis report is based on the outputs of an International Workshopon Underutilized Plant Species that was carried out by Capacity BuildingInternational (InWEnt), commissioned by the German Ministry of EconomicCo-operation and Development (BMZ), and jointly organized by the GermanAgency for Technical Co-operation (GTZ) and the Global Facilitation Unit forUnderutilized Species (GFU).
First of all we would like to thank the German Federal Ministry for EconomicCo-operation and Development (BMZ), the International Fund for AgriculturalDevelopment (IFAD) and the Technical Centre for Agricultural and RuralCo-operation (CTA) for their financial support.
Furthermore, we would like to thank all the participants for their motivation andinvolvement, which they demonstrated during the three days of the workshop.Based on their discussions and expertise, we were able to develop the presentdocument, which aims at synthesizing the main outcomes of the workshop.
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
1
IntroductionBackground
The International Workshop on Underutilized Plant Species was carried out byCapacity Building International (InWEnt), commissioned by the German Ministryof Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ) and jointly organized by theGerman Agency for Technical Co-operation (GTZ) and the Global Facilitation Unit for Underutilized Species (GFU) with financial support from the Interna-tional Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Technical Centre forAgricultural and Rural Co-operation (CTA).
The groundwork for this workshop was laid 7 years ago in June 1996, also inLeipzig, during the FAO-convened Fourth International Technical Conference onPlant Genetic Resources, where 150 countries formally adopted the Global Planof Action for the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant GeneticResources for Food and Agriculture (GPA). The Conference also adopted theLeipzig Declaration, which focuses attention on the importance of plant geneticresources for world food security and commits countries to implementing theGPA. The GPA is intended to be a framework, guide and catalyst for action atcommunity, national, regional and international levels. It aims at creating anefficient system for the conservation and sustainable use of plant geneticresources through better co-operation, co-ordination, planning and capacitystrengthening. It makes an essential contribution to the successful implemen-tation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The GPA pays specialattention to:
the conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture as the basis of food securitythe sustainable utilization of plant genetic resources to foster development and to reduce hunger and poverty.
The latter point includes a large number of plant species, which are importantfor household food security while also having potential for wider use and whichcould contribute to agricultural diversification and income generation. Therelevance of these so-called underutilized species to food security and poverty
6
Biodiversity and environmental services: underutilized plantspecies contribute to agro-ecosystem stability and, therefore,mitigate the effects of environmental changes. They are oftenadapated to marginal conditions.
This document is a synthesis report of the workshop aiming to inform a wideraudience working on the promotion and development of underutilized plantspecies. The report starts with a brief overview of the workshop objectives andprocess. It then focuses on the main workshop outcomes based on the workinggroup activities and presents the conclusions for future action.
The participants identified eight main intervention areas for the promotion andsustainable utilization of underutilized plant species. It is important to stressthat the main intervention areas do not target underutilized plant species atplant genetic resource level. They mainly address policy issues (especiallybenefit-sharing and intellectual property rights legislation), information mana-gement and capacity building issues as well as awareness creation, lobbying and marketing. An important conclusion from the workshop is that underuti-lized plant species need to be mainstreamed in ongoing research and develop-ment initiatives in order to become more visible and attract more attention. Ingeneral, strategic elements for promotion should build on existing strengths ofunderutilized plant species and target identified opportunities. They are,therefore, context-specific and require detailed analysis.
All the papers presented during the workshop are on the enclosed CD.
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
3
Objectives and focus of the workshop
The objectives of this workshop were to identify strategic elements for thepromotion and sustainable utilization of underutilized plant species and torecommend next steps and potential actors for implementation.
Although the immediate concern regarding underutilized species revolves aroundidentifying the germplasm and preserving this material in gene banks (andthrough in situ conservation), sight of the ultimate goal should not be lost,namely to exploit in a sustainable manner their potential for contributing to the reduction of food problems, both in terms of quantity and quality, and toalleviate poverty. Conservation of these species for the future of humankind,although a laudable objective, holds little attraction to those who need tosurvive and develop. Conservation becomes attractive when there are tangiblebenefits to be derived from its sustainable exploitation.
The workshop, therefore, tackled issues along the entire chain from the geneticresources to the consumers, who may be local people collecting or plantingthese species or more remote consumers where these species are marketed and commercialized. The workshop aimed to cover nutrition and health issues,cultural implications, economic and development aspects as well as environ-mental issues, hence, it gathered participants from a range of different sectors.
The participants came together to discuss the future possibilities for enhancingthe use of underutilized plant species in improving the livelihoods of poorpeople. The workshop, therefore, had a clear development mission and the focus was on underutilized plant species within pro-poor development. This isreflected in the issues discussed and the aspects covered during the event.
The workshop focused particularly on four areas to which underutilized plantspecies can make valuable contributions.
Food security and health: many of the underutilized plantspecies are nutritionally rich, can contribute to combat hiddenhunger, have a direct impact on well-being and health, and are accessible resources for the urban and rural poor.
2
alleviation is increasingly being recognized by researchers, policy-makers anddevelopment specialists. This is also reflected in the GPA, where they areaddressed through priority activity no. 12 – “promoting the development ofunderutilized crops and species”. This activity aims at:
identifying underutilized species developing sustainable management practicesdeveloping post-harvest and marketing methods promoting policies for the development and useof underutilized species.
Another milestone on the way to this workshop was the first Global Forum onAgricultural Research (GFAR) in May 2000, also held in Germany, in Dresden. Aworking group recommended the involvement of GFAR in future activities onunderutilized species to give these valuable resources the international attentionthey deserve from all GFAR constituencies. The establishment of a globalfacilitation unit to support and facilitate the work that is done by the variousstakeholders was also strongly encouraged.
Given the importance and the potential these species have for improving foodsecurity, particularly in developing countries, BMZ decided during the DresdenForum to provide funds for research and development activities and to sponsoran international workshop on the topic. At a later stage, it committed itself tofinancing the initial costs for the establishment of the Global Facilitation Unitfor Underutilized Species (GFU), which started operating one year ago under theumbrella of the GFAR. However, BMZ’s involvement in promoting and popula-rizing underutilized species dates back even further. During 1996 and 1997, aseries of over 20 monographs on selected underutilized species was publishedjointly by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) and theInstitute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) in Gatersleben,Germany, with financial support from BMZ.
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
5
the strengths and weaknesses and the key elements of thedifferent approaches presented and known from own experience.
On the second day, the contribution of underutilized plant species to povertyalleviation was at the forefront of discussions. Four plenary presentations setthe scene for the working groups.
The role of underutilized plant species with regard to increasedfood security and improved health of poor people was presentedby Mario Tapia (IIAP).Denzil Phillips’ presentation focused on the contribution ofunderutilized plant species to income generation and localeconomies.The value of the non-material benefits of underutilized plantspecies to the livelihoods of the poor was presented by PabloEyzaguirre (IPGRI).Jeff McNeely from IUCN focused on the importance of underutilized plant species for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
These four key topics were analyzed in more detail during the afternoon, wherefour working groups discussed useful clusters of underutilized plant species. ASWOT-analysis was used to further explore the strengths and weaknesses ofunderutilized plant species for contributing to these key areas and to understandbetter the existing opportunities for, and threats to their promotion.
Only by identifying the weaknesses and threats will we be able to understandwhy these plant species have remained underutilized. A better understanding oftheir strengths and opportunities will enable us to develop successful strategiesto enhance their contributions for the benefit of the poor and to promote theirsustainable utilization.
During the third day, participants looked at strategic elements and next stepsfor the promotion and sustainable utilization of underutilized plant species,consolidating the findings of the working groups. The workshop ended withstatements from a high table, where representatives of different organizations
4
Income generation and local economies: there is a generalgro wing consumer demand for product diversity, which may offer new market opportunities and create employment at various levels. This contributes to the diversification of livelihood opportunities for poor people, especially vulnerable groups.Non-material benefits: the cultural identity of local communi-ties is strongly related to the use of many traditional plantspecies and available indigenous knowledge. This represents an important asset for those local communities and society in general. Biodiversity and environmental services: underutilized plant species contribute to agro-ecosystem stability and, therefore, mitigate the effects of environmental changes. They are often adapted to marginal conditions.
Workshop processProfessionals from more than 30 countries attended the International Workshopon Underutilized Plant Species in Leipzig and shared their knowledge andexpertise (a list of participants is on the CD).
The first day intended to update all participants on past and current work onunderutilized plant species, existing terms to characterize these species andapproaches employed for their promotion.
An overview of past and ongoing initiatives with respect to thepromotion and sustainable utilization of underutilized plant specieswas presented by Nazmul Haq from ICUC.This was followed by a presentation from Stefano Padulosi (IPGRI)who shared with the participants definitions and concepts ofunderutilized plant species.The first thematic session consisted of two presentations focusingon the approaches used for the promotion and sustainableutilization of underutilized plant species. A more theoreticalframework was provided by Susan Kaaria (CIAT), followed by a casestudy from Cameroon by Dominic Fontem (University of Dschang).During the afternoon, four working groups analyzed in more detail
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
7
Workshop outputsDefinition of underutilized plant species
A wide range of terms are used for underutilised plant species, which includeminor, neglected, local, traditional, underexploited, underdeveloped, orphan, lost,new, niche, promising and alternative (Padulosi1). Each of these terms suggestsa certain perspective with regard to underutilization, which is not always veryclear. For example, minor species are minor in relation to what: volume/acreageof crop or value of traded product? New species are new in relation to what: interms of geographical focus (country, region, agro-ecological system) or time?Other terms seem to carry a negative connotation within a certain culturalcontext, such as neglected or orphan. Others again are not explicit enough interms of the potential of these species. For example, lost species places theemphasis on historic/cultural aspects rather than on current benefits that couldbe generated. Most accepted and most frequently used in the research anddevelopment (R&D) community is the term underutilized, which was alsoadopted during the workshop, bearing in mind the limitations of this term. Weshould be aware that within the poor farming communities around the world,which depend on these species for their survival, they are often neither neglectednor underutilized.
6
provided feedback on the conclusions and recommendations made by theworkshop participants. The detailed workshop programme can be found on theenclosed CD.
1Refer to the CD for full paper of this presentation.
Table 1 Advantages and disadvantages of the term ‘underutilized plant species’
Advantages
• Best captures the concept of economicpotential and other livelihood-relatedbenefits
• Not linked to a particular geographicalarea
• Not limited necessarily to a specificmarket niche
• Generally accepted by all cultural groups• Most widely used
Disadvantages
• Some confusion on boundary of term: areless used varieties of major crops alsoincluded?
• Do not carry a visible message on loss ofdiversity and indigenous knowledge andpoor attention by R&D
• Issue of ‘underutilized threshold’
UPSPoverty
Food insecurity
SUPS Reduced poverty Increased food
security
Threats
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Strengths
Food security
Biodiversity environment
Income
Non-material benefits
Promoti
on app
roache
s
Strate
gic
element
s/acto
rs
Figure 1 Rationale of workshop process
UPS = Underutilized plant species
SUPS = Sustainable utilization of plant species
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
9
development of local capacity for rural innovation (see paperpresented by Kaaria).The integrated natural resource management approach orecosystems approach focuses on the relationship of species withinthe overall ecosystem and reflects the recommendations of theCBD. It often adopts a regional perspective and promotescollaboration between farmers using a participatory approach.The high-level influence on policy approach recognizes thatunderutilized plant species are a public good, so policies arerequired to obtain the commitment of governments for thesustainable utilization of underutilized plant species, for equitablebenefit-sharing, allocation of research funds, etc.Participation and rights approaches focus on the involvement oflocal people who manage underutilized plant species andemphasize the importance of property rights based on farmers’plant registers and indigenous knowledge.Culture-based approaches build on traditional and socialnetworks within the community.
Table 2 summarizes the main approaches. It provides information on theirobjectives, the underlying assumptions and perspectives on why underutilizedplant species are underutilized, and the future potential/function of under-utilized plant species from the different perspectives.
Comparison of the different approaches shows marked differences in theirparticular objectives and perspectives with regard to the future contributions of underutilized plant species to poverty reduction. The approaches have theirindividual strengths and weaknesses, which suggests that no single approachcan be successful: a combination of different approaches will be required,depending on the objective of the promotion, the type of species and therespective intervention context.
During the workshop, the participants established the following key character-istics required within an approach to successfully target and benefit poor peoplein the promotion of underutilized plant species and to minimize the identifiedrisks and weaknesses (sea Table 2):
8
The participants also agreed on a working definition of underutilized plantspecies, which was adopted throughout the workshop. However, it is importantto stress that there were different opinions on the definition. Particular areas of controversy were the range of species to be included (e.g. traditional varietiesof major crops, which remain underutilized) and the level of utilization to becharacterized as underutilized. Clarification of these issues was beyond thescope of the workshop.
The agreed working definition for the duration of the workshop was:“underutilized plant species are those with a potential, not fullyexploited, to contribute to food security and poverty alleviation.Promotion of their use should be done in a sustainable fashion”.
Approaches used for promotionDifferent approaches exist for the promotion of underutilized plant species.These approaches use different entry points, ranging from a focus on plantgenetic resource to policy and legislation. Most of the past activities on thepromotion of underutilized plant species have either focused on aspects atplant genetic resource level, such as plant characterization, selection and im-provement, or on marketing aspects. During the workshop, a range of differentapproaches for the promotion of underutilized plant species were identified.
The commodity chain approach strongly emphasizes the‘underutilized’ market potential and often focuses on one specificcommodity with high potential value. This might contribute to theconservation of a particular species by creating strong marketopportunities. On the other hand, it might lead to overexploitation(particularly in the case of wild plants), or an underutilized plantspecies might become a commodity and drive out other species(see paper presented by Kaaria).The livelihoods approach defines ‘underutilized’ in terms of widerlivelihood functions and stresses the importance of building on the existing assets of the poor (see paper presented by Kaaria).The resource-to-consumption approach highlights the genderconcerns, sustainable natural resource management and the
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
1110Ta
ble
2 Ap
proa
ches
to
the
prom
otio
n of
und
erut
ilize
d pl
ant
spec
ies
Obj
ectiv
es
Assu
mpt
ions
abo
utth
e re
ason
s fo
run
deru
tiliz
atio
n of
UPS
Com
mod
ity/v
alue
cha
in
Addi
ng v
alue
to
unde
rutil
ized
plan
t sp
ecie
s (U
PS):
(i)to
incr
ease
inco
me
(and
th
ereb
y re
duce
pov
erty
)(ii
)to
incr
ease
the
ince
ntiv
eto
mai
ntai
n th
ese
plan
tsp
ecie
s
UPS
are
und
erut
ilize
d by
indu
stry
bec
ause
the
y ar
eun
know
n, u
nwan
ted/
disl
iked
,ra
re/d
iffic
ult
to g
row
, ille
gal,
unst
able
sup
ply
sour
ce, t
ooex
pens
ive
to p
roce
ss o
r to
tran
spor
t, to
o da
nger
ous,
too
polit
ical
, etc
. (Ph
illip
s)
Live
lihoo
d ap
proa
ch/
reso
urce
-to-
cons
umpt
ion
Enha
nce
the
use
of U
PS f
orw
ider
live
lihoo
d fu
nctio
ns a
ndto
incr
ease
loca
l peo
ples
capa
city
to
conf
ront
and
min
imiz
e ris
ks
UPS
may
be
unde
rutil
ized
due
to li
mite
d ac
cess
,re
plac
emen
t/do
min
atio
n by
othe
r pl
ants
, etc
., or
the
irpo
tent
ial u
se is
not
yet
ful
lykn
own/
expl
oite
d by
loca
lpe
ople
Ecos
yste
m/in
tegr
ated
nat
ural
reso
urce
man
agem
ent
Mai
ntai
n bi
odiv
ersi
ty t
o se
cure
wel
l-be
ing
in t
he lo
ng t
erm
(incl
udin
g th
e ca
paci
ty t
oad
apt
to c
hang
es in
clim
ate,
hum
an p
refe
renc
es, e
tc.)
Ecos
yste
m s
ervi
ces
are
asim
port
ant
as e
cosy
stem
prod
ucts
for
hum
anki
nd
Man
y pl
ant
spec
ies
are
over
utili
zed
rath
er t
han
unde
rutil
ized
(esp
ecia
lly w
ildsp
ecie
s)
Use
is o
ften
not
sus
tain
able
Cultu
ral a
ppro
ach
(co-
evol
utio
n)
Mai
ntai
n cu
ltura
l div
ersi
tyan
d va
lues
as
a w
ay o
fm
aint
aini
ng g
enet
icdi
vers
ity (m
aint
aini
ngev
olut
iona
ry p
roce
sses
)
Empo
wer
loca
l peo
ple
and
thei
r so
cial
net
wor
ks(in
depe
nden
ce)
Loss
of
know
ledg
e an
dcu
ltura
l ide
ntity
dire
ctly
affe
cts
gene
tic d
iver
sity
and
utili
zatio
n of
UPS
Und
erut
iliza
tion
prim
arily
occu
rs b
ecau
se o
f ch
ange
sin
cul
ture
/life
styl
e
Und
erly
ing
pers
pect
ive
Role
/fun
ctio
ns o
f U
PS
Key
stre
ngth
s of
appr
oach
es
Focu
s on
mar
ket
pote
ntia
l/pro
duct
s
Focu
s on
eco
nom
ic p
oten
tial/
mon
etar
y va
lue,
qua
lity,
etc.
Resp
ond
to m
arke
t de
man
d,pr
ovid
e in
com
e to
var
ious
stak
ehol
ders
alo
ng t
heco
mm
odity
cha
in
Addi
ng v
alue
to
UPS
and
cre
atin
gin
cent
ives
to
furt
her
prom
ote
thei
r us
e
Brin
gs in
com
e fo
r cu
ltura
lin
vest
men
t
Lead
s to
inte
rcul
tura
l app
reci
atio
n
Empo
wer
loca
l peo
ple
and
build
on
exis
ting
reso
urce
s(in
depe
nden
ce)
UPS
are
an
impo
rtan
t as
set
for
dive
rsifi
ed li
velih
ood
stra
tegi
es
Impo
rtan
ce o
f m
ultip
le u
ses
of U
PS t
o fu
lfil d
iver
seliv
elih
ood
func
tions
Prom
otes
live
lihoo
d op
tions
for
vuln
erab
le g
roup
s by
build
ing
on e
xist
ing
reso
urce
s
Co-e
volu
tiona
ry p
ersp
ectiv
e
Lack
of
cultu
ral i
dent
ity a
son
e as
pect
of
pove
rty
Impo
rtan
ce o
f fo
od c
ultu
re,
spiri
tual
and
rel
igio
us u
ses
Impo
rtan
ce o
f m
ultip
le u
ses
Rein
forc
es c
ultu
res
and
cons
erve
s an
d pa
sses
on
valu
es a
ndid
entit
y/in
dige
nous
know
ledg
e
Rela
tions
hip
betw
een
plan
tsan
d di
ffer
ent
orga
nism
s
Plan
ts h
ave
othe
r w
ider
func
tions
tha
n di
rect
use
valu
es
Impo
rtan
ce o
f lo
cal e
ndem
ican
d w
ild s
peci
es, e
ndan
gere
dsp
ecie
s (C
ITES
)
Reco
gniz
es t
he li
nks
and
rela
tions
hips
bet
wee
n pl
ant
spec
ies
and
the
wid
eren
viro
nmen
t
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
13
recognition of underutilized plant species as public goods to ensure the continued availability and accessibility of the plantgenetic resources to present and future generationsfair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the use of under-utilized plant species for sustainable agriculture and food securitystrengthening the capacity of marginalized people in negotiationswith the private sector and governmentaccess to information for all stakeholders to ensure equal positioning in decision-makingparticipatory and multi-stakeholder-oriented approaches to providefor inclusion and consideration of different interests and needs.
The consideration of such characteristics within a promotion approach will helpto achieve social acceptability, cultural empowerment and self-determination.
These points (though probably far from complete) provide a useful checklist tomonitor and evaluate ongoing and past initiatives in order to assess theappropriateness of the approaches used and to guide future initiatives in theselection of pro-poor promotion approaches.
Contributions of underutilized plant speciesto poverty alleviationThe overall objective of promoting underutilized plant species is to reducepoverty and to achieve the sustainable use of a wide range of plant species.Underutilized plant species can make a contribution to poverty alleviation infour major areas: food security and health, income generation, non-materialbenefits and biodiversity and environmental services.2
Underutilized plant species represent an enormous range of different plants withdifferent attributes and potential to contribute to poverty alleviation. Whereassome of them are more important for food security, others will have a greaterpotential for income generation, for non-material benefits or for environmentalservices relevant to the poor.
12Ta
ble
2 co
nt.
Risk
s/ke
y w
eakn
esse
sof
app
roac
hes
Com
mod
ity/v
alue
cha
in
Loss
of
iden
tity
of o
rigin
onc
eva
lue
addi
ng a
nd m
arke
ting
are
esta
blis
hed
Nar
row
ing
gene
tic b
ase
(whe
re d
omes
ticat
ion
and
sam
e qu
ality
is n
eede
d)
Non
-sus
tain
able
use
of
the
ecos
yste
m; m
arke
t tr
ends
and
fash
ions
can
cha
nge
Loss
of
indi
geno
us k
now
ledg
e
Sim
plifi
catio
n of
use
s
Risk
of
over
expl
oita
tion
Nar
row
ing
of g
enet
ic d
iver
sity
thro
ugh
rest
rictio
n to
few
spec
ies
Live
lihoo
d ap
proa
ch/
reso
urce
-to-
cons
umpt
ion
Dang
er o
f ta
king
pla
ce in
is
olat
ion
with
out
invo
lvem
ent
at p
olic
y le
vel
Ecos
yste
m/in
tegr
ated
nat
ural
reso
urce
man
agem
ent
Oft
en t
oo c
onse
rvat
ion
orie
nted
, neg
lect
ing
loca
lpe
ople
s ne
eds
Cultu
ral a
ppro
ach
(co-
evol
utio
n)
Diff
icul
t to
pro
mot
e in
is
olat
ion,
as
econ
omic
ince
ntiv
es a
re v
ery
pow
erfu
l
Cultu
rally
bou
nded
2For further information on these contributions refer to the plenary papers prepared byTapia, Phillip, Eyzaguirre and McNeely on the CD.
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
1514Ta
ble
3 Co
ntrib
utio
ns o
f un
deru
tiliz
ed p
lant
spe
cies
to
pove
rty
alle
viat
ion
and
thei
r pr
omot
ion
Obj
ectiv
es o
fpr
omot
ion
Gro
ups
of U
PS w
ithke
y co
mm
onch
arac
teris
tics
Food
sec
urity
and
hea
lth
Poor
peo
ple
have
per
man
ent
acce
ss t
o su
ffic
ient
foo
d of
adeq
uate
qua
lity,
that
isso
cial
ly a
nd c
ultu
rally
acce
ptab
le, f
or a
n ac
tive
and
heal
thy
life
Adap
tabi
lity
to d
iffer
ent
agro
-eco
logi
cal z
ones
Leve
l of
skill
s an
d kn
owle
dge
avai
labl
e am
ong
diff
eren
tst
akeh
olde
rs r
elat
ed t
o th
em
anag
emen
t an
d ut
iliza
tion
of U
PS (e
.g. n
o sk
ills
and
know
ledg
e av
aila
ble,
low
leve
lof
ski
lls a
nd k
now
ledg
eav
aila
ble,
etc
.)
Inco
me
gene
ratio
n
UPS
are
use
d to
gen
erat
e ca
shec
onom
ic b
enef
its t
o po
orpe
ople
(esp
ecia
lly v
ulne
rabl
egr
oups
) in
the
form
of
addi
tiona
l inc
omes
The
adde
d va
lue
at v
ario
usle
vels
lead
s to
fou
r su
b gr
oups
:(i)
no id
entif
ied
adde
d va
lue
at lo
cal l
evel
;(ii
)id
entif
ied
adde
d va
lue
atlo
cal l
evel
(ii
i)id
entif
ied
adde
d va
lue
atna
tiona
l lev
el;
(iv)
iden
tifie
d ad
ded
valu
e at
glob
al le
vel
Biod
iver
sity
and
env
ironm
enta
lse
rvic
es
Poor
peo
ple
are
able
to
dive
rsify
the
bas
is o
f th
eir
livel
ihoo
d, t
hrou
gh b
ette
rco
nser
vatio
n an
d su
stai
nabl
eus
e of
bio
dive
rsity
Dom
estic
atio
n st
atus
(dom
estic
ated
, sem
i-do
mes
ticat
ed w
ith p
oten
tial
for
full
expl
oita
tion,
sem
i-do
mes
ticat
ed a
s go
od e
noug
h,w
ild p
lant
s or
mor
e si
mpl
ified
culti
vate
d, m
anag
ed, n
on-
culti
vate
d) a
nd t
he s
tatu
s of
the
spec
ies
(loca
l end
emic
,in
vasi
ve, t
hrea
tene
d/en
dang
ered
, wid
espr
ead)
Non
-mat
eria
l ben
efits
Mai
ntai
n th
eir
valu
es, t
oen
sure
the
ir ap
prec
iatio
nan
d co
ntrib
ute
to t
hepa
ssin
g on
fro
m p
rese
nt t
ofu
ture
gen
erat
ions
Type
of
avai
labl
e kn
owle
dge
in r
elat
ion
to p
lant
spe
cies
:co
mm
on k
now
ledg
e,sp
ecifi
c kn
owle
dge,
scie
ntifi
c kn
owle
dge,
inte
rmed
iate
kno
wle
dge
Leve
l of
culti
vatio
n:cu
ltiva
ted,
non
-cul
tivat
ed(w
ild),
man
aged
Func
tions
of
UPS
: spi
ritua
l,fo
od c
ultu
re, e
duca
tiona
l,so
cial
/inst
itutio
nal a
ndcu
ltura
l lan
dsca
pe
Stre
ngth
s
Opp
ortu
nitie
s
Loca
lly a
vaila
ble
and
acce
ssib
le
Loca
l kno
wle
dge
avai
labl
e on
man
agem
ent
and
use
Adap
ted
to t
he lo
cal
envi
ronm
ent
Mul
ti-pu
rpos
e
Spec
ific
nutr
ition
and
hea
lthva
lue
Low
req
uire
men
t fo
r ex
tern
alin
puts
Mar
keta
ble
Easy
pro
mot
ion
(soc
ially
acce
ptab
le)
Tech
nolo
gy a
vaila
ble
toen
hanc
e pr
oduc
tion;
fut
ure
expl
oita
tion
of n
utrit
iona
l and
med
icin
al p
rope
rtie
s
Loca
lly a
vaila
ble
and
acce
ssib
le
Loca
l kno
wle
dge
avai
labl
e on
man
agem
ent
and
use
Adap
ted
to t
he lo
cal
envi
ronm
ent
Avai
labi
lity
of m
arke
ts a
ndm
arke
t in
fras
truc
ture
,co
nduc
ive
polit
ical
/lega
lfr
amew
ork
Avai
labi
lity
of t
echn
olog
ypo
tent
ial f
or a
ddin
g va
lue,
job
crea
tion;
fut
ure
expl
oita
tion
ofm
arke
tabl
e pr
oper
ties
Adap
ted
to t
he lo
cal
envi
ronm
ent
Wid
e ge
netic
div
ersi
ty
Incr
ease
d op
tions
in r
espo
nse
to e
nviro
nmen
tal c
hang
es;
incr
ease
d re
silie
nce
ofco
mm
uniti
es; f
utur
eex
ploi
tatio
n of
gen
etic
div
ersi
ty
Incr
ease
d m
arke
ting
prov
ide
ince
ntiv
es f
or c
onse
rvat
ion
Leve
rage
with
nat
ural
res
ourc
elo
bby
Paym
ent
for
envi
ronm
enta
lse
rvic
es
Loca
lly a
vaila
ble
and
acce
ssib
le
Loca
l kno
wle
dge
avai
labl
eon
man
agem
ent
and
use
Adap
ted
to t
he lo
cal
envi
ronm
ent
Mul
ti-pu
rpos
e
Stre
ngth
en c
ultu
ral i
dent
ity
Empo
wer
men
t of
loca
lco
mm
uniti
es;
peop
le in
the
cen
tre
ofac
tiviti
es
Lead
s to
inte
rcul
tura
lap
prec
iatio
n
Prom
otes
inno
vatio
n an
dne
w in
form
atio
n
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
17
Due to the diversity of underutilized plant species, it is important to identifygroups of species which share key common characteristics with regard to theircontribution to poverty alleviation. This is not for the purpose of prioritizingplant species at an early stage, but rather to be able to develop more targetedpromotion strategies based on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities andthreats identified for each of these groups. Table 33 outlines the differentcontributions of underutilized plant species, the specific objectives for theirpromotion, and the different groups of species sharing key characteristicsidentified by workshop participants. Furthermore, the table lists importantstrengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats for their future promotion.
Food security and health
The objective of promoting underutilized plant species for improved food securityand health is that poor people have permanent access to sufficient food of ade-quate quality that is socially and culturally acceptable, for an active and healthy life.
Underutilized plant species that are relevant for food security and health can begrouped according to their suitability for different agro-ecological zones. Theimmediate and short-term focus should be on underutilized plant species thatare well adapted and available in a specific location, instead of trying tointroduce underutilized plant species from other agro-ecological zones.
Furthermore, underutilized plant species can be divided into different categoriesdepending upon the degree and available knowledge on their management anduse. Whilst local knowledge on management and use for some species is widelyavailable, this may not be the case for others. The same applies to the availa-bility of scientific information. An important constraint on the promotion ofmany underutilized plant species for increasing food security and health is thelack of information on plant properties (e.g. toxins, anti-nutritional factors,medicinal properties, etc.). A resulting threat is that the potential contributionsof these underutilized plant species to food security and health are difficult toestimate. On the other hand, there is a wide range of underutilized plant species
16Ta
ble
3 co
nt.
Wea
knes
ses
Thre
ats
Low
pro
duct
ivity
, pos
t-ha
rves
tpr
oble
ms
Stig
mat
ized
as
‘old
fas
hion
ed’
Diet
ary
tran
sitio
n
Biop
iracy
Poor
see
d sy
stem
s
Loss
of
loca
l kno
wle
dge
Ove
rest
imat
ion
of p
oten
tial
Lack
of
polic
y su
ppor
t
Low
pric
e, lo
w p
rodu
ctiv
ity,
post
-har
vest
pro
blem
s
Shor
t liv
ed m
arke
ts
Fina
ncia
l inv
estm
ent
requ
ired
Com
petit
ion
by b
ig in
dust
ry
Non
-tar
iff t
rade
bar
riers
Une
quita
ble
bene
fit-s
harin
g
Biop
iracy
Biod
iver
sity
and
env
ironm
enta
lse
rvic
es a
re n
ot p
rovi
ded
bysi
ngle
spe
cies
but
by
the
com
plex
ity o
f th
e ec
osys
tem
Cons
erva
tion
with
out
cons
ider
ing
hum
an n
eeds
Nar
row
ing
gene
tic b
ase
(whe
redo
mes
ticat
ion
and
sam
equ
ality
is n
eede
d)
Disp
lace
men
t of
oth
er s
peci
es
Non
-sus
tain
able
use
of
the
ecos
yste
m
Know
ledg
e of
man
agem
ent
and
use
conf
ined
to
smal
lgr
oup
of p
eopl
e (s
peci
alkn
owle
dge)
Neg
ativ
e pl
ant
prop
ertie
s(e
.g. r
egen
erat
ion
capa
city
,gr
owin
g ha
bits
, etc
.)
Less
impo
rtan
t in
‘mod
ern’
life
Brea
king
the
link
bet
wee
ncu
lture
and
UPS
mea
nsth
ey b
ecom
e a
com
mod
ityan
d ca
n be
tak
en t
o ot
her
prod
uctio
n si
tes
Biop
iracy
3Table 3 provides a synthesis of the SWOT-analysis carried out by the four working groups. It is,therefore, not complete and needs to be further developed for each specific plant species in itsown local context.
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
19
of profits is approximately 5% for growers and 60% for retailers (Denzil 4). This could be a major setback to enhancing income opportunities for poor people unless some kind of value-adding takes place at the farm or smallcommunity level.
Another effect is that as underutilized plant species become commodities,the traits and varieties that made them valuable to the resource-poor may bereplaced or the production sites will be moved into areas more favoured byproducers with capital, technology and management expertise. Here the risksare increased competition and loss of the genetic resource base.
A general risk for underutilized plant species in all subgroups is unrealisticexpectations of market potential. Very often markets for ‘new’ products arerelatively short-lived and vulnerable to substitution with other products oncean economic interested demand is established. Non-tariff trade barriers mightrepresent additional hurdles to entering international markets (e.g. the EUNovel Food Regulation).
Non-material benefits
The main objective of promoting underutilized plant species for non-materialbenefits is to maintain their value, ensure their appreciation and contribute tothe handing down from present to future generations to safeguard the plants’survival and to prevent them from further neglect.
From this perspective underutilized plant species can be grouped accordingto the type of knowledge available for the plant species, which includescommon/indigenous knowledge, specific knowledge, scientific knowledgeand intermediate knowledge. Furthermore, they can be grouped according totheir main functions, i.e. spiritual, food culture, educational, social/institutionaland cultural landscape.
Indigenous knowledge is important in order to appreciate and enhance thenon-material benefits of underutilized plant species. The recognition of local
18
with well known nutritional and medicinal properties, which have the potentialfor further promotion as they are locally known, culturally accepted and often a well established component of farming systems and diet. This category ofunderutilized plant species may have other constraints, such as low productivity,poor seed systems or post-harvest problems.
Income generation and local economies
The aim of promoting underutilized plant species for income generation is toincrease the direct economic benefits to poor people and vulnerable groups, byproviding additional cash income. Underutilized plant species with a potentialfor income generation can be divided into those with ‘identified’ or ‘not identi-fied’ potential and also into those with a market potential at local, national orglobal level. Each of these four groups have different characteristics, whichshape promotion strategies. The opportunities for value-adding at different levelsdetermine their income generation potential. In the past, the main focus forpromotion has been on plant species with value-adding potential at global level,neglecting the potential at local and/or national level. Local markets may offerthe most realistic and direct potential for contributing to income generation forpoor people, as they do not require a large infrastructure, processing technologyor capital to reach them. However, past and current extension methods focusingon improved and introduced species, consumer preferences for ‘modern’ or‘imported’ food, etc., have limited the realization of this potential. The marketingof wild plants offers a good opportunity for poor people as they do not requireland and other physical assets, but runs the risk of overexploitation and conse-quently of loss. Their collection is labour-intensive, which could be seen as anadvantage for poor people not owning land.
On the other hand, local markets tend to be small with a limited demand forproducts because many people are self-sufficient in certain local products orhave no financial resources to purchase them from the market, whereas nationaland global markets offer a greater potential in terms of demand and prices.However, the promotion of underutilized plant species for national and globalmarkets requires a detailed understanding of the supply chain and the potentialtrickle-down effect to benefit the poor. Adding value at the growers end is amajor challenge and does not happen in many cases. The average distribution 4
Refer to the CD for full paper of this presentation.
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
21
to respond to environmental and climatic changes and so contribute to theresilience of farming communities. Genetic diversity is a key component inachieving this. Underutilized plant species within the category of semi-domesticated and wild plants offer a greater potential in terms of geneticdiversity as they have not yet been manipulated by modern techniques andfarming styles. Similarly, local endemic species are important for geneticdiversity. However, the promotion of underutilized plant species within thesecategories bears the risk that these species will become overexploited andgenetic diversity will be lost. Furthermore, legal obstacles and opposition fromconservationists could be an additional threat to the promotion of underutilizedplant species in these categories.
On the other hand, it is important to recognize that an enhanced use ofunderutilized plant species will provide further reasons to maintain and conservethese species, because people understand that their survival and livelihoodsdepend on them.
Strategic elements for the promotion and sustainableutilization of underutilized plant speciesIn the previous sections we analyzed the different contributions of underutilizedplant species to food security and health, income generation, non-materialbenefits and biodiversity and environmental services and the related opportun-ities and threats. Furthermore, we introduced different groups or categories ofunderutilized plant species with key common characteristics that will requiredifferent promotion strategies to meet the overall objectives outlined in Table 3.This section presents a range of strategic elements, which were identified duringthe workshop as being relevant to the promotion and sustainable utilization ofunderutilized plant species. These are summarized in Table 4 below and aregrouped into the following areas of intervention (presented in no particularorder), which were established by the working group participants.
Conservation, improvement and accessPost-harvest handling and processingPolicy and legislationAwareness creation and lobbying
20
criteria such as taste, easiness to prepare, importance for cultural and spiritualfunctions, etc., is crucial. One of the main strengths of underutilized plantspecies is the different and multiple functions these plant species fulfil inpoor people’s livelihoods. Scientific knowledge focuses too often only on themajor functions without taking into account the range of secondary livelihoodfunctions. Therefore, the relevance of scientific knowledge with regard to thesefunctions is not necessarily the best departure point for developing underutilizedplant species. On the other hand, the value and cultural/spiritual functions ofcertain plant species are only known and managed by a specific group of people within the community, which may be a negative factor for promotion and enhanced use.
The promotion of non-material benefits of underutilized plant species offers theopportunity to place poor people in the centre of activities, as the main focus ison the assets available to them and their complex livelihood contributions. Thisis an important step towards strengthening local communities. However, the establish-ment and recognition of traditional resource rights and intellectual propertyrights are very important for benefit-sharing because, once a underutilized plantspecies becomes a commodity, it can be taken anywhere and past experienceshave shown that this usually leads to loss of ownership and control by the poor.
Biodiversity and environmental benefits
The objective of promoting underutilized plant species for biodiversity andenvironmental benefits is to enable poor people to diversify and stabilize thebasis of their livelihood, through better conservation and sustainable use ofbiodiversity.
Useful criteria to group underutilized plant species from this perspective aretheir domestication status (i.e. domesticated, semi-domesticated with potentialfor full exploitation, semi-domesticated as good enough, wild plants or moresimplified cultivated, managed, non-cultivated) and the status of the species(i.e. local endemic, invasive, threatened/endangered, widespread).
One of the main opportunities for promoting the use of underutilized plantspecies is to expand the options available to poor farmers to enable them
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
23
educational, social, institutional, cultural landscape)?Do they have an identified added value at local, national or global level?To what extent are they adapted to different agro-ecological zones?
3.What are the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the respective plantspecies within the area of contribution?
Are these species locally available and accessible?Are their seed systems established?Does local knowledge about their management, use and post-harvesting exist?Are these species adapted to the local environment?Do the species possess multiple uses?Do the species have marketable traits and image?Do these species have a wide genetic diversity?
4.What are the main opportunities for, and threats to their promotionin regard to the objectives?(i) Food security and health
Do these species require external inputs?Is there an identified market potential?Are their nutritional and medicinal properties known?Are research, education and extension servicesknowledgeable and in place?
(ii) Income generationIs there a market potential (niches, windows) identifiedand on what level?Is the necessary market infrastructure (i.e. information, processing,packaging, distribution channels, etc.) availableand accessible?Is there access to credit or economic incentives?Is there a conducive political and legal framework for marketing in place?Are the technology and relevant knowledge
22
MarketingCapacity buildingInformation generation and managementInter-sectoral interventions
It is important to emphasize again that the contribution underutilized plantspecies can make to poverty alleviation depends on the respective causes ofpoverty and not all underutilized plant species have the same potential forcontributing to poverty alleviation in the same way. There are differentcategories of underutilized plant species with different potential in differentcontexts. Therefore, the intervention areas and more importantly, the strategicelements identified under each intervention area, are not relevant for allunderutilized plant species. They can only offer guidance to present and futureactors involved in the promotion of underutilized plant species in identifyingintervention strategies.
The following decision steps should be considered in the situation analysis andfor developing an appropriate strategy for the promotion and development of underutilized plant species. For each step, a selection of key questions isprovided, which need to be further adapted to the specific situation.
1.What do we want to achieve by enhancing the sustainable use of underutilized plant species?
Food security and healthIncome generationSafeguarding non-material benefitsConservation of biodiversity and environmental services
2.What are the characteristics of the underutilized plant species available in the local context?
What skills and knowledge are available regarding the species(indigenous, common, specific, scientific, intermediate)?What is the domestication status of these species (domesticated, semi-domesticated, wild)?Are the species endemic, invasive, endangered or widespread?What are the functions of these species (spiritual, food culture,
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
25
Crop improvementSelection and evaluation of cultivarsImprovement of seed supply systemsDevelopment of appropriate technologiesConservation of germplasmTargeted collection of new germplasmFarmer experimentation and innovationSupport to gene banks to expand collection efforts
(ii) Post-harvest handling and processingImproved storage technologiesPromotion of existing technologiesPromotion of value addingScaling-up of existing technologiesValidation/improvement of processing and storage technologiesTechnical advice on product developmentFunding for primary processing facilities at rural level
(iii) Policy and legislationEstablishment of international property rights legislation for underutilized plant speciesEstablishment of links to existing conventions/treatiesEstablishment of community registersLink to food safety aspects/novel food regulationEstablishment of policy working groups and local policy dialogue fora Integration of cultural values into extension programmesRequirement for (agro)biodiversity impact evaluation for newprojects and assessment of existing projectsSurvey of existing legal and institutional regimes and recommendations for changes to eliminate obstaclesPositive policies promoting underutilized plant speciesintegrated into international development policies/programmesRegulatory framework for equitable benefit-sharingRatification of International Treaty on Plant GeneticResources (ITPGR)
24
for value adding available?Is there potential for replacement by synthetic products?The Are mechanisms in place to avoid overexploitation?
(iii) Non-material benefitsDo these species contribute to the cultural identity and empowerment of local communities?Who holds the knowledge about management practices and use?Are these species multi-purpose or are they limited to aspecific purpose?
(iv) Biodiversity and environmental servicesAre the species likely to increase future options for respondingto environmental change?Are these species of a known wide genetic diversity?Have they been subject to breeding and improvement activities?Is their use protected by national/international laws?Are the species endangered or invasive Do the species provide certain environmental services and fitinto diversified production systems?
5.What are the main intervention areas to build on the strengthsand opportunities, and to overcome the weaknesses and threats?
Conservation, crop improvement and access to genetic resourcesPost-harvest handling and processingPolicy and legislationAwareness creation and lobbyingMarketingCapacity buildingInformation generation and managementInter-sectoral interventions
6.Which of the following strategic elements have to be implementedwithin the selected intervention areas? (i) Conservation, improvement and access
Promotion of in situ conservation
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
27
International Agricultural Research Centres (IARCs) werementioned as actors that can provide these modulesR&D-based NGOs network building in poor regionsTraining for farmers (CBOs) on technical and organizational aspectsInclude underutilized plant species in training curricula ofschools and universitiesLink local and scientific knowledgeEducation of younger generations (community level)Local leadership capacity building
(vii) Information generation and managementDocumentation/synthesis of existing information andsuccess storiesLinks with databases of the Environmental Convention/Conventionon Biological Diversity, etc.Identification of focal point for information sharingInformation generation on nutritious value of underutilizedplant speciesDocumentation of indigenous knowledge on nutritional andmedicinal propertiesIdentification and documentation of species (communitybiodiversity register)Knowledge generation through farmer experimentation andinnovationDevelopment of information tools and decision support systems
(viii) Inter-sectoral interventionsMainstreaming underutilized plant species inother sector initiativesNetworking through inter-agency working groupsLinking to educational and cultural programmesPromoting vertical integration Linking to UNESCO programmesLinking to credit facilities
26
(iv) Awareness creation and lobbyingLobbying with conservationists and potential investorsIntegration into national development agendasConduct food security and health needs assessmentIncrease public awareness through recipes for food preparationPromote cultural/local productsBroaden the clientele (restaurants, shops, etc.)Cultural festivals and fairsInform communities about rights and policiesSocial mobilization through stakeholder analysis andinstitutional mappingDevelop clear extension messages in local languages for farmersOptimum use of mass media (rural radio, fairs, folk songs, etc.)
(v) MarketingCertification of productsIntroduction of quality standardsChanges in market regime to encourage sustainable useOptimize market potential through value adding at different levelsPromote access to creditDevelop new productsPromote producers associationsEstablish information systems on markets, prices, etc.Explore national and international marketsChanges in market regime to avoid overexploitation and toassure equitable sharing of benefits
(vi) Capacity buildingAssess institutional capacities to deal with underutilizedplant speciesPromote professional associationsStrengthen small businessesEnhance capacities of producers and clientsTraining of intermediary organizations (CBOs, NGOs,government organizations, private sector)Provide training modules based on underutilized plant species;
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
2928Ta
ble
4 Ac
tors
invo
lved
in t
he im
plem
enta
tion
of s
trat
egic
ele
men
ts –
exa
mpl
e fr
om t
hew
orki
ng g
roup
on
‘bio
dive
rsity
and
env
ironm
enta
l ben
efits
’
Key
area
s of
in
terv
entio
n
Synt
hesi
s of
exis
ting
info
rmat
ion
and
targ
eted
colle
ctio
n of
new
info
rmat
ion
and
germ
plas
m
Awar
enes
scr
eatio
n an
din
form
atio
ndi
ssem
inat
ion
Lend
ing
orga
niza
-tio
ns (W
orld
Ban
k,IF
AD, e
tc.)
Dono
rs (b
ilate
ral)
GFU
•Cr
eate
fun
ctio
nal
data
base
s on
UPS
•Li
nk w
ith d
ata-
base
s of
the
En
viro
nmen
tal
Conv
entio
n/CB
D,et
c.•
Crea
te in
form
a-tio
n re
sour
ces
in
tran
slat
ion
of
mul
tiple
med
ia
•Es
tabl
ish
info
r-m
atio
n ex
chan
ge
Inte
rnat
iona
lAg
ricul
tura
lRe
sear
ch C
entr
es
•Co
llect
and
sto
rege
rmpl
asm
•Su
ppor
t ge
ne b
anks
to
expa
nd
info
rmat
ion
base
•Co
nduc
t su
rvey
s of
indi
geno
us
know
ledg
e to
fill
in in
form
atio
n ga
ps•
Stud
y di
ffer
ent
eco-
zone
s w
ith
rega
rd t
o U
PS
•De
vise
prio
rity
list
of r
esou
rces
and
sour
ces
Nat
iona
lgo
vern
men
ts
•As
sess
the
sta
tus
of e
xist
ing
info
r-m
atio
n on
UPS
at n
atio
nal l
evel
s
NG
Os/
CBO
sPr
ivat
e se
ctor
•De
velo
p cl
ear
exte
nsio
n m
essa
ges
inlo
cal l
angu
ages
for
far
mer
s•
Opt
imum
use
of
mas
s m
edia
(rur
alra
dio,
fai
rs, f
olk
song
s, et
c.)
UN
org
aniz
atio
ns (F
AO, U
NID
O, e
tc.)
Prod
ucer
co-
oper
atio
ns
Chan
ges
in le
gal
and
inst
itutio
nal
regi
mes
Polic
y an
dlo
bbyi
ng
Capa
city
bui
ldin
g
Chan
ges
inm
arke
t re
gim
e
•Pr
ovid
e tr
aini
ngm
odul
es b
ased
on U
PS
•De
velo
p na
tiona
lpo
licie
s on
PG
R•
Ratif
y th
e IT
PGR
•Re
gula
tory
fram
ewor
k fo
r eq
uita
ble
bene
fit-s
harin
g
Pro-
UPS
pol
icie
sin
tegr
ated
into
natio
nal
deve
lopm
ent
polic
ies/
prog
ram
mes
Regu
lato
ryin
cent
ives
for
inve
stor
s in
UPS
•Po
licy
dial
ogue
on
gen
etic
m
ater
ial;
acce
ss
to C
BOs/
farm
ers
•R&
D-ba
sed
NG
Os
netw
ork
build
ing
in p
oor
regi
ons
•Tr
aini
ng f
or
farm
ers
(CBO
s)
on t
echn
ical
, m
arke
ting
and
orga
niza
tiona
l as
pect
s•Tr
aini
ng f
arm
ers/
CBO
s on
see
dpr
oduc
tion
and
mar
ketin
gas
pect
s
Advo
cacy
on
equi
tabl
e sh
arin
gof
ben
efits
•De
velo
p m
arke
t-ab
le p
rodu
cts
•Ce
rtify
org
anic
ally
grow
n
Trai
n/ex
posu
re t
oin
term
edia
ryor
gani
zatio
ns(C
BOs,
NG
Os,
gove
rnm
ent
orga
niza
tions
, pr
ivat
e se
ctor
)
Supp
ort
gove
rnm
ents
on
inte
rnat
iona
ltr
eatie
s, co
nven
tions
, etc
.
Surv
ey e
xist
ing,
and
rec
omm
end
new
lega
lre
gim
es a
nd e
limin
ate
obst
acle
s
Requ
ire (a
gro)
biod
iver
sity
eva
luat
ion
for
new
pro
ject
s an
das
sess
men
t of
exi
stin
g pr
ojec
ts
Hum
an r
esou
rces
dev
elop
men
t pr
ogra
mm
efo
r U
PS p
rom
otio
n an
d de
velo
pmen
t
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
31
Recognition of diversity of underutilized plant species
The analysis of promotion strategies for underutilized plant species recognizedthe complexity of the issue and the need for context-specific interventions.The workshop participants were able to define clusters of underutilized plantspecies with key common characteristics, which need to be considered whenunderutilized plant species are promoted with different objectives.
Pro-poor development focus
A main conclusion from the workshop discussions was that the rural poor shouldbe placed at the centre of the debate and their needs should be considered at alllevels. It is important, therefore, to establish a clear development focus for thepromotion of underutilized plant species, as other examples have shown that thepromotion can easily bypass the poor. The participants agreed that institutionaland policy mechanisms need to be established to effectively target and benefitthe poor.
Promotion approaches
A crucial issue in terms of successful promotion approaches is the need forpartnerships and a common understanding of the challenges. The participantsemphasized the importance of mainstreaming the work into ongoing initiatives.A common problem is the fragmentation of efforts and researchers, farmers andother stakeholders need to work more closely together. Furthermore, there is aneed to define the exact role of research, as many of the identified weaknessesand threats are not clearly research related. The participants pointed out theimportance of multi-stakeholder processes, which include all stakeholders. Aparticular focus should be on gender integration and cultural diversity, as this iscrucial for the sustainable management of underutilized plant species. It wasconcluded that a combination of approaches would be required to successfullytarget the poor. The participants established the key elements of an effectivepromotion approach.
30
7. Which stakeholders/actors need to be involved in the implementation ofthese strategic elements?
This decision step is very much dependent on the specific interven-tion context and needs to be elaborated for each individual situation.Table 4 on page 28 provides an example of stakeholder involvementat different levels from the working group on ‘biodiversity and envi-ronmental benefits’. In the following section, recommendations aremade for the involvement of different potential actors in the imple-mentation of the strategic elements identified during the workshop.
Workshop Conclusions and OutlookThe identification of strategic elements for the promotion and sustainableutilization of underutilized plant species for poverty alleviation was the mainoutput from the workshop. In this section we present the main conclusionsbefore we provide further details on the potential actors for implementing thestrategic elements identified.
Conclusions
Definition of underutilized plant species
There is no commonly agreed definition/terminology for underutilized plantspecies, which makes it difficult to focus discussions. It is important to establisha clear definition of underutilized plant species that contains selection criteriafor plant species and shows the links to other related terms such as plantgenetic resources, (agro)biodiversity, etc. However, some key features ofunderutilized plant species could be agreed including: their status is contextand value-specific, they are public goods, assets of poor people, have local orregional importance, etc.
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
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Intervention areas and strategic elements
It is important to stress that the main identified intervention areas do not targetunderutilized plant species at plant genetic resource level (such as speciesimprovement, management practices, etc.). They mainly address policy issues(especially those concerned with benefit-sharing and intellectual property rightslegislation), information management and capacity building issues as well asawareness creation, lobbying and marketing. An important conclusion from theworkshop was that underutilized plant species need to be mainstreamed inongoing research and development initiatives, in order to become more visibleand attract more attention. In general, strategic elements for promotion shouldbuild on the existing strengths of underutilized plant species and target theidentified opportunities. They are, therefore, context-specific and require adetailed analysis as outlined above.
Actions required and potential actorsVarious actors were identified who should be mobilized to contribute to theimplementation of the strategic elements at different levels (local, national orinternational) depending on the intervention area. We present a synthesis ofthese recommendations below. Furthermore, we provide an indication of howfar the workshop outputs and recommendations will be followed up by theGlobal Facilitation Unit.
Plant species conservation/improvement and access
At the international level, the involvement of the International AgriculturalResearch Centres (IARCs) is required. At the national level, it is the responsibilityof the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) to collect, conserve,characterize, evaluate, domesticate and improve existing germplasm as well asto develop and adapt production technologies. At the local level, conservationand improvement has to be undertaken by the farmers themselves and the CBOsthrough farmers’ research and community biodiversity registries. Poor seedsystems are often a problem for increasing the use of underutilized species. TheIARCs and NARS need to improve access to seeds for farmers at national leveland to strengthen farmers’ informal seed systems.
32
Private sector involvement
Strong emphasis was placed on the importance of involving the private sector infuture promotion strategies. Underutilized plant species will remain underutilizeduntil and unless markets are found for them and the private sector has a role toplay in identifying and establishing these markets. However, past and currentexperience shows that in many cases the private sector has not become involvedin commercializing underutilized plant species. This is because it is extremelycostly to invest in unknown and untested products. There is a huge risk becauseit is not known how well these products will sell. Product development costs arehigh and marketing is difficult due to consumers lack of knowledge about theproducts. This stresses the relevance of providing information and awarenesscreation. If rural producers are to benefit from the commercialization of under-utilized plant species, the capacity of the private sector must be increased andit must be encouraged through incentives associated with specific underutilizedplant species. Linkages with NGOs and donors should be established to encoura-ge the private sector to commercialize underutilized plant species in private-public partnerships.
Establishment of communities of practice
The participants identified the need for establishing communities of practice,which can exchange and build on existing experiences. Specific topics forthese communities are impact assessment and development of indicators toallow for monitoring and evaluation of underutilized plant species initiativesand to maintain a pro-poor focus. The community of practice could contributeto the systematization of experiences gained from different approaches andtheir respective impacts. Furthermore, they could focus on an analysis of therelevance of underutilized plant species to poverty alleviation compared to themain staple crops. This information is necessary to provide evidence of positiveimpact to donors and others who do not fully recognize the importance ofunderutilized plant species. Furthermore, it will help to improve the approachestaken to optimize impact.
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
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Marketing
As mentioned above, it is crucial that the the role of the private sector isincreased. At the national level, the private sector has to explore markets,develop marketable products and organize value-adding activities, such asorganic certification and processing. The task of the NGOs is to advocate onequitable benefit-sharing along the supply chain. NGOs should assist the ruralprivate sector with business training. National governments must put in placeregulatory incentives for investors in underutilized species. They should set upan attractive credit system for farmers and small entrepreneurs who want toinvest in underutilized species. Governments, in co-operation with the privatesector and inter-governmental organizations, have to establish internationallyrecognized product standards, which can be achieved by producers and localindustry. Governments should protect the local industry during the start-upphase. At the international level, governments should abolish non-tariff tradebarriers that hinder products from developing countries entering their markets(e.g. EU Novel Food Regulation).
Capacity building
At the local level, the traditional authorities, village committees, spiritualleaders, innovative farmers and individual households are responsible for theeducation of the younger generation and the transfer of knowledge aboutunderutilized species to them. At the national level, it is the responsibility ofthe respective ministries (education, culture, community development) tomake sure that underutilized species are included in the curricula of schoolsand other education programmes. A vital role should be played by NGOsin providing training to farmers and CBOs on technical, marketing andorganizational aspects in participatory research and farmers’ seed production.Training institutions such as InWEnt also have an important role to play intargeting researchers, development agents, etc. Lending institutions, UNorganizations such as FAO and UNIDO, and bilateral donors should provideresources and organize human resources development programmes onunderutilized species at an international level.
34
Post-harvest handling and processing
The primary tasks of the private sector in this area are product development andthe development of processing technologies. The private sector is also requestedto establish production units at community level and to ensure sustainableharvesting of the species to be processed and marketed. NGOs and NARS shoulddevelop and adapt appropriate processing technologies for rural householdsincluding the improvement of storage facilities at household level to allowstorage of seasonal mass production.
Policy and legislation
Underutilized plant species should be closely linked to the CBD and the Inter-national Treaty. Key actors at the international level are the IARCs, the nationalfocal points of the CBD and the Treaty, but also international donors and NGOssuch as IUCN and WWF. A review of the existing international treaties is necessaryand this should be initiated by the CGIAR, UN organizations such as FAO andother international organizations such as the World International PropertyOrganization (WIPO). Farmers’ Unions, local development NGOs and cross-community networks should initiate and lead local policy dialogue fora with theaim of influencing the inclusion of underutilized species in national agriculturaland development policies. The relevant national ministries have to ensure thatnational laws are revised in such a way that the intellectual property rights areguaranteed for the rural communities.
Awareness creation and lobbying
The traditional authorities, village councils and chiefs are also important increating awareness on the intellectual property rights that people possess.National information centres and extension agencies can play a role in lobbyingat national level to include underutilized plant species and their cultural valuesin agricultural extension programmes. The private sector is important and shouldbe responsible for creating awareness of the economic value of underutilizedspecies among consumers and producers.
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
37
Future actions of the global facilitation unit
The workshop report will be made available to all potentially interested stake-holders. A small brochure listing the key elements of a successful approach forpromoting and developing underutilized species with the aim of benefiting poorpeople will be developed. It will also contain the major areas of interventionelaborated during the workshop and the decision steps necessary to select thestrategic elements that enhance the contribution of underutilized plant speciesto the various intervention areas. This brochure will provide a quick guide for allorganizations planning projects or already involved in activities on underutilizedspecies to choose the most appropriate approach and to include all strategicelements required for success in a particular intervention area. This will finallylead to the institutionalization of the workshop results.
Based on the workshop conclusions, there are several areas of actions where theGFU will take an active role.
Definition of underutilized plant species
The GFU will initiate a discussion among stakeholders aiming to clarify existingterms and to achieve a common understanding. In the meantime, we shouldaccept the definition agreed upon during the workshop and currently used bythe GFU (see page 8). This definition targets species, which show some of thefollowing key features: low external inputs for production, suitable for cultivationon marginal land (low soil fertility, etc.), suitable for stabilizing fragile ecosystems,able to fit into smallholders’ farming systems, easy to store and process byresource-poor communities, market opportunities available, high nutritionaland/or medicinal value, and offer multipurpose uses. These selection criteria willalso be revised in a stakeholder consultation and general agreement forprioritization of species will be sought.
Intervention areas and strategic elements
(i) The GFU will assist interested stakeholders in developing project proposalsand critically revise them according to the approach chosen and theinclusion of the strategic elements for optimum success in the targeted
36
Information generation and management
At the international level, the IARCs should support national gene banks toexpand the information collected. They should conduct surveys of indigenousknowledge to complete existing information and to fill in gaps. A study ofdifferent agro-ecological zones with regard to their suitability for specificunderutilized species would be most useful. National governments have toundertake an assessment of existing information at national levels. In co-operation with national NGOs, governments have to develop and appropriatelydisseminate clear extension messages in local languages for farmers. The existinglocal knowledge has to be linked to scientific knowledge to improve geneticmaterial, to exploit further uses of the species and to enhance production; thisis a task for the NARS and local NGOs. Information exchange workshops at localand regional level are a good way of stimulating this exchange. The traditionalauthorities and the CBOs have to be more active in local information flows.Cross-community visits to inform indigenous people about similar situations inother communities should be regularly organized by local leaders. They shouldalso organize cultural festivals and fairs to present the underutilized species andthe existing knowledge about them to other communities.
Inter-sectoral interventions
For the future promotion of underutilized plant species, it is crucial that under-utilized plant species are integrated into existing programmes and initiatives.For example, FAO could have an important role by including underutilized plantspecies explicitly in their inter-departmental working group on biodiversity. Thiswould raise the profile of the topic across FAO and its partners. Another examplewould be to create a strong link to UNESCO. Underutilized species are part ofhumankind’s cultural heritage. A close link to UNESCO’s cultural programmesshould be established. UNESCO should participate in a review of the relevantinternational treaties on biodiversity to ensure that the importance of under-utilized species beyond agriculture and food issues is highlighted. At the nationallevel, the underutilized species have to be mainstreamed in all sectors to whichthey are relevant (i.e. agriculture, rural development, health, culture education).Local NGOs and development organizations should bring this issue to theattention of governments.
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
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The GFU will also provide information on trade regulations and policiesaffecting the marketing of underutilized species.
(iii) In the area of awareness creation and lobbying, the GFU has alreadyparticipated with an information stand at an international agricultural fair inGermany. It also funded the participation of a South American NGO at thesame fair to demonstrate local products made from underutilized species.The GFU in future will support the participation of organizations at local orregional fairs and cultural events where awareness of the importance ofunderutilized species in poor peoples’ lives can be raised. The GFU canfacilitate and support campaigns on local and international radio and othermass media. Interested stakeholders are invited to contact the GFU.
A meeting with donor and development agencies will be organized to drawtheir attention to underutilized plant species. This will eventually influencenational policy-makers to integrate these species into developmentpolicies/programmes.
(iv) Policies and legislation: one of the major constraints to underutilized speciesnot being used to a wider extent is the lack of enabling policies. In only afew countries do development policies take into account the huge potentialof underutilized species. Therefore, almost no funds are allocated to researchon these species. They play no role in the curricula of schools or the agendaof extension services. Influencing political decision-making in such a waythat underutilized species will play a more prominent role in nationaldevelopment policies will be a challenging task for the GFU. As a follow-upto this workshop, a meeting with a strong focus on political decision-makershas to be organized.
In a joint effort with other GTZ projects and the CIP, we are analysing theimplications of the EU Novel Food Regulation on imports into the EU. Basedon this analysis, we will intensify the dialogue which has been alreadyinitiated with the relevant bodies in the European Commission to achieve arevision of the regulation that considers the interests and needs ofdeveloping countries as far as possible. We will also support on request theactive participation of developing countries in these negotiations.
38
intervention area. The GFU can then recommend the proposal to therespective donors emphasizing that the proposal considers all relevant issuesidentified and agreed upon during a multi-stakeholder workshop. This could,together with the sensitization of donors to the importance of underutilizedspecies, increase the likelihood of receiving funding.
(ii) In the area of information management, which includes informationgeneration, compilation, documentation and distribution, the workshopparticipants identified an important task for the GFU. This is in line with themandate given to the GFU by its initiators. The GFU web portal offers anideal opportunity for the exchange and dissemination of information aboutunderutilized species. It will allow its visitors to place information. The portalprovides links to databases of other stakeholders involved in work onunderutilized species. On the other hand, the GFU is already collectinginformation relevant to stakeholders. A database is currently being created –‘Who is doing What’, which will be accessible through the internet. Thisdatabase will allow interested parties to retrieve information aboutorganizations and their projects, working areas, the species with which theyare dealing and it will provide a list of experts in different fields or ondifferent species. This database will facilitate contact and collaborationbetween stakeholders. Stakeholders can also submit information to the GFU,which will then be distributed to a wider community.
The workshop revealed clearly that the market potential of many underutilizedspecies is most attractive to farmers and rural dwellers. It is an additionalincentive for the conservation of these species and can represent an impor-tant source of income. However, most communities do not have up-to-datemarket information and contacts to potential buyers of their products, particularly in foreign markets. The GFU will, therefore, conduct a survey in Euro-pe and the USA amongst importers of exotic food and other productswith the emphasis on fair trade companies. The purpose of the survey will beto receive information from these companies on their interest and prepared-ness to buy and market products derived from underutilized species. It willprovide an overview of the most requested product groups and the preferredcountries of origin. It will also provide a list of companies, which can be con-tacted by the local producers’ organizations or exporters for further negotiations.
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
41
Appendix 1
Statements from the High Table The objective of this session was for the panelists to express their points of viewin relation to the workshop outcomes focusing on two issues: (i) where they sawa role or responsibility for their organizations to contribute to theimplementation of the suggested strategic elements; (ii) any new insights theyhad gained from the workshop that were relevant to their organizations.
Mercy Karanja, Kenyan National Farmers’ Union, representing theInternational Federation of Agricultural ProducersThe International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) is committed to theWorld Food Summit goals. It works at community, national, regional,international and thematic levels. One of the biggest threats to farmers indeveloping countries is the weakness of their institutions. These are often nottaken into account by governments when policies are formulated. Therefore,strengthening these organizations is the major role of IFAP. Producers are at thecentre of reducing the number of hungry people. The organization is committedto achieving this through advocacy and lobbying. It will:
campaign and raise awareness of the role of underutilized plantspecies in redcing the worlds’ hungrylobby for policy changeencourage vertical and horizontal networks at national andinternational level.
A constraint is the fragmentation of efforts in the field of underutilized plantspecies. Researchers and farmers need to work more closely together.
New opportunities for underutilized plant species are:to make the producers partners in this initiative (i.e. the promotionand development of underutilized plant species)to mainstream underutilized plant species in the farmers-to-farmers approach which the organization is conductingto promote the topic to other members of IFAP worldwideto strengthen the availability of information on underutilized plantspecies.
40
(v) Capacity building: as mentioned before, marketing of underutilized speciesproducts is very attractive to producers. Most countries and communitiesinterested in commercialization lack the capacity to assess the real marketpotential of these species, to obtain and up-date information on markets, tocreate the necessary physical infrastructure and to develop supportstrategies. Capacity building at different levels is a prerequisite forsustainable exploitation of these species, strengthening human resourcesbeing the most essential step in this direction. The GFU is, therefore,organizing an expert meeting to discuss how best this capacity building canbe achieved. The objectives of the meeting will be:
by using case studies, to analyze examples of successful marketing ofunderutilized species, which have led to the improvement of thelivelihoods of poor rural or forest communities through sustainabledevelopment oriented interventions
to identify those areas that will play the most strategic role in thesustainable commercialization of these species (e.g. market analysis,market promotion, organization of the production-to-use chain, policy andlegal aspects, national agricultural framework, etc.)
to elaborate a human resources development action plan around priorityareas aimed at strengthening the capacities of various stakeholder groups(i.e. producers, NGOs, researchers, private sector, extension workers, etc.)around priority areas. For the implementation of this action plan,collaboration with, and the support of training organizations will besought.
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
43
(iv) FAO’s work on the promotion of agro-biodiversity could increase awarenessraising at all levels on the harnessing of underutilized plant species as partof the solution.
(v) FAO’s new work on protocol development for smallholder farmerimplementation of good agricultural practices could consider underutilizedplant species, for example, when looking at guidelines for leafy vegetables.
(vi) FAO could promote the application of genomic research towardcharacterization, trait-identification and the use of molecular markers in breeding underutilized plant species.
(vii) FAO will continue to improve and promote various key information anddecision support tools that also address underutilized plant species, such as ECO-CROP and ECO-PORT; other databases such as Hortivar and Pasture Crops may also be useful.
(viii)FAO will continue to work closely with all partners and engage in guidingand facilitating the work of the GFU to function as a meta informationclearinghouse on underutilized plant species.
I met many new colleagues and identified opportunities for possible collabora-tive actions on underutilized plant species. It became clear to me that most workon underutilized plant species must be done in the local context, but that bothbottom-up and top-down knowledge-sharing should be promoted. A new ideaoccurred to me during the meeting, i.e. the inclusion of education materials anddemonstrations on underutilized plant species in school garden and farmer fieldschools curricula. Also, CBOs seeking to enhance food security could include theuse of local, neglected vegetables in programmes for TeleFood support. Lastly, itbecame clear that plant breeding will often be required for the improved domes-tication of many underutilized plant species. The decision on which species tofocus the limited resources should be analyzed in a series of specialized work-shops on crop clusters with common opportunities, for example, a workshop onleafy vegetables, another on grains, another on root crops, another on pasture/range, etc. These workshops should have inputs from experienced breeders, rele-vant ethno-botanists, molecular geneticists, and specialist plant marketing experts.
42
Eric Kueneman, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United NationsIt is important to understand that the Food and Agriculture Organization of theUnited Nations (FAO) is an inter-governmental technical agency and that itsprogramme of work is determined largely by the priorities of the member govern-ments. Consequently, new activities on the development of underutilized plantspecies must be integrated into goals and programmes approved by governingbodies. Also, while FAO is fully involved with assisting member governmentsrealize the Global Plan of Action on Plant Genetic Resources for both conservationand sustainable use, FAO’s first priority is addressing food security and povertyalleviation of the rural poor. In this regard, we include, inter alia, the promotionof crop diversification. The use of underutilized plant species is among the possiblechoices for farmers, but we believe that farmers must have access to all possiblegood options, not just neglected, underutilized crops. Our programme of work isconsequently on alternative crops, which means considering any new, highpoten-tial crop not used by farmers in a region. FAO can clearly emphasize harnessingthe potential of underutilized plant species by appropriate ‘mainstreaming’ ofthem in diverse country and regional projects as in the following examples:
(i) Educational materials and demonstrations on underutilized plant speciescould be developed for the new school garden initiative of FAO and theWorld Food Programme (WFP), including the school gardens and farmerfield schools of the Special Programme for Food Security, which is nowfunctioning in more than 80 countries. Many colleagues and partnerinstitutions present at this meeting could contribute to such activities.
(ii) Underutilized plant species options could be elements of the pilot fieldprojects of the new SARD Initiative emerging from the Global Summit onSustainable Development. This initiative is facilitated by FAO, but is largelydesigned by members of a coalition of civil society and NGO focal-pointorganizations. Here FAO might also facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogues atthe country level to pilot test promotion of new local alliances to developnew crops coupled to village-level processing and secure market channels.
(iii) Perhaps some community-based action for enhancing local household foodsecurity that includes underutilized plant species could be supported bysmall TeleFood grants from FAO.
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
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donors should be established to encourage the private sector to commercializeunderutilized plant species. These incentives should include:
favourable credit facilitiessharing of research and developmenttechnical advice on product developmentfunding for the primary processing facilities at rural level.
NGOs, donors and others should stop viewing the private sector with suspicion,as a sector which is there merely to exploit and maximize profits to thedetriment of rural producers. Without the private sector there will be littlechance of effective and sustainable commercialization of underutilized plantspecies.
Hubert Omont, Global Forum on Agricultural ResearchNew insights include:
complexity of underutilized plant species issues, need to promotepartnership among various stakeholder to reach a commonunderstanding of problems, challenges and ways to approach themimportance of putting the rural poor at the centre of the debate,need to strengthen their organizationsa requirement to consider the problems and needs of the ruralpoor at all levels from local to globalneed for the rural poor to become active stakeholders inunderutilized plant speciesthere is a need to be precise about the exact role of research in thepromotion of underutilized plant species although they are seen asunder-researched, however, in this workshop this issue did notcome up as a weakness or threat.
Jochen de Haas, German Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development The role of the German Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development(BMZ) will be:
to communicate the workshop experience to the regionaldepartments within BMZ, to EIARD, the EU and other relevantinstitutions involved in international development.
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Caroline de Kock, Specialty Foods of Africa Pvt. Ltd, ZimbabweThe role of the private sector in the field of underutilized plant species is:
product development including the development of technologiesand formulae for processingmarketing and sales of processed products locally andinternationallyawareness creation of underutilized plant species and their benefitsto consumers and producerstransfer of business skills to rural producers where appropriateestablishment of community level production units for the benefitof producers and the private sectorensuring sustainable harvesting of underutilized plant species.
Through the commercialization of underutilized plant species rural producersstand to gain in several ways:
increased and alternative incomesconservation of valuable and traditional underutilized plant speciesconservation of culture associated with underutilized plant speciesfood security and sources of income for future generationsknowledge gained through training in primary or even secondaryprocessing and business skillsoutside recognition of the importance of underutilized plantspecies and related traditions.
All stakeholders must recognize that underutilized plant species will remainunderutilized until, and unless markets are found for them. The private sectorhas a role to play in identifying and establishing markets for underutilized plantspecies. However, the lack of private sector representation at the meeting showsthat it is either unwilling or unable to become involved in commercializing thesespecies. This is because it is extremely costly to invest in unknown and untestedproducts. There is a huge risk because it is not known how well these productswill sell. Product development costs are high and marketing is difficult due toconsumers lack of knowledge about the products. If rural producers are tobenefit from underutilized plant species commercialization, the capacity of theprivate sector must be increased and it must be encouraged through incentivesassociated with specific underutilized plant species. Linkages with NGOs and
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
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Roles and responsibilitiesContinue to develop NUS work as planned. Take opportunities to use NUS examples in work where there arevarious options.Use contacts and skills to raise awareness of NUS. Use genebank linkages to foster ex situ and in situ links throughcomplementary conservation approaches.Use information sharing and information capacity building skills forthe benefit of NUS.Use experience in taking a multidisciplinary approach to tackle thecomplexity of NUS work.Intend to pursue research interests on food diversity and quality,nutrition, health link – many new partnership options.Will take a fusion of the commodity chain and sustainablelivelihoods approaches and thereby look after the interests of thecustodians of NUS germplasm and of biodiversity at the same timeas trying to develop crops commercially.Use networking to develop both communities of practice onNUS and bring new partners into the NUS arena (analogy withMusa Genomics Consortium).
Lessons/insights/reinforcements of positionFortunate to have a donor/policy champion like Germany; this isessential. IPGRI will endeavour to work even more closely with the GFU andexplore complementarities and collaborative opportunities.Should not be afraid of the complexity and specificity of NUS work– that is the challenge that has to be met strategically.NUS is an ideal arena for pursuing people-centred ‘pro-poorresearch’.Proactivity is needed, for example, towards the private sector IPGRI is committed to impact assessment work and development ofindicators for monitoring and evaluation of NUS work to helparticulate the success of activities and point ways to furtherimprove the approaches taken for optimum impact.
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New insights gained include:there is a lot of knowledge on a range of crops/species for food,health, income and biodiversitythe complexity of the issue is a challenge with which to worknetworking is important to exchange experiences, know-how, toolsfor productionthere is a need for information exchange between practitioners,researchers and political decision-makerswith regard to the Millenium Development Goals, there are manyways to go, underutilized plant species can and will play a role inachieving these goals, we need to increase the relevantknowledge/information at the top level, underutilized plant speciesare one tool for reaching the Millenium Development Goals, butthey may be the tool on a regional/national or district levelwe have learnt a lot.
There should be a follow-up meeting with a strong focus on political decision-makers. BMZ funding for the GFU will continue until 2005.
Lyndsey Withers, International Plant Genetic Resources InstituteInternational Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) credentials are:
30 years in plant genetic resources (PGR) work; 15 years onneglected and underutilized species (NUS), GFU hostGermany is a valued partner in NUS work, the partnership is veryimportant in regard to IPGRI’s way of working in terms ofcollaboration, facilitation and capacity buildingIPGRI’s partnership network is wide and includes a number ofplayers present or involved in the meeting, i.e. FAO, ICUC, UNEP,UNDP, IFAD, other CGIAR centresnote IPGRI’s convening role for CGIAR SGRP, and representation,for example, at WSSD IPGRI’s institutional network is wide – over 25 locations.
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Acronyms
BMZ Ministry of Economic Co-operation and DevelopmentCBD Convention on Biological DiversityCBOs Community-Based OrganizationCGIAR Consultative Group on International Agricultural ResearchCIAT International Centre for Tropical AgricultureCIP International Potato CenterCITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered SpeciesCTA Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operationEIARD European Initiative for Agricultural Research for DevelopmentFAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United NationsGFAR Global Forum on Agricultural ResearchGFU Global Facilitation Unit for Underutilized SpeciesGPA Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Sustainable
Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and AgricultureGTZ German Agency for Technical Co-operationIARC International Agricultural Research CentreICUC International Centre for Underutilized CropsIFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development IIAP International Federation of Agricultural ProducersInWEnt Capacity Building InternationalIPGRI International Plant Genetic Resources Institute IPK Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant ResearchITPGR International Treaty on Plant Genetic ResourcesIUCN World Conservation UnionNARS National Agricultural Research SystemsNGOs Non-Governmental OrganizationPGR Plant Genetic ResourcesSUPS Sustainable Utilization of Plant SpeciesUNDP United Nations Development ProgrammeUNEP United Nations Environment ProgrammeUNESCO Educational, Scientific and Cultural OrganizationUNIDO United Nations Industrial Development OrganizationUPS Underutilized Plant SpeciesWFP World Food ProgrammeWIPO World International Property OrganizationWWF WorldWide Fund for Nature
Moringa and other highly nutritious plant resources: Strategies, standards andmarkets for a better impact on nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana, November 16-18, 2006
InWEnt – Capacity Building International, Germany
InWEnt Capacity Building International, GermanyDepartment 5 – Environment, Natural Resources and FoodDivision Natural Resources and Biodiversity in Leipzig-ZschortauLeipziger Strasse 1504509 ZschortauGermany
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InWEnt – Capacity Building International,Germany – is engaged in organisationaldevelopment and institutional strengthe-ning. Its shareholders are the GermanGovernment, the German Federal Statesand private sector constituencies.
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