<br><font size=3 face="Tahoma">Following is the full table of contents
and selected medicinal plant articles from the current issue of the FAO
NWFP-Digest-L. The full issue of this and previous Digests are available
on the newly revamped website: </font><a href=http://www.fao.org/forestry/site/12980/en target=_blank><font size=3 color=blue face="Tahoma"><u>www.fao.org/forestry/site/12980/en</u></font></a>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.<br>
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority<br>
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group<br>
US Fish & Wildlife Service<br>
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110<br>
Arlington, VA 22203<br>
703-358-1708 x1753<br>
FAX: 703-358-2276<br>
Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural resources.<br>
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal><br>
</font>
<br><font size=1 color=#800080 face="sans-serif">----- Forwarded by Patricia
De Angelis/ARL/R9/FWS/DOI on 09/25/2008 11:08 AM -----</font>
<br>
<table width=100%>
<tr valign=top>
<td width=40%><font size=1 face="sans-serif"><b>"Etherington, Tina
(FOIP)" <Tina.Etherington@fao.org></b> </font>
<p><font size=1 face="sans-serif">08/21/2008 08:20 AM</font>
<td width=59%>
<table width=100%>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">To</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">nwfp-digest-L@mailserv.fao.org</font>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">cc</font></div>
<td>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Subject</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">NWFP-Digest-L No. 6/08</font></table>
<br>
<table>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<td></table>
<br></table>
<br>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">NWFP-Digest-L</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">No. 6/08</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Welcome to FAO’s NWFP-Digest-L, a free e-mail
journal that covers all aspects of non-wood forest products. Back issues
of the Digest may be found on FAO's NWFP home page: </font><a href=http://www.fao.org/forestry/site/12980/en target=_blank><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.fao.org/forestry/site/12980/en</u></font></a><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial">.
</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">You can take part in contributing to the
continued success of this newsletter by sharing with the NWFP community
any news that you may have regarding research, events, publications and
projects. Kindly send such information to </font><a href="mailto:NWFP-Digest-L@mailserv.fao.org"><font size=2 color=#3366ff face="Arial"><u>NWFP-Digest-L@mailserv.fao.org</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">:We
also appreciate any comments or feedback.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">A special thank you to all those who have
sent me links to information.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">==============================================================</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>IN THIS ISSUE</b>:</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><a href=#product><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><b><u>PRODUCTS</u></b></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">1.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#one><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><i><u>Artemesia
annua</u></i><u>: Clinton unveils deal to cut malaria drug prices</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">
</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">2.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#two><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Bamboo
is the latest natural material to be used in eco-friendly building</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">3.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#three><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Bamboo
can play a deep role in saving the globe: scientist</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">
</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">4.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#four><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Bamboo:
Ethiopia to export chopsticks</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">5.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#five><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Berries:
Heatwave spells Swedish berry shortage</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">6.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#six><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Ginseng:
Wet weather forcing early ginseng harvest</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">7.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#seven><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Medicinal
plants: Frankincense provides relief to arthritis sufferers</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">8.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#eight><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Medicinal
plants: Orangutans concoct plant-based soothing balm</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">9.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#nine><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><i><u>Moringa
oleifera</u></i><u> in the Philippines: Malunggay planting in Santiago
intensified</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">10.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#ten><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Palms:
Environmental services of the aguajales and the opportunities for a global
business for the Loreto Region, Peru</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">11.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#eleven><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Seabuckthorn:
Cosmetic giants run into a Himalayan challenge</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">12.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#twelve><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Stevia:
PepsiCo to sell stevia sweetened drink in Peru</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">13.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#thirteen><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Truffles:
The Libyan Truffle, fruit of the Desert</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">
</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">14.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#fourteen><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Truffles:
This summer's a washout - but it's perfect for lucrative truffles (UK)</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><a href=#COUNTRYINFO><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><b><u>COUNTRY
INFORMATION</u></b></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">15.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#fifteen><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Australia:
TFS reports higher profit on increased sales of sandalwood</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">16.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#sixteen><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Australia:
Truffle industry set for rapid growth</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">17.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#seventeen><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Bangladesh:
Protect indigenous people to save forests</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">18.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#eighteen><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Brazil
launches rainforest fund</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">19.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#nineteen><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Canada:
Making money from more than trees</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">
</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">20.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#twenty><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Canada:
Food products foraged from B.C.'s forests need to be showcased</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">21.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#twentyone><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Colombia's
Cofan still fighting for survival</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">22.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#twentytwo><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Costa
Rica: Científicos "domestican" hongos silvestres en Costa Rica</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">23.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#twentythree><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Costa
Rica: Non-profit organization El Puente/The Bridge</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">24.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#twentyfour><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Ghana:
Local shea butter industry to be enhanced</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">25.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#twentyfive><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Ghana:
Bushmeat hunting worth $350 million annually in Ghana</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">26.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#twentysix><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>India:
KFD neglecting its duty towards tribals of Western Ghats</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">27.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#twentyseven><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Philippines:
NegOcc farmers urged to go into cocoon production</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">28.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#twentyeight><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Saudia
Arabia: Kingdom to develop biodiversity strategy</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">29.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#twentynine><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Senegal:
Le karité, l’or des femmes</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">30.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#thirty><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>South
Africa: African medicine under the spotlight</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">31.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#thirtyone><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Suriname:
an innovative conservation group is working with indigenous tribes</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">32.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#thirtytwo><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Uganda:
Honey production to increase</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">33.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#thirtythree><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>United
States: Tribes object to fighting fire in sacred places</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">
</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">34.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#thirtyfour><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Vietnam:
Animals released to wild to boost ecotourism</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">35.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#thirtyfive><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Vietnam
illegal wildlife trade eats away at biodiversity: reports</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"> </font>
<br><a href=#NEWS><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><b><u>NEWS</u></b></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">36.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#thirtysix><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>A
Brazilian's shrine to bromeliads may one day save the plants</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">37.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#thirtyseven><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Bugs
lead drug-hunters to medicinal treasure</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">38.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#thirtyeight><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Congo
Basin passes 1 million ha milestone in swing to sustainable forestry</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">39.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#thirtynine><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Mountain
centre launches traditional resources portal</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><a href=#REQUESTS><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><b><u>REQUESTS</u></b></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">40.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#forty><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Request
for financing for NWFP in Canada</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><a href=#RECENTEVENTS><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><b><u>EVENTS</u></b></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">41.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#fortyone><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>European
Forest Institute Annual Conference<b>.</u></b><u> Focus on the adaptation
of forest landscape to environmental changes</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">
</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">42.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#fortytwo><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>European
Forest Week</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">43.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#fortythree><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>International
Congress on Provoking Change: Strategies to promote forest users in the
Amazon</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">44.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#fortyfour><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>IUFRO
Conference on Gender and Forestry.<i> </u></i><u>Gender issues in natural
resources management<b> –</u></b><u>perception and experiences in different
parts of the world</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">45.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#fortyfive><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>9th
National Conference on Science, Policy, and the Environment: Biodiversity
in a Rapidly Changing World</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><a href=#literature><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><b><u>LITERATURE
REVIEW </u></b></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">46.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#otherpubs><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Other
publications of interest</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><a href=#miscell><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><b><u>MISCELLANEOUS</u></b></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">47.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#fortyseven><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Bee
Checklist Buzzes Online</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">48.</font><font size=1 face="Times New Roman">
</font><a href=#fortyeight><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>'Mother
Lode' Of Gorillas Found In Congo Forests</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>PRODUCTS</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>1.
<i>Artemesia annua</i>: Clinton unveils deal to cut malaria drug prices
</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>Source Reuters in SciDev.Net Weekly Update
(4-10 August 2008)</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">NEW YORK, July 17 (Reuters) - Former U.S.
President Bill Clinton unveiled a deal on Thursday with six Chinese and
Indian companies to cut a key malaria drug price by a third and slash the
price volatility of a vital ingredient by 70 percent. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Artemisinin-based combination therapies, or ACT drugs, are recommended
by the World Health Organization because of growing resistance to older
treatments such as chloroquine. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
But the supply of artemisinin, a plant extract long used in Chinese medicine
that takes up to 14 months to produce, has been volatile, with prices ranging
from $150 to $1 100/kg in the past four years. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
"We have reached agreement with the suppliers at every level of the
production chain from the extraction of the raw ingredient to the manufacturer
of the final drug to allow for sustained and lower pricing," Clinton
told a news conference. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
The Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative has struck deals with India's
Cipla Ltd <CIPL.BO> and IPCA Laboratories Ltd <IPCA.BO>, which
both manufacture ACT drugs, India's Calyx and Mangalam Drugs, which turn
the plant extract into an active pharmaceutical ingredient, and China's
Holleypharm and PIDI Standard, which grow the plants. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
The lower prices will be available to the 69 countries in Africa, Asia,
Latin America and the Caribbean who make up the foundation's purchasing
consortium. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">For full story, please see: </font><a href=http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N16394534.htm><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N16394534.htm</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>6.
Ginseng: Wet weather forcing early ginseng harvest</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>Source: Tillsonburg News, Ontario, Canada,
15 August 2008</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Wet weather this summer has forced many ginseng
farmers into an early harvest. Growers are racing to salvage what they
can now that root rot and berry blight have become a problem. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Shade and straw on third-and fourth-year fields has been removed on some
farms in preparation for an early harvest. Under normal conditions, mature
root is dug in October and then only in its fourth year. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
“It’s the worst I’ve ever seen,” said Alex Keresturi of Burford, who
started his first crop in 1987. “It’s very much a losing battle this
year. It doesn’t matter how much chemical we use because of all the storms.”
</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Phytophthora root rot is the major threat because the fungus spreads rapidly
in saturated soil. Ginseng root should have the consistency and colour
of fresh parsnips when it comes out of the ground. Root rot moves quickly
once it is established and turns ginseng root to mush. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Red berries at the top of the ginseng plant develop purple discolourations
in the presence of botrytis head blight. The berries, which are harvested
for seed, develop a grey, fuzzy appearance as the fungus matures. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Fungicides are available to control these conditions. The chemical of choice
locally is Maestro 80 DF. Maestro 80 DF is not registered for use in Canada.
However, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency has approved an emergency
permit which expires in December. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Sean Westerveld, a ginseng and medicinal herb specialist with the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture, says it is difficult to fight root rot when the
soil is continuously saturated.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Under ideal conditions, ginseng will receive light rain or dew over night
and dry, warm conditions by day with low humidity. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
A handful of growers are preparing to harvest early. Doug Bradley, chair
of the Ontario Ginseng Growers Association, said that number will climb
in the weeks ahead. Discoloured foliage in mature patches, he said, is
a sign that many gardens are infected. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Most of the Ontario ginseng crop is sold in Asia, where it is used in tea,
food and as a traditional folk medicine.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">For full story, please see: </font><a href="http://www.tillsonburgnews.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1157206"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.tillsonburgnews.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1157206</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<div align=center>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">BACK TO </font><a href=#top><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>TOP</u></font></a></div>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>7.
Medicinal plants: Frankincense provides relief to arthritis sufferers</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>Source: EurekAlert (press release), USA,
29 July 2008</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">An enriched extract of the 'Indian Frankincense'
herb <i>Boswellia serrata</i> has been proven to reduce the symptoms of
osteoarthritis. Research published today in BioMed Central's open access
journal <i>Arthritis Research & Therapy</i> has shown that patients
taking the herbal remedy showed significant improvement in as little as
seven days. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis; it commonly affects
weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips, along with the hands,
wrists, feet and spine. The symptoms include pain, stiffness and limited
movement. This randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of
70 patients will be of great interest to sufferers, especially those who
don't get adequate relief from existing treatments. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
The study was led by Siba Raychaudhuri, a faculty member of the University
of California, Davis, in the United States. According to Raychaudhuri,
"The high incidence of adverse affects associated with currently available
medications has created great interest in the search for an effective and
safe alternative treatment". The extract the authors used was enriched
with 30% AKBA (3-O-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid), which is thought
to be the most active ingredient in the plant. Raychaudhuri said, "AKBA
has anti-inflammatory properties, and we have shown that <i>B. serrata</i>
enriched with AKBA can be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis of
the knee". This is a proprietary product developed by Laila Nutraceuticals.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><i>
B. serrata</i> has been used for thousands of years in the Indian system
of traditional medicine known as 'Ayurveda'. This study is the first to
prove that an enriched extract of the plant can be used as a successful
treatment.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
The same authors have previously tested the safety of their remedy in animal
experiments. They say that, "In this study, the compound was shown
to have no major adverse effects in our osteoarthritis patients. It is
safe for human consumption and even for long-term use".</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">For full story, please see: </font><a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/bc-fpr072808.php"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/bc-fpr072808.php</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<div align=center>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">BACK TO </font><a href=#top><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>TOP</u></font></a></div>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>8.
Medicinal plants: Orangutans concoct plant-based soothing balm</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>Source: Register, England, 28 July 2008</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Indonesian wild orangutans have demonstrated
a certain degree of medicinal savvy by deploying naturally-occurring anti-inflammatory
drugs to "treat aches and pains", as the <i>New Scientist</i>
puts it.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Four of the Bornean orangutans <i>(Pongo pygmaeus)</i> were spotted by
Cambridge University primatologist Helen Morrogh-Bernard in the Sabangau
Peat Swamp Forest in Central Kalimantan preparing a "soothing balm".</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Back in 2005, Morrogh-Bernard watched as an adult female picked a handful
of leaves from a plant, chewed them, and used saliva to produce a green-white
lather. She then "scooped up some of the lather with her right hand
and applied it up and down the back of her left arm, from the base of the
shoulder to the wrist, just as a person would apply sunscreen". Morrogh-Bernard
noted: "She was concentrating on her arm only and was methodical in
the way she was applying the soapy foam. I knew this must be some form
of self-medication."</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
The orangutan finally ditched the leaves, which allowed Morrogh-Bernard
to identify them as belonging to the genus <i>Commelina</i>. Significantly,
orangutans don't eat these plants as part of their normal diet, and local
indigenous people are also aware of their anti-inflammatory properties.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Morrogh-Bernard has since clocked three other orangutans using their home-brew
balm, saying it "links apes and humans directly". While she said
the former "may not have learnt how to apply the anti-inflammatory
ointment from local people", the opposite may be true.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Morrogh-Bernard's findings are published in the <i>International Journal
of Primatology</i>. ®</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">For full story, please see: </font><a href=http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/28/orangutan_balm/><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/28/orangutan_balm/</u></font></a>
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<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>11.
Seabuckthorn: Cosmetic giants run into a Himalayan challenge</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>Source: Economic Times, India, 1 August
2008</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Ahmedabad: A dozen women are busy plucking
seabuckthorn berries in Leh-Ladakh and Kargil for supplying them to their
local Nundum Cooperative Society (NCS). The society will further their
produce to All-India Aromatic Plants Growers Association (AIAPGA). </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
By supplying such special fruits with medicinal values, these women will
earn Rs 85-90/kg, higher than what they were getting earlier. “Our members
have started earning more than 50% by growing such plants,” says Mohammed
Zaffar, president, NCS, which has 40 members. And the buck doesn’t stop
here. In fact, it starts from here. In a way, the hill people of India
are coming together to take on foreign FMCG biggies such as Amway, K-Link,
DXN and Tenzxi, who have been dominating the Indian cosmetics market, by
launching a slew of herbal cosmetic products. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
The 6,000-member-strong AIAPGA, including herbal society, will launch herbal
products under its common brand across the country by next week through
self-</font><a href=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Cons_Products/Cosmetic_giants_run_into_a_Himalayan_challenge/articleshow/3312164.cms target=_new><font size=2 face="Arial">marketing</font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">.
And it is confident of outdoing the foreign competition. “We will break
them completely. Our prices are quite nominal than these biggies and high
in quality,” says AIAPGA president and Kangra Herb Society director Randhir
Singh Guleria.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
The growers are expected to get more than 40% margins on their produce
once the mechanism falls in place. The association has got patent approval
for launching 35 products initially, and a few more will join after approval.
What’s more, the Rs 300-crore industry is confident of touching the Rs
1,000-crore mark in the next five years with their in-house business model.
</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Until now, the Indian consumer didn’t have the right choice of organised
herbal-care products. “This will wipe out the existing cosmetic players
and create a new market for us,” says Mr Guleria. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Right from planting till the packaging, branding and marketing of the final
product, the association has strategically built an in-house model for
its members. This model will be more cost-effective than the one followed
by foreign biggies, they claim. Interestingly, the growers will get returns
as per their subscription period with the association. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
That means the longer the period, the higher the margins. “Our 40-hectare
land was a complete wastage as we didn’t know how to utilise it. Now,
we have decided to supply medicinal plants for two years,” says Dharamshala-based
grower Manish Mahajan. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
A large number of growers come from regions like Leh, Kargil, Himachal
Pradesh, Uttarakhand and areas covered under the Himalayan range. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">For full story, please see: </font><a href=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Cons_Products/Cosmetic_giants_run_into_a_Himalayan_challenge/articleshow/3312164.cms><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Cons_Products/Cosmetic_giants_run_into_a_Himalayan_challenge/articleshow/3312164.cms</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
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<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>COUNTRY INFORMATION</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>15.
Australia: TFS reports higher profit on increased sales of sandalwood</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>Source: The West Australian, Australia,
14th August 2008</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Perth-based Indian sandalwood grower TFS
Corporation has announced a 44 per cent increase in net profit to $27.6
million, which the firm attributed to a substantial increase in sales of
its managed investment schemes. TFS, which recorded a net profit of $19.2
million in 2006-2007, said the increased sales had driven revenue up 52
per cent to $68.4 million and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation
and amortisation by 46 per cent to $42.1 million.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Company chairman Frank Wilson said the firm's higher MIS sales had bucked
the wider trend away from the schemes, thanks to higher demand for sandalwood,
a broader distribution base and the tax deductibility of forestry schemes.
“In addition, we have continued to build the necessary infrastructure
at our plantation operations in the Kununurra region of WA and have strengthened
our land bank,” he said.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
“Plantings during the year doubled to approximately 600 hectares, and
we are well placed to service a further significant increase to accommodate
the level of MIS sales achieved in the 2008 financial year and those anticipated
in future periods.”</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
TFS announced last month that it would acquire Albany-based essential oils
business Mount Romance Australia for $28.6 million, in a move Mr Wilson
said would represent an accelerated realisation of the firm's vertical
integration aspirations.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
The company will pursue agreements with international fragrance companies
in 2008-2009, such as the oil supply arrangement signed with UK-based Lush
Cosmetics, as well as increasing its focus on research and development.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">For full story, please see: </font><a href="http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=3&ContentID=91342"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=3&ContentID=91342</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
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<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>21.
Colombia's Cofan still fighting for survival</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>Source: Traditional Knowledge Bulletin,
22 July 2008</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Bogota, Colombia -- Although he is only 21,
Camilo Yoge has seen his indigenous tribe lose its culture, territory and
traditions. Yoge, a member of the Cofan tribe, has seen farmers, ranchers
and oilmen invade his ancestral lands to plant illegal coca crops, raise
cattle and search for oil. He has seen many young Cofan take to wearing
Western-style clothes, listening to popular music and abandoning their
native language for Spanish. "We're losing out traditional dress,
our environment," lamented Yoge, who is studying to become a <i>taita</i>,
or shaman. "We are no longer free in our own territory."</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
To help the Cofan, who number only about 2,600 people between Colombia
and Ecuador, preserve their traditions, the Colombian government last month
created the Orito Ingi-Ande Medicinal Plants Sanctuary to protect the plants
the Cofan depend on for medicinal and spiritual purposes. Officials in
Colombia say the reserve is the only national park in the world created
for that reason. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>
</b>"Sustainable use will permit us to preserve the natural resources,"
said National Parks Director Julia Miranda Londoño. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
The idea for the reserve came after Cofan leaders met in 2003 with the
national organization of indigenous shaman to search for an unpopulated
region they could use to preserve their medicinal plants. They took the
proposal to national park authorities, who spent several years mapping
out a 25,000-acre reserve. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
The Orito Ingi-Ande Medicinal Plants Sanctuary, whose name means "our
territory" in the Cofan language, ranges in elevation from 2,300 feet
to nearly 10,000 feet above sea level in the southwestern departments of
Nariño and Putumayo - about a two-hour drive from Cofan territory, where
much of the vegetation has been destroyed by farmers, ranchers and oilmen.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
With few options available for earning money, park officials say many Cofan
have resorted to harvesting coca leaf, the base ingredient for cocaine,
further eroding their traditions. Even traditional palm fronds, which are
now hard to find, have been replaced by tin when building roofs for their
homes. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
"We live from nature, that's where our energy comes from," said
Louis Octavio Criollo, 39, a Cofan who is also training to become a <i>taita</i>.
"But when (the forest) is cut down, all of that is lost." </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>
</b>Aside from spiritual value, the new park's elevation range has abundant
biodiversity, parks officials say, including about 400 bird varieties,
numerous reptiles, and such rare species as chameleons, jaguars and Andean
spectacled bears. Cofan elders have also identified nearly 100 plant species
used for medicinal and religious purposes. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Two of the most important plants are yoco (<i>Paullinia yoco</i>), a vine
used against fatigue and as a laxative and to prevent malaria, and yagé,
a mildly hallucinogenic vine used in traditional rites, which has become
popular with outsiders who often harvest the plant for sale. Other plants
are used to treat inflammations, kidney ailments and rheumatism. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Indigenous Colombians, who belong to dozens
of different ethnic groups, make up about 2 percent of the nation's population
of 45 million. Like the Cofan, many have suffered the impact of disease,
deforestation, and violence from the nation's more than 4-decade-old civil
war. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Lilliana Madrigal, vice president of programs for the Amazon Conservation
Team, based in Virginia, which helped plan the new park, predicts that
the reserve will inspire the creation of protected areas in other nations.
In fact, Colombian park officials say they are already planning to convert
a 2.9-million-acre indigenous reserve into a national park to protect areas
important to the creation myths of several indigenous groups living there.
Luciano Mutumbajoy, a member of the nearby Inga indigenous people and a
leader of Colombia's traditional medical practitioners, helped create the
yet-to-be named park. "If our medicine is finished, the life and existence
of the indigenous people will end," he said.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">For full story, please see: </font><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/08/MNUK11GCV8.DTL"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/08/MNUK11GCV8.DTL</u></font></a>
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<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>22.
Costa Rica:</b> <b>Científicos "domestican" hongos silvestres
en Costa Rica</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>Source: Univisión, USA, 5 August 2008</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Científicos costarricenses trabajan en la
"domesticación" de varias especies de hongos silvestres comestibles,
para que puedan ser producidos comercialmente y se aproveche su potencial
alimenticio y medicinal.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
El proyecto está a cargo de un grupo de biólogos del Instituto Nacional
de Biodiversidad (INBio), una entidad privada sin fines de lucro que se
dedica al estudio de las especies vegetales y animales de Costa Rica y
que promueve su uso sostenible.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Los investigadores han estudiado parte de las 125 especies de hongos silvestres
clasificadas en el país y hasta el momento han identificado cuatro con
un importante potencial de domesticación.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Milagro Mata, directora de la Unidad de Hongos del INBio, explicó que se
trata de las variedades conocidas científicamente como "<i>Pycnoporus
sanguineus</i>", "<i>Ganoderma australe</i>", "<i>Lectinum
monticola</i>" y "<i>Lentinula aciculospora</i>".</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Dos de las especies son setas y otras dos "orejas de palo", como
se conocen popularmente, las cuales reúnen particulares beneficios alimenticios,
como un alto porcentaje de proteína, fibra y aminoácidos entre sus componentes.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Tras la identificación de estas especies, el INBio concentrará ahora sus
esfuerzos en la construcción de un laboratorio para la reproducción experimental
de los hongos, a fin de establecer los métodos más apropiados para su producción
comercial, dijo Mata.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
La investigación forma parte de un proyecto financiado por la entidad internacional
Fundecooperación, en el cual participan también Bután (Asia) y Benin (Africa),
el cual está dotado con un presupuesto de un millón de dólares.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Según Mata, el consumo de hongos ha crecido aceleradamente en el mundo
en los últimos años y Costa Rica podría sacar provecho económico de su
potencial.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
El INBio espera poder capacitar y eventualmente financiar el inicio de
operaciones a agricultores que quieran explotar comercialmente este producto,
explicó la bióloga.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">For full story, please see: </font><a href=http://www.univision.com/contentroot/wirefeeds/noticias/7559155.html><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.univision.com/contentroot/wirefeeds/noticias/7559155.html</u></font></a>
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<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>30.
South Africa: African medicine under the spotlight</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>Source: Independent Online, South Africa,
8 August 2008</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">South Africa's biodiversity and indigenous
knowledge is being highlighted at the inaugural Indigenous Knowledge Systems
Expo at the Transvaal Museum. Delegates were told on Thursday of the value
of these systems and what the government is doing to protect them.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Organised by the Department of Science and Technology in collaboration
with national government departments as key stakeholders, the expo runs
until Saturday and has as its motto: "Indigenous ways of knowing,
works".</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Department spokesperson Mava Scot emphasised the importance of indigenous
knowledge. "This knowledge is valuable not only to those who depend
on it in their daily lives, but to modern industries as well. Many widely
used products such as plant-based medicines and cosmetics are derived from
knowledge systems of South Africa's indigenous communities. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
"This makes South Africa an attractive venture for companies seeking
novel compounds for application in the medical, agricultural, horticultural
or environmental fields," he said.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Dr Maureen Wolfson of the South African National Biodiversity Institute
(Sanbi) addressed the workshop on "the contribution of indigenous
knowledge to bioprospecting of indigenous biological resources". Her
presentation examined indigenous knowledge in plant use for medicinal purposes.
</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
The importance of biodiversity as well as its financial value were other
aspects contained in her presentation. Wolfson said about 80 percent of
South Africans consulted about 200 000 traditional healers and about 700
plant species were traded a year. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Delegates were told indigenous knowledge systems could make a significant
contribution to sustainable development.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">For full story, please see: </font><a href="http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=139&art_id=vn20080808060902459C682919"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=139&art_id=vn20080808060902459C682919</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
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<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>NEWS</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>37.
Bugs lead drug-hunters to medicinal treasure</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>Source: New Scientist, UK, 12 August 2008</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">If you're looking for medicinal plants in
the jungle, then let the insects guide you. A study has shown for the first
time that brightly-coloured bugs like to sit on medicinally-active plants.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
</font><a href=http://striweb.si.edu/toddcapson/index.html target=ns><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Todd
Capson</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">, an entomologist at the
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, hopes the findings will
accelerate drug discovery efforts and improve measures to safeguard rainforests.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
</font><a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18024226.500-the-next-wave.html"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Bioprospectors</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">
searching for </font><a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13117824.700-medicines-from-the-rainforest.html"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>medicinally-active
plants in a rainforest</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial"> face a problem
of needle-in-haystack proportions. Plants do not advertise the fact that
they contain potential medicines. The insects that feed on them, on the
other hand, do. Insects ingest bio-active chemicals from the plants and
advertise the fact that this makes them poisonous to predators with their
flashy colours.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Plants which look like many others may nevertheless contain </font><a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18324611.700-plant-mimic-may-be-cure-for-malaria.html"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>active
chemicals that can be used to fight parasites</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">,
viruses and even cancer. </font><a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4079-chinese-herb-reveals-vital-malaria-weakness.html"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Artemisinin</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">,
for instance, is a powerful anti-malarial drug extracted from a Chinese
plant, while </font><a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13117824.700-medicines-from-the-rainforest.html"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>vincristine</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">,
based on a compound extracted from rosy periwinkle, is used to treat leukaemia.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
A popular way of finding new drugs based on natural compounds is to study
the plants used in traditional medicines. Capson and colleagues thought
that there might be a way of accelerating the search, by also looking for
plants that seem to be valued by non-human species.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Many tropical insects carry toxins to protect themselves from predators.
In fact, in the early days of drug discovery, researchers tried collecting
insects in order to extract their active compounds. "Good luck collecting
100 kg of insects," says Capson.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
However, the insects often do not synthesise the toxins themselves. Instead,
many eat toxic plants and concentrating the poisons. As a result, the search
for new drugs inspired by natural compounds now focuses on plants rather
than insects.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Conveniently, </font><a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg15520913.100-nose-job.html"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>many
insects signal that they are poisonous</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">
to predators with </font><a href="http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/mg19826534.500-colourful-warnings-cause-confusion-for-mates.html"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>flashy
colours</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial"> – often bold reds and
yellows.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
"If you're poisonous, it's to your advantage to advertise that to
your predators," says Capson. But to him, the bright colours tell
an entirely different tale. "What it's telling us is: 'You should
go ahead and sample the plant I'm eating to search for pharmaceutical compounds',"
he says.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Capson's team decided to test their theory in the forests of Panama. They
chose 10 plants which they knew contained medicinal compounds, and 10 non-medicinal
plants which looked very similar to them. In four national parks, they
searched for the plants in their natural environment and recorded the number
of bright insects on their leaves as they went.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
The team regularly found brightly-coloured bugs on nine of the 10 active
plants, but on just four of the 10 inactive plants. On average, each poisonous
plant had 1.9 bright bugs on its leaves, while innocuous plants had just
0.5. "This is the first time that anyone has proven that brightly-coloured
insects associate with active plants more than they do with inactive plants,"
says Capson.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Using brightly-coloured insects as flags does not mean that every plant
scientists collected would contain a new medicine. Once a potentially medicinal
plant has been identified, it can take many years to extract the active
compound and turn it into a useful drug. Nevertheless, it could focus pharmaceutical
searches.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
"One could go into the field and scan wild insect populations,"
says team-member </font><a href=http://www.eeb.utoronto.ca/node/1313 target=ns><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>Julie
Helson</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial"> of the University of Toronto
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. "This would still be labour-intensive,
but would hopefully increase your hit rate in comparison to randomly collecting
plants."</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
For Capson, there is another advantage to the method – that of saving
the insect sentinels from extinction.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">
Capson himself is not planning on testing his method further by collecting
unknown plants that have bright bugs on them and testing their toxicity.
That, he says, is what he hopes his colleagues who are searching for new
drugs will do. The relay baton is ready to be passed.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Journal reference: </font><a href=http://www.frontiersinecology.org/ target=ns><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><i><u>Frontiers
in Ecology and the Environment</u></i></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">,
</font><a href=http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/070189 target=ns><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>DOI:
10.1890/070189</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">For full story, please see: </font><a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14521-bugs-lead-drughunters-to-medicinal-treasure.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=env1_head_Bugs%20lead%20drug-hunters%20to%20medicinal%20treasure"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.newscientist.com/article/dn14521-bugs-lead-drughunters-to-medicinal-treasure.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=env1_head_Bugs%20lead%20drug-hunters%20to%20medicinal%20treasure</u></font></a>
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<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>39.
Mountain centre launches traditional resources portal</b></font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>Source: SciDev.Net Weekly Update (4-10
August 2008)</b></font>
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<br><font size=2 face="Arial">The International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD) announces the launching of a web portal on ‘Access
and Benefit Sharing from Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge<b>’</b>.
Accessible at </font><a href=http://www.icimod.org/abs/ target=_blank><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>http://www.icimod.org/abs/</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">,
the portal contains information about Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)
mechanisms and processes being carried out as well as the development and
implementation of ABS regimes in countries of the Himalayan region. The
portal provides links related to the subject and aims to serve as a regional
clearing house mechanism on ABS. Through this facility, ICIMOD hopes
to encourage, enable, and support learning and foster multi-stakeholder
discussions and sharing of the ongoing debates and dialogues at international,
regional, and national levels on the subject.</font>
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</b>In simple terms, access and benefit sharing means that one person or
entity (the user) obtains biological or genetic resources and or knowledge
from another person, entity, or country (the provider) in exchange for
benefits. The CBD aims to achieve the fair and equitable sharing of benefits
arising out of the use of genetic resources and associated traditional
knowledge by facilitating access through prior informed consent of the
provider. Article 15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
provides a framework for the implementation of ABS. All the countries in
the Himalayan region are party to the Convention and are implementing ABS
regimes. </font>
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Implementing the framework in practical and legal terms is complex and
has raised concerns amongst stakeholders. The portal thus aims to raise
awareness as well as provide a platform for sharing and discussing various
options in dealing with ABS issues.</font>
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ICIMOD, a regional intergovernmental organisation based in Kathmandu, Nepal,
recently launched the portal as part of a project to promote ABS in the
eastern Himalayan countries. The Centre has been working with 13 partners
in four Eastern Himalayan countries - Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan
– in seven project sites since 2005, to promote the ABS process. Plans
are underway to expand the project’s coverage over the long term to the
entire Himalayan region, which covers Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan – ICIMOD’s regional member
countries.</font>
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Supported by the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and Federal
Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the programme
reaches out to marginalised groups from grassroots-based mountain women,
Dalits, indigenous peoples (Janajatis and ethnic minorities), to
policy and decision makers to raise awareness and build the capacity of
local institutions and individuals belonging to these groups. The aim is
to implement sustainable ABS regimes. Through this programme which is part
of a broader Biodiversity Conservation and Management Programme, ICIMOD
aims to develop the competence of partner organisations by supporting activities
such as capacity building, documenting and evaluating traditional knowledge,
assisting in developing regulatory instruments, and a variety of information
sharing platforms. The capacity of stakeholders and partners in the government
and NGOs is being enhanced who are imparting knowledge and skills related
to ABS mechanism among the indigenous people and marginalized communities.
Through this process, the ABS mechanism is gradually internalised among
the communities as an opportunity for poverty reduction and biodiversity
conservation.</font>
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</b>The Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region, and more specifically the Eastern
Himalayas, is one of 34 global biodiversity hotspots – a treasure house
of genetic biodiversity and natural resources managed with rich base of
traditional knowledge and skills. These resources provide the basis for
building livelihoods for mountain communities.</font>
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ICIMOD believes that local communities and stakeholders can protect and
manage their genetic resources and biological diversity. This will only
be possible if the people who take care of the resources also get benefits
from them and get full support from the local and national governments,
civil society organisations and the international community.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">For more information, please contact:</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Dr. Krishna Prasad Oli</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Regional Coordinator, ABS – EH</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Biodiversity Conservation and Management</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Environmental Change and Ecosystem Services,
ICIMOD</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Email: </font><a href=mailto:koli@icimod.org><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>koli@icimod.org</u></font></a>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">For full story, please see: </font><a href="http://www.icimod.org/home/news/news.content.php?nid=87"><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.icimod.org/home/news/news.content.php?nid=87</u></font></a>
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<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>LITERATURE REVIEW</b></font>
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<br><font size=2 face="Arial"><b>McLain, Rebecca J., Alexander, Susan J.,
Jones, Eric T.</b> 2008. <i>Incorporating Understanding of Informal Economic
Activity in Natural Resource and Economic Development Policy</i>. Gen.
Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-755. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest
Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 53p.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">This report synthesizes the literature on
the role of informal economic activity in the United States postindustrial
economy. Informal economic activity is expanding in the United States and
is likely to continue in the foreseeable future. The formal and informal
economic sectors are inextricably intertwined, with individuals and households
combining elements of both sectors to construct their livelihoods. Although
the informal economy is often thought of as the domain of economically
marginal individuals and households, virtually everyone participates in
the informal economy to some extent. However, the literature highlights
how factors such as social status and household position in the formal
economy affect whether participation in informal economic activity is exploitative
or empowering. The nontimber forest products sector serves as a case
study of why it is important to consider informal economic activity when
developing natural resource and economic development policy. We recommend
steps policymakers can take to identify and encourage positive aspects
of the informal economic activity. We also highlight several areas of research
to improve understandings of the role of informal economic activity in
postindustrial societies.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">TO RECEIVE (free)</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">Request a printed version by completing an
order form at: </font><a href=http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/order.shtml><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/order.shtml</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">
or calling 503.808.2138 (U.S.). Make sure you specify the General
Technical Report Number (GTR-755), the complete title, the authors and
year, and your mailing address.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="Arial">A digital version in PDF format can be downloaded
from </font><a href=http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/30182><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/30182</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">.
The direct download link is: </font><a href=http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr680.pdf><font size=2 color=blue face="Arial"><u>www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr680.pdf</u></font></a><font size=2 face="Arial">
(1mg - allow time to load in your browser).</font>
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