Alternative Outlook

Analysts at Forestry Research Associates (FRA) claim that the people of Vietnam, and especially those employed in the rattan producing sector, will reap the benefits of a new WWF fund, sponsored by IKEA.

Forty interest groups have been established in the central provinces of Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam to preserve rattan as part of the five-year World Wildlife Fund (WWF) “Sustainable Rattan Project”.

After three years of operation, a 400sq.m rattan nursery garden, consisting of more than 100,000 seedlings, has been successfully developed.

The WWF launched its project in 2009 in the country’s main rattan material supplying region.

Co-sponsored by the European Union (EU), the multi-national corporation, IKEA and the German Development Finance Institution (DEG), the project focused on sustainable and environmentally friendly production and processing methods related to rattan alongside effective international promotion campaigns.

“The project has supported companies and local communities who rely on the rattan industry for their livelihoods while helping to sustain natural resources,” said Nguyen Viet Hoach, deputy director of the Thua Thien – Hue Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

It has been estimated that around 54 species of rattan can be found in the Greater Mekong region. Village communities in Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam rely heavily on the rattan trade, with sales accounting for half of some rural incomes.

The second phase of the rattan production project is worth an estimated $56,539, which will be spent on several different projects, including sustainable forestry education. FRA said that the investment into sustainable forestry techniques in the production of rattan materials is vital for the future of the industry in Vietnam.

Between January 2012 and June 2014, the project will help to improve the quality of life for those living and working around the rattan industry, while evolving techniques for sustainability and production. The project will also provide seedlings to help develop more managed forests of rattan and bamboo.

“The idea is to provide local people working within the industry with the knowledge and support they need to make sure that the industry can provide a living for their children and grandchildren,” explained FRA’s analysis partner Peter Collins.

Those who are expected to benefit form the cash will be educated on the policies and laws in place and will also be guided on forest management techniques.

The project illustrates how investment in forestry in developing countries can not only help them to safeguard a vital industry, but can also generate returns and benefits for investors around the globe. FRA supports sustainable forestry investment projects, such as the one taking place in Brazil, which is run by Greenwood Management. It gives investors from all over the world the chance to invest in a specific piece of plantation land on which fast-growing non-native trees are grown. These trees generate profit as they grow and also provide alternatives to using native trees in the production of charcoal for the steel industry.