Bridging the Science Gap in Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) Policies

Used for food, furniture, housing, and as cash crop, NTFPs include rattan, bamboo, resins, forest food plants, and medicinal and cosmetic products that are derived from forests and related ecosystems. Previously referred to as “minor forest products”, NTFPs received little attention from government and big business because timber harvesting and utilization, as the long-established income-generating enterprise from forests, offered far better financial returns. Rules and regulations on NTFPs were subsumed in generalized policies meant for timber, which in most cases were not adequate because of the different nature, growth requirements, and harvesting and utilization tools for NTFPs.