Proper policy needed to promote rattan production
Proper policy needed to promote rattan production
Laos needs to formulate a proper policy to promote rattan goods production in the country in order to benefit small producers and village handicraft associations.
The development of the policy plan to promote the business of rattan in Laos is considered as a matter of urgent importance for those in the industry.
Currently, Lao entrepreneurs operating rattan production businesses are struggling to continue their operations as the industry is still suffering from the lack of a proper support policy from the government.
President of the Lao Handicrafts Association, Mr Hansana Sisane spoke at a workshop on Tuesday to review the policy to promote rattan goods production under the rattan and bamboo project.
He said many local authorities have decided to allow the harvesting of rattan within their jurisdictions.
However those overseeing harvesting and production lack experience in managing the sector.
Generally, the demand for rattan products is between January and May each year while the government permits the harvesting of rattan towards the end of each year, Mr Hansana said.
“We also lack technique. There are no standards of production. There is also a lack of workers,” he added.
He explained that rattan is a naturally renewable palm that has multiple uses, such as for furniture, handicrafts and building materials. However the way rattan is harvested and processed needs to improve in order to secure the supply in the long term.
According to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the objective of the rattan and bamboo project in Laos is to secure credible forest certification, establish a more sustainable rattan production supply chain, and develop sustainable financing for small and medium d enterprises to invest in it.
The WWF is developing forest management plans with communities, training pre-processors and traders on clean production, building business links, and promoting Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Fair Trade certification of forests and their products.
As part of this project, communities and companies are working with WWF to impl ement a viable and sustainable forest management model. This means that villages can earn income from the harvesting, splitting and weaving of rattan for sale on international markets.
Some huge successes have already emerged from the project. Since 2008, over 5,500 ha of forest are now FSC certified an d 28 villages in the three provinces have directly benefitted from the sale of rattan products.
