UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF WOMEN HOME-BASED WORKERS IN VALUE CHAINS OF LARGE CARDAMOM AND ALLO IN NEPAL SOUTH ASIA Network of Homebased workers in South Asia © 2019 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/THE WORLD BANK 1818 H Street NW Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000 Internet: www.worldbank.org All rights reserved. This volume is a product of the staff of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this volume do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Directors of The World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. Rights and Permissions The material in this publication is copyrighted. Copying and/or transmitting portions or all of this work without permission may be a violation of applicable law. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank encourages dissemination of its work and will normally grant permission to reproduce portions of the work promptly. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The World Bank Women In Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) SABAH Nepal Shalini Kala, Lead Researcher for HomeNet South Asia TABLE OF CONTENTS Abbreviations 1 Foreword 2 I. Executive Summary 4 II Background 7 III. Study Objectives 9 IV. Methodology 9 V. Large Cardamom 10 a. Literature review 10 b. Women in large cardamom value chains 12 c. Findings from the field 14 VI. Allo 24 a. Literature review 24 b. Women in allo value chains 30 c. Findings from the field 32 VII. Recommendations for Future Action 42 Conclusion 46 VIII. IX. References 47 X. Annexures 49 ABBREVIATIONS ANSAB Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources BFIs Bank and Financial Institutions CDC Cardamom Development Centre FHAN Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal FNCCI Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry FNCSI Federation of Nepal Cottage and Small Industries GIZ Gesellschaft fȕr Internationale Zusammenarbeit HBW Home-based Worker HNSA HomeNet South Asia HS Code Harmonized System Code ICIMOD International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development KHAU Kanchenjunga Himalica Agriculture Udyog MAP Medicinal and Aromatic Plants MEDEP Micro Enterprise Development Programme NFA Nepal Foresters’ Associations NITEC Nepal Innovation Technology and Entrepreneurship Center NNSEP Nepal National Sector Export Policy for Large Cardamom 2017-2022 NTFP Non-Timber Forest Produce PAF Poverty Alleviation Fund SWOT Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat TEPC Trade and Export Promotion Centre UNDP United Nations Development Program UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 1 FOREWORD “No Woman Left Behind” When the United Nations’ Secretary General established the High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment, in 2016, the Panel declared that “No Woman Left Behind” would be its first guiding principle. Among the nations of South Asia, economic growth is on the rise. But the participation of women in these economies continues to languish. Evidence suggests that these countries have some of the lowest rates of Female Labour Force Participation in the world and, regionally, women account for only 25.5 % of the labour force. What’s more troubling is that even this meagre percentage has been on the decline in the past few years. Women, in this region, are often constrained by social norms, lack of work opportunities, the absence of safe workplaces, and the undue burden of care work- making it a challenge to participate in their respective economies. Yet, millions of women in this region, including those who belong to rural communities, make robust contributions to their nation’s economy by reimagining work and work spaces. In Nepal, where this study was undertaken, women take up home-based work and it is a vital source of employment. In 2008, the Nepal Labour Force Survey estimated that are over 920,000 home- based workers in the country. These workers take up employment in a variety of value chains, ranging from carpet-making to garments, agriculture and traditional handicrafts. In Nepal’s Eastern Hills, as this study details, women home-based workers take the lead in large cardamom fields - nurturing and harvesting a prized cash crop. In the neighbouring Khandbari district, the women of the Kulung Rai tribe have not just preserved their centuries-old tradition of allo-making, but also craft contemporary fashion products, made from allo, for national and international markets. A closer look at the data, collected during the course of this study, indicates that despite playing critical roles in the large cardamom and allo value chains, women home-based workers are invisible and disadvantaged. In the large cardamom value chain, the work put in by the women, in the farming and processing stages, are crucial to the end product. And yet, women rarely manage to interact with traders nor do they have the bargaining power to command fair prices in a highly-fluctuating market. Additionally, the lack of skills and inability to access credit keeps them from adding value to the product and hampers any efforts to move up the value chain. With allo, women are an integral part of each step in the supply chain. However, their incomes do not commensurate with the drudgery involved in crafting each product. This drudgery, that takes a physical toll on women workers, is a direct result of the absence of women-friendly technologies in the industry. Livelihoods are further affected because allo’s marketability has not been fully explored. Moreover, international markets remain out of reach for producers. Through this study, HomeNet South Asia Trust examines the roles and contributions of women home-based workers in the value chains. In March 2017, the Final Report of the United Nations’ High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment highlighted “Changing Business Culture and Practice” as one of the seven drivers of women’s economic empowerment. Under this, the report clearly stated that, in order to, achieve this change it is important to map value chains to ensure ethical sourcing as well as workers’ rights. The report lays special emphasis on recognising women home-based 2 FOREWORD workers who are often overrepresented at the bottom of the value chain pyramid and are especially vulnerable. And that acknowledging home-based workers as critical actors in value chains is not just “the right thing to do” but can also reap gains on the business front. In keeping with this, this study elaborates the bottlenecks that women workers face and makes clear, targeted recommendations to improve the scope of these products while uplifting the working conditions and improving the livelihoods of workers involved. Both these value chains and the women home-based workers involved in them will, we think, benefit from the Government formulating and strengthening policies that are focussed on them. The Government will foremost need to interact and undertake consultative processes with women home-based workers’ groups and organisations. Subsequently, they will have to partner with an alliance of institutions, to create a robust system of data collection to ensure an in-depth and dynamic analysis of these value chains. The World Bank can also extend its support to projects and programmes that study the economic loss borne by women home-based workers due to sub- optimal working conditions. And it can invest in research that brings about innovation in these supply chains. Finally, HomeNet South Asia Trust would like to thank the World Bank for recognising the roles and contributions of women home-based workers in two of Nepal’s critical agricultural value chains. The valuable support it has lent to the study will, we hope, pave the way for the formulation of concrete measures that will enable women home-based workers to rise above the challenges they face and claim their rightful place in a world where no woman is left behind. Chandni Joshi Renana Jhabvala Enforcer Chairperson HomeNet South Asia HomeNet South Asia 3 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This study attempts to understand the growing international demand for analysis of the two value chains and role of women home-based workers natural fibre products in general and a general absence of recognition of (HBWs) in the large cardamom and allo-based products in particular opens the substantive contribution women allo value chains in Nepal, and to opportunities to raise the incomes of HBWs could make to the economy recommend ways in which their participants in this value chain. This and society as the most prominent work can become more beneficial for is of importance for enhancing the participants in the value chains, them not only through better returns livelihoods of communities involved affects the design of such initiatives. but also through improved working in these processes, as their skills and For instance, much needs to be done conditions. Both value chains can not experience in processing allo has the to mechanise manual processes that only enhance incomes for women potential to address the disadvantages women are engaged to save their time and their families, but also have the they suffer from being remote and and alleviate the back-breaking labour potential to alleviate poverty in the marginalised. involved. While the government has communities to which these women recently focussed on large cardamom belong. The study bases its findings The value chains of both large by publishing a five-year policy paper, and recommendations on a review cardamom and allo are dominated a wider promotional and conducive of existing literature, a data survey in by women HBWs: in the former they policy regime that focuses on women selected geographies in Nepal, and are concentrated in farming and working in the various stages of the conversations with value chain actors processing the produce, while in allo allo and cardamom processes is and experts. they virtually run all the processes. necessary to promote an environment In the absence of men, who migrate where women HBWs can contribute Nepal is the world’s largest producer in large numbers abroad for jobs, their best. of large cardamom, a commodity women’s role in the value chain that has an established and lucrative and their dependence on these There is an urgent need for a larger international market. About 98 commodities for cash income is study across a few districts based per cent of Nepal’s production is crucial. However, the drudgery and on a much larger sample size, which exported. Even though it is heavily hard work involved is detrimental explores the setting up of a robust dependent on Indian traders to export to their health, efficiency and the data collection system, especially for its production and, thus, has little role quality of the final product. Poor allo, and tracks gender indicators. To in price determination, most actors institutional development – there are set-up the data gathering system, it along the value chain make attractive hardly any women-based or women- would help if the study could identify returns. It is the most important oriented local institutions in the value key partners with the expertise, willing cash crop for farmers involved in chain – adversely affects their ability to ally with specialised government large cardamom production, who to command returns commensurate institutions to help create the data are otherwise engaged mainly in with their inputs. Notably, the trader system. Another immediate need is subsistence farming. associations and their federations in for a study to estimate the economic the large cardamom sector are entirely loss from the poor work conditions Allo grows abundantly in the dominated by men, while in allo, such faced by women HBWs in these value Himalayas of Nepal, and has been institutions do not even exist. chains. The results of this study would traditionally processed by certain be particularly relevant and timely to ethnic communities for its fibre that is Various interventions have been convince local governments that will woven into cloth to create products for implemented to try and improve these soon be facing elections to focus on their daily use. It is relatively unknown value chains. However, significant women HBWs in these value chains. outside of these communities and its data gaps, the almost complete lack of use by others is fairly recent. The any women-centric, gender-specific 4 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Table 1: Issues and Recommendations - Women HBWs in the Allo and Large Cardamom Value Chains Issues/Challenges Recommendation Expected Timeline Lack of data sets Set-up a robust system for regular data collection with a Medium including gender- focus on information related to women HBWs disaggregated data Forge an alliance between government and other institutions Short with expertise and interest in women HBWs Support regular analysis on women HBW issues based on Long quantitative and qualitative data; for this engage a wider set of interested agencies including women cells in chambers of commerce and industry, especially the chamber of small and cottage industry, women entrepreneur groups, and donor and civil society organisations working in the sectors The absence of Conduct a study to estimate the economic loss due to sub- Short governmental policies to optimal working conditions of women HBWs in the value support women HBWs chains Conduct a larger study, similar to the current one, across Short a few key districts for a clearer picture of the issues facing women HBWs in the country Formulate a set of women-friendly policies for the Short-to-medium consideration of the government Use the outputs of these studies and policies for discussions Short-to-medium with relevant government agencies at the centre and in the districts, leading to appropriate policy formulation Traditional, drudgery Use government and non-government channels to promote prone processes the testing and the use of women-friendly technologies that will automate manual processes: • Study best practices in these areas; Short • Identify key areas for intervention; Short • Engage relevant agencies to identify and test appropriate Short-to-medium technologies; and • Identify and promote institutional and other Medium arrangements to scale-up promising technologies. The lack of women’s Invest in establishing and strengthening women’s collectives, Medium-to-long institutions worker groups and their federations both for aggregation and skill building Encourage the development of these institutions by Short-to-medium advocating for appropriate government policies, such as concessions in tax, transport duties, and bank loans Limited interaction of Promote the setting up and strengthening of women’s Medium-to-long women with markets institutions 5 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Issues/Challenges Recommendation Expected Timeline Advocate for women-friendly market policies such as relief Short-to-medium in domestic and export tax, transport duties, and bank loan rates Build women’s capacity on processing, marketing and trading Short-to-medium Weak brand identity of Promote a focus on allo and cardamom for value up- Nepal in international gradation and market positioning: markets • Advocate for allo to be declared the ‘national fibre,’ Short-to-medium which will help provide the required environment for research, production and marketing • Build an alliance between Nepal, Bhutan and India Medium to promote varietal research, disease management, mechanisation and marketing in large cardamom • Track and strengthen the execution of Nepal’s National Medium Policy for Cardamom Exports especially for sanitary, phytosanitary and other export related certification 6 II. BACKGROUND Nepal is one of the least developed economies in the world with a per capita gross national income in 2016 estimated at USD 730 1. The unstable political climate since the overthrow of the monarchy, in 2008, has slowed progress on economic indicators and the damaging earthquake in 2015 proved to be a major setback for the country. In Nepal, home-based workers (HBWs) produce goods or services for the market from within or around their own homes. Although they remain largely invisible, they are engaged in many branches of industry and represent a significant share of employment in some countries, particularly among women in South Asia. They are part of domestic and global supply chains. In 2008, the Labour Force Survey of Nepal estimated that there were Allo products have been used by approximately 920,000 HBWs in the these communities in their daily life country, the majority being women. and for rituals during celebrations. These women HBWs make significant Since 1999, the Micro Enterprise contributions to agricultural supply Development Programme (MEDEP) chains, including those pertaining to has worked towards strengthening large cardamom and allo. and developing the allo value chain. Nepal is the world’s leading producer Despite being the subject of many of large cardamom. The supply chain studies in the recent past, data on of this spice usually begins in the hills both value chains remains limited, of eastern Nepal where home-based particularly for allo. For allo, this farmers (predominately women) tend study had to depend entirely on data and harvest the crop before it reaches from previous studies, which typically the local bazaars, and then on to focussed on small areas at a point in the processing units of Birtamod, time, and did not cover large areas where thousands of women work over longer periods. Statistics for allo to sort, grade and prepare the spice harvesting; bark, thread and cloth for export. From the godowns of production; and sales of allo-based Birtamod the produce crosses over products are not part of the agriculture to India. According to data from production sets, handicrafts data the Trade and Export Promotion or trade information. In the case of Center (Government of Nepal), in large cardamom, while district-wise 2016-17, Nepal exported large production data exists and is accessible cardamom, valued at NPR 3.8 billion online from 2009-10 on (although (approximately USD 37.5 million). not all in one place),2 export data, whether aggregated or disaggregated Allo or Himalayan Nettle grows is not easy to locate.3 Nepal’s foreign naturally across Nepal. The trade statistics, published both by processing and weaving of allo has TEPC and Nepal Trade statistics, a been a traditional activity in several World Bank service,4 provide some indigenous and ethnic communities data on large cardamom trade. Yet, like the Rais, Gurungs, Sherpas, there is insufficient information on Magars, Kulung Rais, and Tamangs. the movement of cardamom from the 1 https://data.worldbank.org/country/nepal 7 farming areas, through local collection II. BACKGROUND South Asia’s first and only network for centres, to the wholesale markets. HBWs. Moreover, due to the absence of a unique HS (Harmonised System) code5 HNSA’s goal is to build regional at the six-digit level (as it shares its HS solidarity among HBWs and their code with green cardamom), global representative organisations. It trade in large cardamom is difficult provides a platform for learning and to trace. None of the published data sharing amongst them. It advocates includes women-specific information. for policies that include HBWs in national statistics and government Studies that have been undertaken programmes, and ensure workers’ point to the critical role of women rights. By strengthening their in both value chains, but a detailed, collective voice, it works to ensure gender-specific analysis that examines the visibility of HBWs, and to create their roles and incomes from either better economic opportunities, while value chains is missing. This has also securing their social security and hampered any discussion or specific developing the capacities of grassroot recommendations to improve the organisations. In the years since its income opportunities and working inception, HNSA has emerged as a conditions for women HBWs in these leading voice for HBWs in the region. supply chains. Established in 2008 with funding from In this scenario, this study is an the SAARC Development Fund and attempt to improve our understanding handholding and technical support of the condition of women HBWs in from HNSA and Self-Employed these two value chains, with the aim Women’s Association (SEWA), of recommending ways to improve it. SABAH Nepal is a community- The study covers small but important based, social business organisation areas of production, processing and that works towards strengthening marketing for both allo and large the livelihoods of financially deprived cardamom. The study was proposed and marginalised HBWs in Nepal. By and led by HomeNet South Asia enhancing and utilising their inherent Trust (HNSA) with support from skills to build their enterprise and by SABAH Nepal. Both organisations connecting them to markets and thus are deeply committed to supporting sources of income, SABAH Nepal helps women HBWs and their enterprises. improve their economic opportunities HomeNet South Asia Trust (HNSA) and also conserves Nepal’s heritage is a regional network of HBW and skills. It aims to empower these organisations across eight countries: artisans and producers at each stage Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, in the value-added supply chains. India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Founded in 2000, HNSA is 2 Production statistics by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development list annual data for total cardamom production from 2010 onwards in its annual publications. However, for many other crops comprehensive and much older trend data is easily available in one place. Similarly the Economic Survey of Nepal provides two to three years of production data in each of its annual issues. http://moad.gov.np/public/uploads/1142453195-STATISTIC%20AGRICULTURE%20BOOK_2016.pdf 3 Given the global status of Nepal as the top producer and exporter of large cardamom, the absence of comprehensive data is very intriguing. Trade and Export Promotion Centre statistics are available at http://www.tepc.gov.np/ 4 Nepal trade statistics available at https://wits.worldbank.org/CountryProfile/en/NPL 5 The Harmonized System (HS) of tariff nomenclature is an internationally standardised system of names and numbers to classify traded products. The cardamom HS code is 090831. 8 III. STUDY OBJECTIVES Overall, the report focuses on the role b. identify the roles of women and of women in the supply chain, the men HBWs and their working working conditions of HBWs, and the conditions in the supply chains; bottlenecks they face. Specifically, it and aims to: c. identify bottlenecks in the supply a. map the supply chains of large chains and solutions which can cardamom and allo fibre from r a w help women home-based workers material to the finished product, expand their economic gains. and into the local and export markets; IV. METHODOLOGY A desk review of the literature on the allo and cardamom value chains and conversations with SABAH Nepal informed the design of the primary data collection over the area covered by this study. The literature review was guided by the study objectives (listed in III) and drew its findings and conclusions from these. Notably, the review found that assessments of the role of women in the two value chains were severely limited in the literature. In fact, there was an almost complete absence of gender-specific studies. Study area identification: Project interventions and research on the two products, large cardamom and allo; have been focussed on Taplejung and Sankhuwasabha districts, as allo and cardamom. Primary data was these are important growing and collected by HNSA with support from processing areas for cardamom and SABAH Nepal through structured allo, respectively. In Taplejung, SABAH interviews with participants in the Nepal supports the processing of value chains, including producers, cardamom into products such as tea collectors, processors, traders, powder. Its community facilitation sellers and, their groups if any. The centre (CFC) for allo processors study also documented the views in Sankhuwasabha buys products of supporting government, trade, and sells them through its outlets. industry, non-government, experts It has in-depth experience and and donor agencies. The tally of those knowledge about these areas and the interviewed is as follows: communities that reside there and • Cardamom respondents: 39 has been working to organise women farmers, 1 farmer group, 4 traders, HBWs involved in these value chains 3 processors, and 10 experts to improve their incomes and working including support institutions. conditions. • Allo respondents: 36 collector- processors, 4 traders and shop Primary data collection: At the start of owners, 2 trader/marketing the study, SABAH Nepal conducted a groups, and 14 experts including detailed stakeholder mapping for both support institutions; 9 a. Literature Review V. LARGE CARDAMOM trade in this commodity (Government of Nepal, 2017, NNSEP). Of the several publications reviewed, only one study (Sony et.al. 2016) Some of the key relevant highlights focused on women working with large from the literature review are: cardamom from the perspective of 1. Nepal is the largest producer and the gendered risk of poverty. Most exporter of large cardamom in the of the studies did not specifically world. mention the wide prevalence of Nepal’s annual production ranges women in the large cardamom value between 5000-6000 MT spread chain (unlike the studies on allo), only across 41 of its 75 districts (Sony referring to their predominance in and Upreti, 2017), and about 98 agriculture. “In Nepal’s agricultural per cent of the product is exported sector, around 90 per cent of the (Bhattarai, 2016; Government of farmers are women” (Government of Nepal, 2015). India is the major Nepal, 2017, Nepal National Sector export destination; over 90 per Export Policy for Large Cardamom cent of Nepalese production finds 2017-21 or NNSEP). In the 72-page its way there (Sony and Upreti, Government of Nepal report (2015), 2017). Notably, global production, there is a lone mention of women including Nepal’s output, has been when describing an improved drying declining in recent years, due to technology: “Double drum dryer… crop disease largely attributable to involves minimum drudgery so that it the changing climate. can easily be operated by the single 2. Large cardamom is a lucrative value women.” Similarly, even though chain and an attractive livelihood women are the major stakeholders option for the poor. in this value chain, their absence is Large cardamom is an expensive glaring in the Timsina and Pandey spice and involves substantial (2012) study that states one of its returns for the actors at each stage “specific objectives…(is) to identify in the value chain, from the farm the existing status of value chain gate to the consumer. Dried large stakeholders”. Women are mentioned cardamom capsules are used as a as being predominantly (60%) spice in various dish preparations, involved in harvesting operations, food essences, perfumes, and and almost at the end of the study in medicines. It is recognised as a relation to large cardamom providing “Major commercial crop of Nepal them employment. with increasing international demand” (Chaudhary and Vista, Indicating the lack of gender-focussed 2015). “Although the market is and women-specific research in the relatively small and concentrated cardamom value chain, Sony et.al in India and Pakistan…it is a major state, “…there is a research gap in cash crop for more than 67,000 gender relations, pertaining to the farmers in (Nepal’s) hilly regions and division of labour of men and women 40 wholesalers in Birtamod, the in cardamom farming ... Additionally, regional trading hub” (Government the issue of women’s engagement in of Nepal 2017, NNSEP; Singh and cardamom farming for income and its Pothula, 2013; Sony and Upreti, impact in their livelihoods, particularly 2017). “More than 95% of the in relation to different ethnic production of large cardamom groups,… (needs to be) nuanced”. As comes from individual farmers in noted earlier, “Global trade of large all districts of Nepal”. Apart from cardamom is difficult to trace due to being high-value and low-volume the absence of a unique HS code at in nature, “It is… cultivated in the six-digit level.” Data from India marginal and degraded slopes…” and Pakistan, the two major importing (Timsina and Pandey, 2012). countries that record large cardamom “Cardamom production is effective under their national tariff line codes, in the eastern mid-hills creating sheds some light on the trends in world employment for rural people… 10 V. LARGE CARDAMOM Cultivating large cardamom for poverty and lost opportunities notable export prospects, this export can help alleviate poverty…” for women…” (Government of monopolistic situation hinders (Sony, et. al., 2016). Nepal, 2017, NNSEP 2017-22). export development because Nepali 3. Women are important but However, “…though women are exporters have limited leeway and unacknowledged actors in the value not a part of the market...their thus distribution of the benefits chain. participation in large cardamom throughout the sector is limited” Several studies have documented cash crop farming has helped them (Government of Nepal, 2017, the roles of the players in the earn some share compared to NNSEP). It is interesting to note value chain (Singh and Pothula, alternative work such as tailoring that farmer margins are higher than 2013; Sony and Upreti, 2017; or even selling other products those for traders and wholesalers Government of Nepal, 2015). such as oranges or broom grass… and quite close to exporters (Table • Actors include: farmers, Engagement in cash crop farming 2). This is an unusual scenario when collectors, processors, traders has empowered women financially compared to most agriculture value at the local and district levels, and socially …For marginalized chains globally and needs deeper wholesalers, and exporters. communities (including landless exploration. The value chain is supported by Dalits) the impact is even more government institutions under pronounced......” (Sony, et. al., the ministries of agriculture 2016). Sony and Upreti (2017) development, trade and industry; found that women whose income and the Cardamom Development had declined due to a decrease in Centre; farmer cooperatives; and cardamom production in recent business entities like chambers years reluctantly took up jobs as of commerce and industry and maids. federation of entrepreneurs. 5. The cardamom value chain actors Most studies reviewed did not in India have higher margins than specifically mention women as those in Nepal. value chain actors and the role Even though Nepal is the largest they play. producer and exporter of large • Processes: Various farming cardamom, its value chain actors operations precede harvesting, work on much lower margins than which is followed by several those in India (Table 2). processing steps such as, “…curing, “Indian intermediaries capture the tail-cutting, and grading. Curing is biggest share of earnings because carried out by the farmers, and they control most of the trade, the remaining steps are done by particularly logistics. Despite wholesalers…” (Singh and Pothula, 2013). Exporters take care of transportation of the produce. Table 2: Price and Margins of Cured Cardamom Capsules (USD) “... it is mostly women who work in the processing centres to carry out the value addition work of the Farmer Local trader Wholesaler Exporter commodity”, cleaning, cutting and grading large cardamom (Sony, et. Nepal al., 2016). 4. Though women are disadvantaged Price/kg of cured capsule 2.47 2.66 2.85 3.17 in the value chain, cash earning potential is higher in cardamom than Margin 0.15 0.11 0.02 0.19 the other livelihood alternatives available to them. India Farmer Aggregator Wholesaler Retailer “Women in the large cardamom sector face low wages and repetitive, Price/kg of cured capsule 12.16 13.38 16.26 20.33 labour-intensive tasks, especially at the processing stage”.
Though Margin 1.22 2.71 4.07 they participate fully in the value chain, “…not all women’s tasks are economically productive…As their Note: Nepal data is from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, 2008 tasks are usually more tedious and Indian data is from SFAC (Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium) 2012 time-consuming, this leads to time Source: Singh and Pothula, 2013 11 V. 6. International prices are determined LARGE CARDAMOM of these are: by traders in India with Nepali o The lack of appropriate actors having almost no role to play. lab-testing facility for sanitary “Indian intermediaries …control and phytosanitary certification most of the trade, particularly necessary for exports; logistics” (Government of Nepal, o Insufficient knowledge about 2017, NNSEP). This is because export documentation among Nepal has no mechanism to Nepali traders; determine prices. “Due to non- o Limited transportation facilities existence of any central marketing to transport large cardamom from facility or an auction market in Nepal to India; and the country…the price of the o Weak direct links with Pakistani commodity is dictated by the importers. terminal markets in India” (Timsina • In a well-entrenched, well- and Pandey, 2012). This leads to established pods markets, product the “inability of Nepali traders to development beyond cardamom react swiftly” as they have no direct pods to “derived products such trading links with the final buyers as cardamom seeds, grinds, (Government of Nepal, 2017, oils, (and oleoresins) or natural NNSEP) and, farmers in Nepal, “are dyes could help develop new compelled to sell their products market opportunities” for Nepal at prices set by local wholesalers” (Government of Nepal, 2017, (Singh and Pothula, 2013). NNSEP). 7. Upgrading traditional crop and business practices are critical to b. Women in the Cardamom sustain the value chain and improve Value Chain returns. Some of the main issues affecting Around 90 per cent of the farmers the large cardamom market are in Nepal are women (Government the prevalence of crop disease and of Nepal, 2017, NNSEP). Family Nepali traders having to export to members, both men and women, Indian traders without much say grow, harvest and dry cardamom, in prices. The studies we reviewed spending anywhere from 30 to 60 suggest several measures to tackle man days over four months (June issues in the Nepali large cardamom to September) every year. All this value chain, again none specifically is home-based work. Cardamom is aimed at helping women actors. grown on marginalised and degraded • The use of traditional practices lands by farmers, whose major share across the cardamom value chain of cash income comes from this crop. restricts any rapid improvement in Soon after harvesting, cardamom is productivity and quality. There is dried and packed into sacks either an urgent need to widely establish to be stored till the price reaches an better plant varieties, production attractive level or to be sold to local protocols, drying techniques and traders. Local traders, who are mostly grading methods. (Government men, collect and take the produce to of Nepal, 2017, NNSEP; Singh the bigger market hubs from where it and Pothula, 2013). The farmers reaches Birtamod, the main point for themselves listed these as the final processing, which involves drying, top priorities to help improve and cutting of cardamom tails, grading, standardise the quality of Nepali sorting and packaging for export. output, and thus increase their Here, a large number of women are earnings (Bhattarai, 2016). involved in processing, which usually • The Nepali trade and business takes place at the factory premises of ecosystem is ridden with the traders. Female traders are rare challenges that impact its ability throughout the chain, as they are to generate better returns largely involved in the farming and (Government of Nepal, 2017, processing functions. NNSEP; Bhattarai, 2016). Some 12 Input Supply Harvesting, 13 Collecting Trading and Processing / Domestic market postharvesting, transportation Wholesaling drying Hills Domestic market V. Water Commercial farms (0.1%) (5% of production) Energy (Land leased by - Firewood private cooperatives - Electricity and cooperatives International market - Fuel (India) Wholesalers and Small farms holders traders at central Labour force 99% (95% of production markets in Transporters Village Local traders Birtamod, Fikkal, Long distance India Machineries Harvesting vendors Cleaning and Dhankuta (#2) - Tractor - Cleaning grading Indian Traders Bhutan (99% of trad - Sprayer - Drying in bhatti New Delhi: Garodia market - Sprinkler -Cleaning Kolkata: Amartola and traditional (95%) -Regrading Armenian street improved (5%) Fertilizers District -Tail cutting Siliguri: Alupatti New Market traders -Packaging LARGE CARDAMOM Pesticides Cleaning and grading Packaging & raw materials Nurseries - Fibre Pakistan (59.6%)* Other destinations - Plastic Private > #150 –UK (11.5%)* Wholesalers –UAE (11%)* granules Cooperatives Karachi: Jodia market –Kuwait (2.8%)* - Sewing Lahore: Akabari Mandi –Saudi Arabia (2.4%)* - Jute bags Cardamom Rawalpindi: Ganj Mandi –Others (12.6%)* International Development component Centre National component Government farms Supplying countries to Pakistan Input supply (#2) - India (57.8%) -Dolkha - China (22%) -Rukum - Guatemala (13.9%) - Viet Nam (6.2%) Source: ITC Source: Nepal National Sector Export Policy: Large Cardamom, 2017-21, GoN and ITC (Pg 33) c. Findings from the Field V. LARGE CARDAMOM Survey area: Taplejung District other basic amenities. • Hamlets: Bajogara, Sattaldada, Birtamod: The main cardamom- Dadagau, Panthabari, Chautara, trading market, Birtamod is a busy, Lakuridada, Tapetak, all around well-equipped town close to the Phunling Bazaar, which is Nepal-India border. Taplejung’s main market. Each • Offices: Municipality, Environment hamlet has a few households, Conservation and Development typically involved in similar trades Forum, District Office of Small (like livestock rearing or vegetable and Cottage industries, District farming). Hamlets like Sattaldada Agriculture Office, and the District and parts of Bajogara are closer Chapter of the Federation of to Phunling Bazaar, which gives Nepalese Chambers of Commerce them access to the main road, and Industry basic healthcare facilities and the market. In these areas, The study team also met experts from access to phone connections Trade and Export Promotion Centre, and even phone internet is good. FNCCI and ICIMOD in Kathmandu However, as you climb down the for information on the area surveyed. hills to Dadagau, Panthabari and other hamlets, and farther away Survey Period: from Phunling, access to basic June 21 to July 4, 2018 amenities becomes scarce. From these remote hamlets, reaching Phunling Bazaar and the nearest Survey conducted by: road involves a trek of 30 minutes HNSA with support from the to an hour. After the harvest, the SABAH Nepal team farmers have to travel to Phunling to connect with traders, and to buy their farming inputs. The only Respondent profile technology that villagers have 39 farmers: 33 females and 6 access to in these areas is the males radio. 1 farmers’ group representative: Phrumbu: High up in the hills, male Phrumbu is a 90-minute drive from Phunling Bazaar, on badly paved 4 traders: 1 female and 3 male roads. However, many households 3 processors: all female here have easy access to a road, 10 experts (government, although it is fairly basic. Farmers in trade and multilateral support Phrumbu are exclusively involved institution): 1 female and 9 in large cardamom farming, and produce more output than the males neighbouring hamlets around Phunling Bazaar. • Market/Trade hubs Phunling Bazaar: As the Taplejung District headquarters, this main bazaar area is home to basic hotels, government offices, and several shops. It has good electricity and phone connectivity. Phidim: The district headquarters of the Panchthar District, Phidim is a three-hour drive from Taplejung. It is well-connected to roads and 14 V. Findings LARGE CARDAMOM 1. Cardamom is a major source of cent of the 39 farmers interviewed cash income for farmers involved reported that large cardamom in its production: In the surveyed accounted for more than 60 per area, farmers are largely involved cent of their cash income; for 38 in dairy farming, livestock rearing per cent, cardamom was the sole and vegetable growing apart from cash-earning product (Figure 1). growing cardamom. Over 75 per Figure 1: Share of Cash Income from Large Cardamom 20 Number of farmers 15 15 10 10 5 5 5 4 0 20-39 40-59 60-79 80-99 100 Percentage Share 2. Farmer incomes are vulnerable The majority of the respondents to the volatility of international reported that the total income markets, crop disease and from cardamom this season was rising input prices: International the same as in the last. Of the commodity markets are volatile six farmers that reported a higher and prices fluctuate as supply and income this season, five attributed demand change. Rising demand the rise to an increase in the land in the past increased price which under farming and one to the use led to increase in cardamom of new seedlings. The main reasons production (Fig. 2). This increased cited for the stagnant or declining supply puts downward pressure income were: lower market prices on price if demand is not rising at for large cardamom; plant disease the same pace and reduced total leading to crop loss; higher export value of cardamom between input prices; and expenditure on 2015-16 and 2016-17, evident larger quantities of inputs. Other from Fig. 2. As prices fall improving common reasons were lower productivity, efficiency or expansion productivity; new seedlings yet in land under cultivation can help to yield peak production (four reduce the impact of the fall on respondents); and a reduction in farmers. Rising input costs and crop the area under production (one losses due to disease exacerbate respondent). the adversity faced by farmers. Figure 2. Large Cardamom Productionand Value of Exports in Nepal, 2011-17 14000 500 12000 NPR ten million 400 10000 metric tonnes 8000 300 6000 200 4000 2000 100 0 0 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 Production Export Value Source: Economic Survey of Nepal, various issues 15 V. 3. Women are involved in all the LARGE CARDAMOM to selected markets. Women have farming operations but their less time as they are responsible engagement with the markets for their home chores and live is minimal; in processing, they in a socio-cultural milieu where function almost like wage moving around is not easy. Further, labourers: Women have always women have little say in the post- contributed significantly to the large production processes of trading cardamom value chain, but with and processing. Even though they the increasing migration of men, do the final processing, they have their role has become even more little control over what they receive important. Still, they are not involved as payment and function largely as in the buying of inputs or sale of daily wage labourers. Daily wages crop. During our data collection are nowhere commensurate with they struggled to estimate the costs the value they add to the produce involved, and were unsure about at this stage. For instance, though prices; men, on the other hand, this may be premature, as the were clear and confident in sharing initiative has just started, even the information on costs and prices. women respondents processing for Once cardamom is harvested, it is Kanchenjunga Himalica Agriculture the men that keep track of prices Udyog did not see any opportunity and markets, deal with traders, to move up in the value chain as it and transport cardamom for sale exists currently. 4. Even though farmers feel they do cent. Profit for the remaining 27 not get good prices, most of them farmers was in the range of 20 to reported profits between 20 and 400 per cent (Figure 3). Declining 400 per cent: Lately, cardamom prices have cut into profit margins, prices have declined reducing which had risen rapidly with rising farmer margins in general. Most of international prices. the farmers attributed the falling prices to the fact that the quality The reasons cited by the farmers of their produce was below par and for the wide range in profit margins shrinking demand in recent years include varying productivity of land, (Figure 3). Still, they are able to sell proximity to markets which impacts all of their produce and margins are transport costs, cost of inputs, and still high enough for most of them proximity of irrigation facilities – to continue cultivating cardamom. irrigation costs are low if water Of the 35 farmers who shared sources are close to the cultivated information on costs and sales, six area, otherwise the installation of reported profits over 400 per cent water pipes increases cost. and two made profits below 20 per Figure 3: Farmer Profits from Large Cardamom Cultivation less than 20% 2 3 3 20-100% 10 100-200% 200-400% 7 400-800% above 800% 10 Pie segments indicate number of farmers reporting a profit. Total number of responding farmers = 35 16 V. LARGE CARDAMOM 5. Farmers are unable to command and the low quality of cardamom better prices locally: Farmers production. In the absence of easy are aware that a better quality of formal financing,7 which requires cardamom would command higher collateral and entails an onerous prices outside their local markets. bureaucratic process, cooperatives They also know that they would are being experimented with to need bigger pods dried at the right provide finance. However, these temperature, more efficient tail- initiatives are still nascent, and the cutting and sufficient marketable demand for finance is far higher surplus for them to be able to than they can service with their receive higher prices. However, deposits.8 even if one of these conditions Low prices are also the result of is not met, they are forced to sell lower-grade variety of cardamom to local traders who do not pay grown in this area, and the extra for processed cardamom prevalence of crop diseases without and are in all probability charging much support from government or farmers high interest rates on the specialised agencies.9 Modern loans they have advanced to them. dryers are rare and have been Moreover, prices in the non-local made available only under specific markets have to be high enough NGO projects. Further, weak skills to cover the transportation and tax in tail-cutting, among farmers in costs of moving output outside the Taplejung, results in low output local area. Notably, this study did while, in Birtamod, workers are more not find any significant difference efficient, managing to process 4-5 between the cardamom prices times more cardamom in the same received by Nepali and Indian time as the local farmers. However, farmers, as suggested by the this might be easily overcome with studies covered in the literature training and experience. What review. The data published on the might be more difficult to surmount website of the Spices Board of is the challenge of achieving a India indicates that similar prices minimum marketable surplus that is prevail in both countries.6 needed to convince local traders to For farmers to be able to command pay a higher price for better-quality better prices the top priority produce or to be able to make the would be to address their heavy trip to the Birtamod market cost- dependence on traders for finance effective. 6. Disease, water and finances are technologies like the modern dryer the big constraints, which farmers can be met if the farmers have easier believe can be overcome with and affordable access to finance. technical and policy support: Other constraints were the need Of all the constraints listed by to improve the quality of the seeds responding farmers, plant disease and seedlings, enhancing skills and stood at the top: 77 per cent of expanding their knowledge base, the responding farmers mentioned for which farmers expected help disease as their major constraint. from the government or specialised The second constraint listed was institutions. Labour costs, which irrigation, as indicated by 46 per had risen a few years ago when cent of the farmers: expenses on cardamom price soared, have water and some of the proven not come down, thus adding to 6 http://www.indianspices.com/marketing/price/domestic/daily-price?v=archive&category=large 7 “I borrow from the trader and do not like to approach the bank because of the bureaucratic process and the lack of collateral,” said Ambika Sigdel of Bajogara. 8 Sarita Limbu of Chautara and Tulsa Karki of Phrumbu reported they were turned away because the cooperative had already loaned out all its funds. 9 Narendra Maden Limbu of Bajogara suggested that, “Technical resource persons are needed who can help ensure better crops with their expertise”. 17 input costs. Interestingly, though V. LARGE CARDAMOM disease as a major constraint felt not surprisingly, markets seemed it was surmountable within two to be the least of the problems to five years; about 13 per cent cited by the respondents, even felt more than five years would though about a quarter of them be needed to better manage felt constrained by low prices and plant disease. The general opinion market fluctuations. It is easy to was that within two to five years, sell any amount of cardamom water and finance issues could be produced; prices may not always be resolved with technical and policy what is expected but, as mentioned support. About low prices, market earlier, are high enough for farmers fluctuations and labour costs, to continue cardamom farming. farmers either had no idea or felt During discussions on overcoming these would take more than five these constraints, interestingly, years to normalise. 87 per cent of those citing plant Figure 4: Constraints Facing Large Cardamom Farmers 35 30 30 25 20 18 Number of farmers 15 10 9 6 7 5 0 Labour costs Finance Low price & Irrigation Disease market fluctuation 7. If offered better prices, over 40 up the value chain indicates that per cent of the farmers would like the data on margins may not reflect to move up the value chain in the the current reality, certainly not in next 1-3 years: About 60 per cent the study area. Farmers would like of the farmers indicated that they to expand their activities because wanted to continue to farm large they see margins improving just cardamom, and had no plans to add by moving from production to other related activities that might processing. Even if they continue give better returns. Of the rest, producing cardamom, they would one respondent, Lila Devi Dahal like to process and package their who is part-owner of Himalica, product before selling it, to be wanted to process cardamom able to access the higher margins into masala, make tea products, associated with these functions. and package and sell these. All Farmers reported a lack of skills the others wanted to sell their as the major constraint to their produce after the sorting and/or moving up the value chain; the the tail-cutting stages. Farmers did other constraints mentioned were complain that even after sorting lack of knowledge and capital. and/or tail-cutting, traders do not Unless these constraints are offer them higher prices, citing low removed and traders are ready to volumes as the reason. Moreover, buy lower volumes of tail-cut or to improve their efficiency in tail- graded cardamom at higher prices, cutting, farmers would require there is no incentive for farmers to training and more experience. shift into activities that move them The desire of many farmers to move up the value chain. 18 V. LARGE CARDAMOM 8. Farmers wish for better drying, water use, and farming technologies: Large Cardamom farmers mainly need labour, water, fertilisers and pesticides to manage diseases, drying mechanisms, transport and finance. Most of these are available through their local markets and the traders they sell to. The traders are known to advance loans to farmers in return for the exclusive rights to their produce at the time of sales. Traders also provide storage facilities for cardamom, if the farmer wants to wait till prices reach the desired level. Though there is no problem in the availability of inputs – Chandra Kumari Limbu of Phrumbu even reported that, “better quality inputs input prices could not be reduced, are now available” – it was the hence, only higher cardamom unanimous view that input costs prices could raise their incomes. have risen. Farmers are particularly About 15 per cent felt that price troubled by high labour costs: these regulation would also help. had risen with high cardamom Women’s involvement in prices, but have not come down in processing is largely limited to recent years with falling cardamom tail-cutting: Much of the tail- prices. The cost of borrowing from cutting happens at Birtamod, the traders, too, does not seem to be wholesale market and export in favour of farmers; traders have point. Women are mostly involved the upper hand and can cover price in this activity which is tedious, risks, which in all likelihood they time-consuming and poorly paid. pass on to the farmers. This issue, Enterprises processing cardamom however, needs deeper exploration into higher value- added products for better understanding. Farmers like spice-powder, cardamom who need credit have little fibre and cardamom oil are small negotiating power with traders, as in numbers. Himalica, which they have no other option to easily produces cardamom spice powder, access funds. The advantage is employs women for production and that they can store their produce marketing, while at Chandan Fibre, in the trader’s facility, and can sell women make yarn, weave and anytime they are comfortable with create cardamom-fibre products. the price. Though these women employees Discussions on how to tackle may not be making a lot more than these drawbacks in the next five the daily-wage tail-cutters, both years drew several ideas from offer women farmers a chance to farmers. Among the suggestions, move up the value chain. Notably, technology for drying was on top as eight of the 13 investors in Himalica a way to reduce time, and improve are women farmers. Chandan Fibre quality and price. Better irrigation is owned by Ms. Maya Gurung, and management, soil testing and it reports an annual profit of around farming techniques featured next. 140 per cent currently. These are Improving processing and skills to promising initiatives for women, produce a better quality product but their progress will depend for the market is well recognised as on finding stable and sustained important. Some farmers felt that markets. 19 V. LARGE CARDAMOM Kanchenjunga Himalica Agricultural Udyog (KHAU) Started about a year ago, the Kanchenjunga Himalica Agricultural Udyog (KHAU) is owned by 13 farmers, eight of whom are women. It is a by-product of the Himalica Project, supported by ICIMOD and SABAH Nepal, but farmers involved in the micro-enterprise also contributed NPR 10,000 each to the initial investment of about NPR 900,000 and produce large cardamom based products. KHAU employs five women, and this year (2018) they produced around 90 kg of cardamom spice mix and tea. Each worker produced 20 kg of product in three days and the enterprise reported a turnover of approximately NPR 5,50,000 (approx. USD 5,300). For the mix, they sourced 200 kg of large cardamom from local farmers from the Sattaldada Farmers Group. For now, the company operates on an order-to-order basis. But in the coming years, it is looking to generate more stable employment for its workers, while also generating more income opportunities in a district where jobs are hard to come by. With support from ICIMOD and SABAH their capacity for production and packaging has been strengthened, but marketing is still a weak area which needs further support and investment. Yet, they are optimistic about future growth and are planning for advanced training in packaging. Women’s involvement in processing is largely limited to tail-cutting: Much of the tail-cutting happens at Birtamod, the wholesale market and export point. Women are mostly involved in this activity which is tedious, time-consuming and poorly paid. Enterprises processing cardamom into higher value- added products like spice-powder, cardamom fibre and cardamom oil are small in numbers. Himalica, which produces cardamom spice powder, employs women for production and marketing, while at Chandan Fibre, women make yarn, weave and create cardamom-fibre products. Though these women employees may not be making a lot more than the daily-wage tail-cutters, both offer women farmers a chance to move up the value chain. Notably, eight of the 13 investors in Himalica are women farmers. Chandan Fibre is owned by Ms. Maya Gurung, and it reports an annual profit of around 140 per cent currently. These are promising initiatives for women, but their progress will depend on finding stable and sustained markets. 9. Traders are at the top of the partially offset these risks through value chain with the largest profit the loans they advance to farmers. margins: In the volatile cardamom Even though prices have declined market, traders claim to bear the risk in recent years, they are still high of price fluctuations, but they can enough to render substantial profits for traders, after covering the costs of storage, drying, transportation and credit to farmers. Of the four traders interviewed, two shared information on their annual sales and costs, and reported profits above 700 per cent. As traders, their key challenges are cash flow, access to credit and price fluctuations. There are very few women among the traders and the one woman who was interviewed runs a grocery shop in the main market, Phunling Bazaar. She ventured into cardamom trading a few years ago, when farmers started asking her to take cardamom as payment for goods purchased from her shop. 20 V. LARGE CARDAMOM 10. A better understanding of this value chain. Anu Joshi of the cardamom value chain ICIMOD said that, “In a complete will require more complete form the data about its value information: The lack of full chain is not available. What is and accurate data on cardamom known is that from the farmers volumes, from production to local who grow the cardamom, it goes traders, large traders and export, to the local traders, and then to hampers a complete mapping of Birtamod”. Table 3: SWOT Analysis for the Large Cardamom Value Chain With Focus on Women HBWs Strengths Weaknesses • Nepal is the world’s largest producer and exporter of • Poor export infrastructure – sanitary, phyto-sanitary large cardamom. and transport - hampers Nepal’s ability to directly • It is a high-value cash crop that enjoys a lucrative export its produce, resulting in little control over international market. prices. • Women HBWs dominate the farming and processing • The lack of trend data on production, processing, operations in large cardamom. export and prices, and a gender-specific analysis of • The Nepal government has a national policy focused the value chain limits robust planning and design of on the export of large cardamom. interventions. • Women are disadvantaged by returns or wages that are not commensurate with the value they add, their relative isolation from markets, and traditional practices that involve hard work and drudgery. • The inability to prevent and manage crop disease leads to heavy losses for farmers. • Farmers’ dependence on traders for finance has led to a skewed distribution of profits in favour of traders. • Farmers are vulnerable to volatility in international markets, with little hedging of risk or insurance. • Low quality of cardamom produced resulting from poor processing. Opportunities Threats • Building good quality data sets to help design well- • Climate change triggering crop disease leading to crop informed initiatives and track the sector’s progress losses • Setting up a system of regular knowledge sharing • Market capture by “fake” cardamom from China and among India, Nepal and Bhutan, on varieties, Vietnam production practices and disease management to improve production and reduce losses. • Modern and scientific methods of farming, public investment in irrigation facilities, and mechanization of manual processes to improve production, productivity and quality of final produce. • Formal financing, from Government-backed financial institutions, to reduce farmer’s dependence on high cost loans from local traders. • Capacity building and organizing, in processing for women home-based workers to add value to their product –spice powder, tea, fibre based products, etc. - and command better prices. • Minimise farmer vulnerability through improved productivity, reduced crop losses, diversification of product, value addition, and exploring new markets. • Build farmer capacity in harvesting and processing of cardamom to ensure premium quality. 21 V. LARGE CARDAMOM Following is the value chain for large cardamom as determined by this study. It highlights the various steps in the value chain and shares information on the role of the corresponding value chain actors: Farmlands are mostly nurtured and harvested by women, home-based farmers. Women are supported by their husbands, sons and other members of their family. They also hire farm labour. Farmers The women are engaged in activities like planting, weeding, adding manure, watering, and harvesting. They do not interact with the market. In Taplejung, cardamom farming is the chief income generation activity for most farmers. There is no sense of individual income. All earnings are used to meet household expenses. Local Traders are mostly men. In Taplejung, the local trade body, reports that there are only two women traders in the district. Local Traders Local Traders offer easy, cash loans to farmers. They also offer storage facilities. They report profits of 15 - 20% but these figures are possibly under-reported Birtamod, a town that’s close to the Nepal-India border, is the main trading hub for large Traders In cardamom. Birtamod Here, big traders, mostly men, buy large cardamom from across Nepal. In Birtamod too, traders report profits between 15 -20%. Many big traders , in Birtamod, own processing units. Here workers are mainly women and one trader suggested that there are over 1,000 women Processors processors in Birtamod. At the processing unit, women spend around 8 hours a day in activities like sorting, grading, and tail-cutting. They earn around NPR 350 a day, a little more than a daily wage labourer. The Birtamod traders largely sell to traders in India. International Around 98% of the large cardamom produced in Nepal is exported to India. Traders From Birtamod, the large cardamom travels to markets in New Delhi, Amritsar, Siliguri, Kanpur, and Kolkata. Below is a Geographical Representation of the Large Cardamom Value Chain 22 23 a. Literature Review VI. ALLO producers struggle to meet, because of the lack of sufficient quantities of good quality allo yarn (MEDEP, 2014). The growing demand has expanded the livelihood opportunities for communities who have traditionally collected and processed allo. “Economic importance has led to higher demand of ‘allo’ products. Hence, the residents of Darchula and Sankhuwasabha
districts have started to harvest it extensively” (UNESCO, 2017). Allo or Himalayan Nettle, which The allo value chain has been the grows naturally across Nepal, is a subject of several studies in recent non-timber forest product, with years, but most of those reviewed significant potential to impact poverty focused on one allo-growing area. (Shah, et.al. 2017). MEDEP has The exceptions are the studies by been supporting allo producers and MEDEP (2010) which examined the processors since 1999 (UNDP, 2010) country-wide potential of allo and and has targeted it as one of the by the NFA (2014) that analysed main commodities whose value chain the carpet industry, most of which is requires strengthening “to support concentrated in Kathmandu. Most higher value addition and enhanced of the other studies were conducted opportunities for income generation prior to 2014 (only three were more for the participants” (MEDEP, 2010). recent), so they lacked recent data, but also did not include trend data Several indigenous communities on most macro-indicators like allo like Rais, Gurungs, Sherpas, Magars, collection, production of yarn and Kulung Rais and Tamangs in Nepal cloth, and exports. The studies have traditionally processed allo, and were largely based on primary data used allo cloth and products for rituals, from surveys, and discussions with in celebrations and in their daily life. value chain actors individually and The products include ropes, clothes, collectively. The sample sizes were bags for animal feed, and firewood relatively small, with fewer than 100 (UNESCO, 2017; Adhikari et. al., respondents, probably because of the 2018). Most of these communities remoteness of the field sites which are at the lower end of the economic adds to the time and cost of the scale with limited livelihood options. research. Over the last two decades growing It is notable that, while most studies consciousness about natural fibres mention the predominance of women has led to increasing international in these value chains, few have demand for products based on attempted a gender-based analysis these. Allo is now recognised as a of the issues and challenges they top natural fibre from Nepal as its face, or of the differences in the roles, bark consists of fibres that are strong, challenges and futures facing men smooth and light and also one of and women, the exceptions being the longest natural fibres: “There Lamichhane (2016) and Adhikari, et. is a high demand for clothes made al. (2018). Our review thus indicates from woven nettle in national and the need for research that is explicitly international markets, and they are women-oriented and gender-focused, a prime Nepalese souvenir product” so that future strategies are aimed at (ICIMOD, 2015; Subedee et al, 2017). enhancing the returns for women and Carpets using allo fibre are also in moving them up the allo value chain demand, which Nepalese carpet effectively. 24 VI. ALLO Some of the recurring themes related higher in lower levels of the value to allo in the studies we reviewed are: chain such as harvesting, primary 1. Allo grows abundantly in the processing, yarn producing country, but much of its potential and weaving whereas men’s in creating employment and involvement is significantly high producing allo-based products in trading (village-level as well as remains untapped. in district-level trading). Lack of Broadly speaking, only a fraction of market information, low bargaining the available allo is harvested due power and access to finance to poor accessibility of the growing prevents women getting into areas - farmers have to walk for trading business.” (Lamichhane, several hours to reach these 2016). areas, primary processing of the 3. The use of traditional methods raw material involves hard labour, makes the task of processing and the returns are relatively low. allo bark into fibre laborious and A larger harvest would increase tedious. the quantities for processing, and Most studies have documented hence employment in the process. the extreme hard labour involved However, there is little clarity on in allo collection and primary the magnitude of this increased processing, which involves walking harvesting potential. Several long distances to the forest area studies have tried to estimate to harvest the bark; washing, the country’s allo processing cooking, beating and drying the potential10 but none contain bark to extract fibre; and spinning trend data on the actual annual the fibre into yarn. Traditional harvesting of allo over a period of methods are applied throughout five years or more. these processes, which are mostly 2. There is a predominance of carried out by women. Describing women in the production chains, the hardships faced by allo but mainly at the low-return fibre producers, MEDEP (2010) levels. mentions the time-consuming Women participate extensively processes and the lack of through all stages of the value manpower and equipment. There chains for allo, from collection and is clearly an urgent need to update processing of the raw material to the technology and tools used in making products from cloth, but allo processing. their involvement is significantly 4. The value chains mapped with the larger at levels where returns are processes, actors and functions lower compared to trading. do not focus specifically on Mostly, the women and ethnic women. minorities are involved in all Almost all the studies on the the stages of collection and value chain describe the steps and processing (Lamichhane 2016, processes involved, along with the UNESCO 2017, Gurung et actors and functions, enablers, and al 2012, ICIMOD 2015). Allo supporting institutions within and collection and processing are well- outside the government. integrated into women’s routines • The value chain processes include (MEDEP, 2010). Most of the allo harvesting and collection; primary enterprises are run and managed processing involving washing, by women or groups of women cooking, beating and drying of (Lamichhane 2016, NFA 2014). bark to get the soft raw material; It is notable that, “Women’s… spinning the yarn and weaving involvement is significantly cloth from the yarn; producing 10 The comprehensive MEDEP study (2010) suggested a large potential as “50 of 70 districts in Nepal have allo growing naturally”. Other studies have focussed on specific regions or districts - ANSAB (2010) on Parbat district, UNDP (2014) on the Rapti area, NFA (2014) on the Rolpa, Baglung, Nuwakot, Dolkha, and Sankhuwasabha districts, Lamichhane (2016) on the Myagdi district, and Adhikari et.al (2018) which studied Naugad. 25 allo-based products; and trading, VI. ALLO government agency supporting and domestic and export sales. allo-based enterprises. FHAN, The seasonality of the plant means FTG Nepal, HANDECEN and that allo is collected over a two- SABAH Nepal support design month period annually. There is and product development and some debate on the actual period marketing of allo-based products. of collection: MEDEP (2010) International and multilateral indicates that this is between institutions encouraging Nepal’s October/November and January/ allo commercialisation journey February, while NFA (2014) through research, piloting and mentions August to December. policy support, include ICIMOD, • The actors and functions: Apart GIZ, and UNDP. from the harvesters and collectors 5. Value addition and profit margins including community forest users’ • Profit margins are high for weaving groups (CFUGs), processors, cloth and product-making: Several traders at the local, regional and studies have estimated profit national levels, entrepreneurs, margins at the different steps in trading and business groups, the the value chains in various parts value chain includes a whole of the country. It is not surprising set of enablers and supporting that the margins are higher for government and non-government activities where greater value is institutions. These include district added, compared to the stages of and range forest units, banks and collection and primary processing financial institutions (BFIs), and into coarse fibre or thread. “The community-based organisations at net (of the intermediate inputs) the village and block levels. At the value added at different levels of district level the Cottage and Small operation shows that product- Industries Development Board and making and retailing stages capture district chambers of commerce the most value in the chain (61 and industry play a role along per cent)” (MEDEP, 2010). In fact, with the BFIs, non-government all the other studies indicate that organisations, MEDEP, and private thread-making by itself is a loss- manufacturers (UNDP, 2014). At making activity, which is borne out the national level, traders and by the fact that most collectors exporters receive support from also process the allo till the national-level institutions such thread-spinning or cloth-weaving as FNCCI, NCC, AEC, national stages, and it is rare to find people financial institutions, customs, and collecting allo for immediate sale. so on. MEDEP is the specialised Table 4: Profit Margins in the Allo Value Chain, Nepal Research Subedee UNDP, ANSAB, MEDEP, Study et.al, 2018 2014 2010 2010 Area covered by Far western Panchase* Parbat Parbat and the study Nepal# Myagdi Product Profit margin (%) 1 Dried bark 25 13 25 0 2 Coarse fibre 50 10 3 Thread -20 -40 -4 18 4 Woven cloth 64 106 45 23 5 Allo-based 46 products Notes: # Covers the area under the Kailash Sacred Landscape initiative. * This study assumes the daily labour cost at NPR 400. 26 VI. ALLO • Returns are commensurate with and 17.8 per cent for yarn-making, value additions: Lamichhane 25 per cent and 22.9 per cent for informs us that, “…money flow weaving, and 61 per cent and 46.3 is not equally distributed among per cent at the product-making actors and is not based on how stage. Most studies suggest that much of cost is adding to develop collectors benefit least (ICIMOD, the product”. MEDEP (2010) 2015) and, broadly speaking, as estimated a 4 per cent value one moves up the value chain, the addition and 0 per cent profit profit margins tend to increase. margin for collectors, 10 per cent 6. Information flow and access of Nepal. Allo-processing skills across the value chains are poor have existed traditionally among While this is true of value chains in several communities, and there general, the more remote the actor are local markets for allo products. – mainly the collector-processors – There is increasing demand for the greater their isolation from any natural fibre-based products in the information related to the value international market (http:/ /www. chain. For example, the policy for himalayanwildfibers.com/) which promoting MAPs and NTFPs in provide lucrative returns, and allo is not well-known, and market allo is seen to be a top Nepalese information is not easily available natural fibre. to the value chain actors (MEDEP, o Weakness: The technologies 2010). NFA (2014) states that applied in the value chain are there is a wide difference between time-consuming, tedious and the prices received by allo product inefficient. Quality control over producers and those prevailing the outputs is too weak to meet in the national and international the quality consistency standards markets, some of which can be required for the international attributed to poor information and high-end domestic markets. access. Similarly, there is a range Lamichhane (2016) found, “… of prices that carpet producers pay poorly organized collection and for the allo yarn (MEDEP, 2014), the rudimentary methods of fibre which also seems partly due to the extraction, and spinning…leads to information asymmetry. low quality of yarn”. The linkages 7. SWOT analyses highlight among the value chain actors are abundance of allo, potential weak, and they have little access to to improve processing, and information. “There is no institution international competition from that provides price information or other natural fibres product information in Myagdi” Most of the studies reviewed (Lamichhane, 2016). (UNDP, 2014; MEDEP, 2010; o Opportunities: The demand for Lamichhane, 2016; etc.) had carpets using allo fibre is high and conducted SWOT analyses currently grossly under serviced. to present strategies and Studies have suggested that recommendations that could it is important to introduce or enhance the income and upgrade technology to improve employment benefits from the the efficiency of the processes value chain, for collectors and to reduce the time and drudgery primary-level processors. Some involved, and improve the quality of the key findings of the SWOT of the yarn. Some technologies analyses are: that are already being applied in o Strengths: Allo grows naturally other parts of the country (Adhikari, and abundantly in large parts et. al., 2018) have reduced the 27 amount of fuel used for cooking VI. ALLO to boiling, fibre extraction, thread the bark, experimented with safe spinning and weaving design. substances to soften the bark, and This has reduced costs and time improved the design of the spindle while improving efficiency and and loom for greater efficiency. the quality of the thread and cloth Another effort “the Sustainable produced. It has also increased Technology in Nettle Growing incomes and skills (Adhikari, et. al. (Sting) project…at Leicester’s 2018). De Montfort University…has Suggestions in the literature succeeded in extracting a silky reviewed included: thread that is stronger and finer o Create an ecosystem that will than from other plants such as enhance the benefits to women hemp.” https:/ /www.theguardian. working in the value chains. For com/environment/2008/feb/28/ instance, introducing women- ethicalliving.fashion). friendly technologies, reducing o Threats: Allo faces competition drudgery, setting up institutions in the natural fibre markets for women collectors and primary internationally from relatively processors, and improving linkages cheaper fibres like hemp and jute among the various actors would (MEDEP, 2010), whose value not only help women but also give a chains are better established. boost to the value chain. Similarly, Inadequate quality control over women producers can benefit the allo value chain increases this immensely from the product risk (Adhikari, et. al., 2018). development and export marketing 8. Recommendations suggest experience of those involved in the strengthening across inputs, fair trade supply chain and thus technology, market, finance, making such connections would policy and institutional be useful (Lamichhane 2016). development “The allo value chain development The existing literature offers in Naugad demonstrated a several recommendations to successful model for women’s upgrade the value chain, although, empowerment…An orchestrated as mentioned elsewhere in this effort targeting training, skills document, most of these do not development, exposure visits, target women specifically. The and women’s active participation recommendations suggest that (helped promote)… inclusive a comprehensive, systematic development of a value chain” support mechanism is needed to (Adhikari, et. al., 2018). plan and manage allo resources, o Support the integration of and enhance the efficiency and collection and primary processing ease of collection and processing. activities to yield the best returns. These measures would improve The discussion on profit margins the livelihoods of poor women has shown that allo enterprises living in remote areas; harness could raise their returns if several allo’s potential as a unique natural functions of the collection and fibre in national and international primary processing processes markets; create strong, transparent are pursued in tandem. “…Allo linkages among the value chain enterprises cannot be viable participants, and promote unless these three functions appropriate returns in line with the (harvesting, fibre-making and value added by different actors, thread-making) are combined. The through better regulation of trade, cloth-weaving enterprise could be quality, prices, etc., and better organized separately sustainably, flow of information. SABAH Nepal but when that operation is also helped set up a community-owned combined with the other three, collection and processing centre allo enterprises become an even to improve practices along the more attractive option” (ANSAB, entire value chain, from harvesting 2010). 28 VI. ALLO o Focus on improving the quality of the allo thread produced, to provide consistently high-quality thread for the international and local high-end markets, including exporters of carpets, clothing and other products. This will require improving the methods of producing the thread and the equipment used (Lamichhane, 2016), as well as building the capacities of the collectors and primary processors of allo, mostly women. Pyakurel and Poudel (2014) suggest two options, “(1) appropriate technology transfer for thread-making, and (2) outsourcing thread-making to spinning industries”. Inadequate quality control is a critical drawback to creating a sustained and lucrative market (Adhikari, et. al., 2018). The production of consistently high-quality thread would raise the returns for thread-makers, and help carpet manufacturers and exporters meet their international orders, which they are currently unable to service (MEDEP, 2014). o Promote allo as a distinctive fibre in the international natural fibre market which is currently dominated by hemp, jute and linen competitors (MEDEP 2010) and enhance the image of this region as supplier of quality allo thread (Pyakurel and Poudel, 2014). 29 b. Women in the Allo Value Chain VI. ALLO Allo grows abundantly during the neighbours or local market hubs. The months of August to December. thread is sold by weight. However, It is harvested during the winter thicker thread is poorer in quality. The months, when the plant produces thread is woven on a conventional better quality fibre11 and stings loom into other products, such as pure less, and people are free from their allo cloth, and cotton and wool blends. farming operations. Both men and The cloth is either traded or used to women – the latter are predominant produce traditional or new products, - from marginalised ethnic groups depending on the producers’ access are involved in harvesting allo, but all to the market. subsequent operations in the value chain are handled by women, men The skills required to process allo bark showing up only at the trading and into thread and other inputs, and to transportation stages. The harvested produce traditional items of use have bark is peeled, dried and cooked, and been handed down over generations. then washed and beaten several times In the value chain, most of the work under running water. The dried bark is home-based, and even when may be bartered for thread, which is contractors are involved, women may then bleached, washed and dried to choose not to work in the contractor’s prepare it for spinning into yarn. The facility, so that they can simultaneously yarn is spun with traditional tools carry on their household work, such – spindles or wheels – to produce as taking care of their children and thread. the elderly, cooking, cleaning, and so on. As mentioned above, women At this point cash transactions start dominate most of the production showing up in the value chain. Those processes, and men contribute as producing thread may sell some and traders and shop keepers keep some for further processing. People who can avoid the tediousness The finished products are sold locally of producing thread or do not have and further away in domestic and young family members to take on the international markets. While most of hard work involved, buy thread from the production processes continue to be traditional, over time some external agencies have begun to introduce new designs, technology and support to improve skills and expand markets to help women in the allo-processing areas. Allo Samaj and Sana Hastakala that market allo-based products domestically and abroad provide feedback on market needs which allows women to integrate these into their product design. SABAH Nepal’s support is deeper and wider and involves training, setting- up of common facility centres, and building women’s institutions. These agencies are also investing in product innovation and mechanisation of certain processes in the value chain. 11 http://www.ansab.org/mis/allo-information-sheet/ 30 VI. ALLO Source: Value chain designing of Allo of Panchase protected forest area, BARDAN, GoN, UNDP, 2014 (Pg 5) EXPORT Export Customs, NCC, FNCCI CONSUMING Consumers (Village, District, national) Cloth manufacturers MANUFA at Kathmandu and big CTURING cities Cloth manufacturers at Collectors weave I/NGOs. MEDEP, district thread and clothes BFIs, PS, EbA Regional Traders (Dang, NPJ etc.) LOCAL AND DISTRICT Village level traders BFIs, DCCI LEVEL TRADING Village level traders Trade of coarse fiber PROCESSING Processors/Collectors CBOs, NGOs, EbA, RPs/DFOs, BFIs COLLECTION Collectors Government, Leasehold and PRODUCTION Community Forest, Fallow lands FUNCTION ACTORS ENABLERS Figure: Value Chain Map Of Allo (as evident from other parts of Nepal) 31 c. Findings from the Field VI. ALLO Survey area: Sankhusuwaba District Federation of Nepal Cottage and • Villages and Towns – Malta, Small Industries (FHAN), MEDEP, Khandbari: The closest road to and the Poverty Alleviation Fund Malta is a two-hour trek through in Kathmandu for information on tough mountain terrain. The village the area surveyed. IFAD and World has no phone connectivity, and Bank offices in Nepal responded while the houses are connected to by email. electricity supply, it is erratic and available only for a few hours daily. Survey Period: The closest medical facilities are at June 21 to July 4, 2018 Khandbari. Malta residents make weekly trips to Khandbari to buy supplies and sell their products. Survey conducted by: Cable television is the residents’ HNSA with support from window to the world in general. SABAH Nepal team • Market hub –Khandbari: Khandbari town is the district’s Respondent profile headquarters and the main market 36 collector-processors: all for the surrounding villages. It has motorable roads throughout and female mobile phone connectivity. While 4 traders: 2 females, 2 males it has electric connections, supply 2 trade groups: 1 female, 2 is erratic. males • Offices – Municipality, District 16 experts (government, Forest Office, District Office of Small and Cottage Industries industry and multilateral Department, District Chapter support institutions): 4 females, of the Federation of Nepalese 12 males Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Federation of Handicraft Association of Nepal (FHAN). Our survey group met experts from ICIMOD, the 32 VI. Findings ALLO 1. Allo is processed largely from respondents reported that they home by women, and the activity were only involved in collection is well integrated into their daily or thread-making. Most of those routine: Women are pre-dominant involved in allo bark collection actors across all the activities of also process it as they have done the allo value chain – discussions traditionally, to make products for with experts indicated an 80 to personal use. Some portion of the 100 per cent participation rate by bark and fibre may be bartered women. When not working away for thread, which is woven into from home, men are involved in cloth, which is further made collecting bark and transporting into products. Not all families or allo products to the market. Most women collectors are involved of the men in the allo value chain in all the activities: 72 per cent work at selling allo products of the respondents said they do through shops. not produce thread, they either Ms. Mala Thapa Magar is a big barter it in exchange for dried operator – she buys dried bark and bark or fibre, or buy it from local processes it, sells the dried bark, shops in Khandbari or from the thread, cloth and finished products SABAH Nepal outlet. Among – running this as an enterprise. the respondents who produced But Mala is a rare actor in the value thread, only one said she bartered chain. Most women process the half her produce and one sold it all, allo from their homes, because of but the others used all the thread their household responsibilities. As for further processing themselves. their home circumstances change, 3. Cash transactions in the value they vary their involvement in the chain start showing up at the allo process; for instance, those thread stage and beyond: From with new-born babies reduce their collection to bark drying and fibre time spent on allo processing; making, much of the processing is pregnant and older women take done without any cash sales. Of on activities that involve less the respondents, the 28 per cent exertion like knitting allo; those who produce thread use some of with poor eyesight taken on jobs it for further processing and sell like spinning yarn into thread; the rest. Of all the people met, and those with older children are there was only one case of an able to produce and earn more, as enterprise based in Kathmandu, the children take on some of the owned by Ms. Mala Thapa Magar, farming work and help out with which buys and sells dried bark. allo processing. For this study, all This bark is processed in its Dang the processors we interacted with District facility while weaving and were females, as there were no stitching is done in Lalitpur. The males processing allo. outfit produces thread, cloth and 2. Producing allo products for finished products. markets, especially those outside 4. Allo processing contributes the the local area, is a relatively new biggest share to the family’s cash phenomenon: The collection and income: The main occupation processing of allo is largely home- in the region is farming, much of based, and may involve all the which is subsistence in nature. family members. Family members Crops such as rice, millets and help in the collection and drying corn are grown widely mainly for of the bark, drawing out the fibre, self-consumption – only 2 out and processing it to make yarn of the 36 interviewed were able for spinning into thread. There is to generate some marketable little functional specialisation in surplus. Of the respondents, 22 any of the processes till almost per cent of the farmers also grew the weaving stage: none of the large cardamom and vegetables, 33 including ginger, kept chickens, VI. ALLO which is also the marketing hub and reared cows for milk. Notably, for allo-based products in the area 83 per cent of the respondents (Figure 5). claimed that most of their annual • With their strong skill base, cash income came from allo- women traditionally working in the related activities, with 64 per value chain are able to learn new cent saying that these activities designs and work faster. Of the were responsible for all their cash respondents, 12 women (35%) also earnings. Of the respondents, 17 reported increased efficiency, as per cent reported that more than they were able to produce more in half of their annual income came the same amount of time; 13 (36%) from farming or selling cow milk. respondents felt they had learnt 5. Allo processing is an attractive new designs and improved the livelihood option for women quality of their products, attracting HBWs belonging to communities higher prices and reducing their that have traditionally worked unsold stock. About 70 per cent of with allo: the respondents, who shared their • Women belonging to ethnic or views on the subject, reported indigenous communities that adding higher-level allo-processing have traditionally harvested and activities, producing new or better processed allo possess skills that quality products or a combination give them an advantage in the of these in the last couple of years. diversification and expansion of Several respondents proudly stated allo-based product markets. Even that they were receiving more with rising costs, more women orders than they could fulfil; 24 of seem to be entering the value the 29 respondents were able to chain, and those already in it are sell everything they produced. producing more, better and higher- • The women respondents were value products. When production keen to learn new designs, skills and has fallen or remained the same, products to improve their returns it is typically because household from allo processing. Over 67 per responsibilities or health cent of them wanted to move up conditions have held women back. the value chain. Only one worker Among the 34 respondents, 68 per who was studying to be a teacher cent (23) reported an increase in planned to move out if she got a production over the last two years, well-paying job; the rest wanted to about 40 per cent (9) of whom had continue with the activities they been working in these activities are currently engaged in, while for just about two years, some of trying to improve quality of their 12 them have moved from villages products. near Khandbari, the district centre, Figure 5: Women HBWs’ Output of Allo-based Products 6% Increased production 26% Same Decreased production 68% Note: Based on 34 respondents 12 People migrate from village to Khandbari for better educational opportunities and other facilities for their children. 34 VI. 6. New ways of working are ALLO the 32 respondents, six prefer to attracting more women into work for an agency like SABAH the value chain: Conventionally, Nepal that provides equipment, women would process allo mainly raw materials and a common for familial use making clothes, working space, along with a ropes and other materials. All work crèche facility for children. Only was done from home, using skills one among these six preferred to inherited over generations, and work from her own space, as she their equipment, products, designs manages a shop from where she and working techniques were all processes the allo. Interestingly, geared towards this. A growing among the remaining 26 who have demand for natural-fibre products been processing allo for several and interventions by organisations years, six want to work for SABAH like SABAH Nepal, Sana Hastakala Nepal but a majority 19 (73%) and Allo Samaj have made it want to work on their own – the possible to tap a profitable main reason cited is they are used market outside the immediate to this way of work and have not community. These organisations experienced any other way. have been able to connect 7. While income from allo- the producing communities to processing has grown in recent markets, market information, years, some processors face and improved technologies. For limited availability and high instance, through its initiatives, cost of thread: With markets SABAH Nepal is introducing an expanding both domestically environment that encourages and internationally, better allo workers to create market- quality products are benefitting appropriate designs and products. from a steady demand and can SABAH Nepal has introduced the attract higher prices. Orders women to new skills, equipment have increased for high-quality and operational methods, and products, which can be easily sold provides a working space for them in the market. Of the respondents, in its centres. Organisations like nine have been processing allo Allo Samaj and Sana Hastakala13 for less than two years and could work with several women HBW not comment on trends in their groups across different areas; Sana income. Of the remaining 25 who Hastakala is also experimenting have been in the value chain for with mechanising thread-making several years, 16 (64%) reported and weaving to improve quality that the share of their total family and efficiency. income from allo-processing had Of the ten new entrants among increased. Figure 6: Reasons for increased Income from Allo Processing 50% 40% % responses 30% 20% 10% 0% Better quality More Higher Greater production price efficiency Total respondents - 15 13 Currently, 39 women groups are associated with Allo Samaj and 67 with Sana Hastakala. 35 Those (9 or one-third of the VI. ALLO allo often involving staying in the respondents) reporting an forest for two to four days, and the unchanged or reduced income hard labour involved in peeling the share from allo activities cited the bark, followed by several rounds inadequate supply of good quality of cooking, beating and washing allo thread14 and rising input cost it in running river water. Many as major factors. Traders and women complained of aching eyes experts also recognise the issue of and body pain from the labour of poor quality yarn that reduces their thread-making and cloth-weaving. efficiency, wastes time and results The traditional tools they use, in low-quality finished products. like the cooking vessels, spindles They recommend mechanisation and looms, need to be improved of yarn-making. Notably, Allo to ease their working conditions Samaj has been experimenting and reduce the work load, and with machines from India. Of the manual processes should be 27 respondents that experienced automated wherever possible. The rising input costs, about 45 per NITEC is doing pioneering work in cent (12) attributed this to higher developing machines for cooking, prices for allo thread. Interestingly, beating and washing allo.15 the reported increase in the price Improving the efficiency of these of thread varied widely, from 14 per processes and quality of products cent to 110 per cent, the average can fetch higher prices: one of the increase being 36 per cent. Cotton main bottlenecks cited by Bashu thread, oil and the smooth loom Aryal, IFAD representative for rope (or dori in local dialect) were Nepal, resulting in low returns to also reported to have become actors at the bottom of the value costlier. All inputs are available chain, is the lack of awareness of locally from villages, traders in and access to improved technology. Khandbari market and the SABAH 9. The severe paucity of data on the centres that experienced rising value chain hampers planning input costs, about 45 per cent (12) for improvements: There is little attributed this to higher prices for secondary data on production and allo thread. trade volumes; the role of women 8. Better technologies to reduce the HBWs; markets and prices; and drudgery involved with traditional returns and margins along the methods of allo processing can value chain. Discussions with help unlock the full potential collector-processors, shopkeepers, of this value chain: Customary craft-marketing agencies dealing in practices and tools dominate allo allo products, and experts yielded harvesting and processing, which some impressions, but hardly make these back-breaking tasks. any robust information on these Several responding processors and areas. Experts were particularly experts point to the tediousness concerned with this. Based on of these processes as major their experience in the region, constraints in the value chain: the SABAH Nepal team roughly right from harvesting the plant – estimated the profit margins for which can cause injuries due to its the various collector-processor stinging hairs, long treks to harvest steps in the value chain (Table 5). 14 As mentioned earlier, thicker thread brings in more money for the seller as thread is sold by weight. However, it is the finer, better quality thread that is demanded by cloth producers as it brings them better return. 15 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LgEcdF933YNITEC is Nepal Innovation Technology and Entrepreneurship Center,Pokhara University 36 VI. ALLO Table 5: Margins in the Allo Value Chain (From 25 kg green bark to 4 kg thread and 40 metres cotton-blended cloth) Labour Total Market Total Profit cost price market margin (NRs) value Volume Workdays Daily wage Green bark 25 kg 2.5 300 750 Dried bark 12.5 kg 1 200 950 Dried fibre/coarse fibre 6.25 kg 1 250 1,200 750/kg 4,687.50 291% Thread 4.0 kg 8 200 2,800 1,400/kg 5,600.00 100% Cotton-blended cloth (1:1) 40 meter 11 200 5,000 450/m 18,000.00 260% Source: SABAH-Nepal Note: This data is from survey area. Green bark is not sold and dried bark is generally bartered. 37 Allo Samaj and Sana Hastakala said VI. ALLO to the lack of clarity on taxes that they work on 20-35 per cent on the transportation of allo returns depending on whether the products. Government experts16 buyer is a wholesaler, institution also suggested that its officials or retail customer. Shopkeepers should be educated about allo in Khandbari who buy and sell allo production and its potential. products estimated an average 20 While the Khandbari Municipality, per cent margin. The availability of as shared by Mr. Khatiwada the regular, substantive and credible Mayor of the municipality, is data will make for better-designed keen to support allo due to its initiatives to support the value contribution to economic activity chain and its predominant actors, and future potential, he suggested who are women HBWs. this could be most effective if the 10. Government interventions could national government declares allo help strengthen this value chain, a priority. Allo-friendly policies to the benefit of the women would give an impetus to all the HBWs involved: Craft-marketing actors, including the processors agencies and FNCCI pointed and marketers. Table 6: SWOT Analysis for the Allo Value Chain With a Focus on Women HBWs Strengths Weaknesses • Allo grows naturally and is abundantly available in large • There is no credible data available on allo parts of Nepal. Only one-fourth of the crop is currently production, harvesting or trade. This makes it being harvested. difficult to formulate a robust plan for moving • Allo fibre is stronger than other natural fibres, such as women HBWs up the allo value chain. hemp, that are sold widely in Nepal and are popular in • Different districts have different and confusing export markets. taxation rules for NTFPs, often not clear even to • Allo harvesting and processing skills have existed the officials themselves. traditionally among the women of several ethnic • The government appears to be apathetic towards communities, and have been passed on from one allo-related activities. generation to the next creating a cadre of skilled • The value chain processes are primitive and workers across the allo value chain. fraught with extreme drudgery. • The allo value chain provides work and income • So far allo has been marketed and sold only as a opportunities for women HBWs who: live in extremely fashion product; its medicinal properties have not remote parts of Nepal and have no alternative been explored so it is not positioned accordingly livelihood options; want to work alongside attending in the market. to their farms and other household responsibilities; have health issues due to their age or have no other work opportunities. • A local market for allo products exists, and increasing demand for natural fibre-based products in the lucrative international market. Because of these opportunities, women HBWs continue to join the value chain. • There are no customs duties on the export of allo products from Nepal. 16 Representatives of Small and Cottage Industries Department 38 VI. ALLO Table 6: SWOT Analysis for the Allo Value Chain With a Focus on Women HBWs Opportunities Threats • Positioning allo in the international market as the • If export markets remain untapped, in the longer top natural fibre from Nepal could give it a distinct run allo might lose the race to products made impetus. from other natural fibres, such as hemp and • Research into and dissemination of information jute, which are cheaper and better established. on the medicinal properties of allo will expand the To prevent this from happening, the quality of market for allo products. finished products should improve consistently, • The demand for allo fibre by the carpet industry is along with concerted national-level marketing huge and currently severely under-serviced. efforts to promote the fibre. • Organisations are emerging that are increasing the access of women HBWs who make allo products to local and international markets. They are providing design and product development, and skilling and marketing support. Though nascent, some of these agencies are supporting the creation of women HBW institutions. With an increase in allo output, this value chain should also receive support from existing industry organisations like the FNCCI and FNSCI. • Local governments in allo-processing areas could become “champions” for the value chain and its actors. Special attention to this process by central government could help drive this. • Women are involved with each stage of the allo value chain, from harvesting to the finished product. Investment in and support to women HBWs would be a step towards achieving SDG-8: “Promote Sustained, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth, Full and Productive Employment and Decent Work for All”. 39 VI. ALLO Following is the value chain for allo as determined by this study. It highlights the various steps in the value chain and shares information on the role of the corresponding value chain actors: Location - Forests of Bala and Sisuwa Collection of Involves travelling to the forests, staying for a couple of days, cutting bark from Allo plant, Allo Bark from transporting cut bark back to village Forests Workers Involved - Women Home-Based Workers supported by male family members – sons, husbands, brothers, uncles Location - In and around homes of the Women Home-Based Workers, in their villages - e.g. Malta Drying of Allo Bark village in Sankhuwasabha District Allo bark is dried for storage Freshly collected bark is laid out to dry so that it can be stored for further processing Workers Involved - Women Home-Based Workers Location - In and around homes of the Women Home-Based Workers, in their villages Boiling of Allo Allo bark is very coarse, needs to be boiled in ash water for softening to make it suitable for yarn- Bark for Softening spinning Workers involved - Women Home-Based Workers Location - In and around homes of the Women Home-Based Workers, in their villages Beating and Allo is soaked overnight in white clay called Kamero and put out for drying, dried Kamero is then Washing of Allo taken off from the Allo bark by “beating”. Bark is then washed in wood ash. Bark Washing is done at local stream or river in the village. With water shortage becoming an issue in villages now, this stage of processing has become difficult to complete. Workers Involved - Women Home-Based Workers Location - In and around homes of the Women Home-Based Workers, in their villages Combing of After beating off the clay, Allo fibre becomes soft and is combed, to prepare it for yarn spinning Dried Allo Fibre workers involved - Women Home-Based workers Location -In and around homes of the Women Home-Based Workers, in their villages Community work centres such as SABAH CFC Spinning of Yarn The combed fibre is spun into yarn using a spindle. Traditionally, a spindle called “Kattua” was used, though now other variations of this spindle are used as well Workers involved - Women Home-Based workers Location - In and around homes of the Women Home-Based Workers, in their villages Shawls, ponchos, sweaters, handkerchiefs are some examples of products hand-knit using Allo yarn Production of Allo yarn is also woven into Allo cloth on handlooms and powerlooms - often this yarn is mixed Finished Goods with cotton and wool to make various qualities of Allo cloth This Allo cloth is used to stitch bags, wallets, hats and other accessories Workers Involved - Women Home-Based Workers Location: District level - Local retail shops, SABAH CFC outlet, Allo Samaj district chapter, Allo Club National Level - Kathmandu outlet of SABAH Nepal (procured from SABAH CFC), Sana Hastakala Trade of (procured from Allo Club), Individual traders such as Mala Thapa Magar Finished Goods International Level - Exports by SABAH Nepal and Sana Hastakala to countries such as India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, USA, Canada and Australia National and International trade involves more organisations than individuals. These organisations are often headed by men, though both men and women are invovled. 40 VI. ALLO Below is a Geographical Representation of the Allo Value Chain Case Study: Krishna Kumari Rai Kulung Member of the Board of Directors and CFC Leader, SABAH Nepal Krishna Kumari was born around 50 years ago in the Sankhuwasabha district of Nepal in the Kulung Rai community. Her ancestors migrated to the forested mountainous regions of Sankhuwasabha in search of work and food. They experimented with natural forest produce to make clothes and food, and allo cloth was an outcome of their experiments. Over the years, allo has become an integral part of Kulung Rai community. In Krishna Kumari’s words, “when a child in the Kulung Rai community is born, her/ his umbilical cord is tied with allo thread, and when a person dies she/he is wrapped in an allo shawl. The girls of the family learn the art of processing and making products of allo from their mothers at a very young age. Allo is a product invented, made and sold by women. The allo supply chain is dominated by Kulung Rai women, while the men of the family play a supportive role.” Krishna Kumari is currently on the Board of Directors of SABAH Nepal and also manages the SABAH’s community facilitation centre (CFC) in Khandbari. She is a successful woman leader in Sankhuwasabha, however, her journey has been a difficult one. She says, “I am a skilled home-based worker. However, I can’t read or write as my parents didn’t have enough money to send me to school.” At the age of 13, Kumari was forced to migrate to Bhutan, where she worked as a labourer at an orange orchard. Despite tough working conditions, she continued working there for three years to provide for her family in Nepal. Upon her return she travelled to Kathmandu to work in the carpet factories, where she faced even harder work conditions. She soon returned home, where women of her community had started producing allo for commercial sale, with the support from Ms. Susi Densmore, a social activist. She learnt how to weave from her fellow sisters and was able to weave 15 metre of cloth in ten days. Soon she started teaching weaving to other women and began organising groups within the village. When the SABAH Nepal team visited Khandbari in 2008 to explore their work in the region, Krishna Kumari, who had moved to the town for her daughter’s education, was the first woman HBW to join them as a member. In 2012, she started SABAH CFC with 15 members, and today it has a membership of 1,282 HBWs. 41 VII. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE ACTION 1. Strengthen the availability and Informal Employment: Globalising analysis of data, to improve the and Organising (WIEGO) may also planning and design of activities be interested in joining this effort, that support the value chains, particularly given their interest in especially for women. women in trade. a Systematic and periodic reviews 2. Advocate for women-centred of the two value chains would strategies to trigger a supportive support better analysis: This study eco-system; given their was unable to access sufficient, predominance this will likely good quality, and well-triangulated upgrade the entire value chain. data to credibly comment on The cumulative effect of efforts returns and value addition in at several fronts will have a the different phases of the allo positive impact on women as value chain. Experts consulted well as on the value chains. To during the study raised the issue start with, government support of the almost complete absence and women-friendly policies will of data on volume of product encourage more women to enter being harvested, processed, and the value chain. Women-friendly traded, as well as on sales, prices technologies in collection and and returns. Data gaps make processing, “will reduce drudgery, it difficult to analyse and track (improve quality) and also increase the evolution of the value chain the overall production of allo and to plan for improvements. products” (Shreshtha, ICIMOD). In The data on cardamom is slightly the case of cardamom, this would better, but gaps here also limit apply to women farmers during robust analysis. In particular, both the harvesting and processing value chains suffer from a lack stages. Similarly, building women’s of women-centred and gender- capacities and supporting their specific research, which precludes institutions should improve the any discussion on the changes quality and marketability of their needed to support women actors, products, and reduce transaction including HBWs. costs for those marketing their b An alliance of institutions could help products. In large cardamom, set up and strengthen a systematic this will give women farmers and data-generation process: For processors a stronger negotiating both allo and cardamom, such position vis-à-vis buyers and alliances need to be forged that contractors. If they have facilities can work with the government that reduce the time they spend and its agencies responsible for on family responsibilities, they data gathering, compilation and could increase the time spent on dissemination. Institutions like value chain activities. Additionally, IFAD and the World Bank are for allo in particular, innovations in well- placed to lead this process, the design of products created by especially if they involve research women and appropriate marketing partners such as: ICIMOD; of these produce would expand industry and trade representatives markets. This would also make the like FNSCI - specifically their allo value chain more efficient and women’s cells; institutions widely increase output, and enable it to connected to primary producers meet the expanding demand – as such as SABAH, Allo Samaj, Sana in the case of carpet production Hastakala (for allo) and UNNATI, based on allo inputs. As this Practical Action (for Cardamom); value chain matures, functional development agencies such as specialisation will emerge, which ANSAB; and all the value chain is known to usher in improved actors. Specialised regional or quality, efficiency and returns, international institutions, such but not without a supportive as the International Trade Centre environment for its main actors (ITC), HNSA, and Women in that allows for an easy transition 42 VII. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE ACTION to new ways of work and life. In the case of cardamom where the market is well-established, this could also lead to a better distribution of returns among farmers, traders and processors and, hopefully, to greater product diversification for women into spice powder, cardamom tea, fibre products, and so on. a An estimate of economic losses due to sub-optimal working conditions of women HBWs in the value chain would help inform advocacy with the government for women-friendly policies: Directing government attention to the key value chain actors – women HBWs – and their potential in enhancing economic returns is a necessary first step to building flowing water before it is ready for a supportive environment. spinning into thread, which is still Government policies targeted at done on traditional tools. Similarly, women can help realise the full in cardamom, mechanisation of potential of the value chains and harvesting the produce, and the attract the interest of other non- use of processors for drying and government actors in the two tail-cutting would improve the commodities. An estimate of the quality of the output and the economic losses from the poor efficiency and time-use of women working conditions of women in involved in these processes. allo and cardamom production Clearly, automating some of could be one way to convince the processes, especially at the governments of the urgent need bottom-end of the value chains, for action. As mentioned earlier, has the potential to substantially local governments are keen to improve productivity, returns and support economic enhancement, the general well-being of women especially since elections are participating in the process. Both imminent and in cardamom- and the government and interested allo-growing areas women form non-government actors could play a large majority of the electorate. a role in this. Thus, such a study would be timely c Strengthening institutions of and helpful in making inroads with women HBWs will give them the government. a more persuasive say in price b Support to women-friendly determination and will support mechanisation of manual women-specific needs. This will processes is a low-hanging fruit: work towards making women Both value chains are in a dire more “equal” actors in the value need of modernisation. Women chain, playing their appropriate HBWs are severely affected by role in decision-making and being the drudgery associated with the in a position to command returns traditional processes. Apart from commensurate to their value taking up a lot of their time and addition. In the current situation, energy, the outdated processes given the weak women’s agency, affect their health and reduce the upgrading the value chains number of years they can spend in without ensuring an equal voice value chain activity. For instance, for women actors runs the risk of allo bark requires several rounds of increased value being usurped by cleaning, pounding and washing in men. As a first step, government 43 VII. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE ACTION support to women’s institutions at improve women HBWs’ work in the local levels could trigger this the allo value chain are: process across the value-chain – a Advocate with the government for instance, in policies favouring to provide allo the ‘national fibre’ women’s institutions in taxation, status, to increase focus on the financing, capacity building, and so value chain and attract investment on. This is of particular relevance in the sector. for the large cardamom value b Allo needs to be seen as a product chain where women, even though that empowers women. Work larger in number and contributing towards making the women significantly, continue to suffer HBWs who produce allo products from poor returns and a negligible the focus and not the products role in price determination. themselves, as is the case currently. 3. Allo needs national attention for c Promote research in the areas of women HBWs to benefit in the reduction in drudgery for women long term as well as the value HBWs and also into the properties chain itself to evolve and generate of allo, to better position it in the higher economic return: Allo market. offers substantial income-earning d Invest in women-owned potential for women HBWs. In enterprises to enable them to the expanding natural-fibre move up the value chain. product market, it could command e Invest in creating better access a unique place if positioned to international platforms for well. However, unlike cardamom, marketing the product. for which the government of f Exchange between Nepal, Nepal has announced a five-year India and Bhutan for improved export policy, allo remains largely production and marketing. neglected, even though it grows 4 For improved returns and better abundantly, and it provides much- work conditions, more focus needed employment and income needs to be given to women for women of several ethnic HBWs in the large cardamom communities, who have the skills value chain: As with allo, and in to process it and continue to general, products are the focus of work with it in their daily routine. most interventions where public Government promotion and or profit-making institutions are support could be the impetus for involved. The worker involved efforts to reduce the drudgery is secondary, and it is assumed involved in the process and its that any gains in production or adverse impact on women workers’ marketing will automatically flow to health, as well as to improve her or him. However, this is clearly returns. Some specific actions to not the case for women HBWs in the large cardamom value chain in Nepal, as indicated by past studies. The focus of the interventions needs to shift to women HBWs – farmers, shopkeepers, and processors. Some specific actions recommended are: a Government and related institutions need to design interventions that focus on these women, such as credit access and training that exclusively benefit them. b Interventions by government and other institutions will have to penetrate deeper into the more remote and inaccessible areas, 44 VII. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE ACTION to benefit the most-isolated and product if processing is improved. along with regional sharing can marginalised women HBWs, However, reducing its dependence help prevent disease-related crop whose knowledge gap is widening on India for cardamom exports loss across Nepal, Bhutan and due to their isolation from the will require time, investment India: Plant disease is reportedly mainstream. In the study area, and concerted efforts to set one of the biggest threats to past and current initiatives have up facilities for phyto-sanitary large cardamom outputs in Nepal, only focussed on accessible testing, create an easy system and has adversely affected the areas (around Phunling Bazaar) or for export documentation, and income of many farmers. ICIMOD Phumbru. work out transport arrangements. and other local institutions have c Women farmers need to be Improving the skills and working been working to address some of educated on the quality of their conditions of women farmers and the issues causing these losses. product. processors in the value chain may Neighbouring areas in India d For more women farmers to shift take less time than this and is likely and Bhutan also produce large to processing and improve their to increase returns to some extent. cardamom and face a similar threat. returns, they need to be organised This will probably still not break the India has a specialised centre for and skilled, so they can produce command of traders and exporters large cardamom, which supports good-quality products and have – most of whom are men – over various initiatives in varietal the power to negotiate favourable the rest of the actors. In this research, disease management, price and other conditions. context, Himalica’s initiatives with data on production and export, e Cardamom-powder based cardamom powder are promising market prices, and others. products have the potential to for women HBWs. Over a shorter Knowledge on these can be shared bring an attractive return for period of time, innovation and among countries through relevant women HBWs. Nepal is heavily testing in cardamom powder- institutions, to prepare for, prevent dependent on India for the export based products, such as cardamom and manage diseases affecting the of its large cardamom, and in the tea, spice mixes, and so on could crop. This mechanism would also process shares returns that it would yield a basket of items that can be help strengthen Nepal’s’ capacity not have to if it exported directly. easily produced by women HBWs to manage its large cardamom It may even be able to command at a good margin. crop. a better export price for its f Strengthening national capacity 45 VIII. CONCLUSION Large cardamom and allo are two home-based workers in the two fairly different products – one is a value chains; well-established export good, while • Convince the government to the other, allo, has huge potential that formulate and strengthen policies is far from being tapped, as farmers that focus on women home- struggle to expand production and based workers in the two value raise quality to meet market demand. chains; Yet they are similar in that women • Persuade industry and trade HBWs are the mainstays of both bodies to design and execute value chains, but currently operate women-centred initiatives to in sub-optimal conditions, resulting maximize their returns; in untapped economic potential, • Work with government and other which could be extremely large. bodies to set-up a system to Understanding the constraints and regularly collate comprehensive supporting women can lead to major data on value chains , which will gains across the value chain. Many allow in-depth and on-going of the current challenges cannot be analysis; and solved at the individual level and would • Design projects/programs need government and institutional for action on the report’s intervention in policies, technological recommendations –to start with, improvements and market access. a study estimating economic losses due to the sub-optimal This report would be a good starting working conditions of women point to: HBWs could help with advocacy • Engage and support collectives and building awareness on these and organisations of women issues. 46 IX. REFERENCES Adhikari, L., A. Shrestha, T. Dorji, E. Lemke, and B. Subedee, 2018. “Transforming the Lives of Mountain Women Through the Himalayan Nettle Value Chain: A Case Study From Darchula, Far West Nepal,” Mountain Research and Development, 38 (1):4-13. 2018, International Mountain Society. http:/ /www. bioone.org/doi/full/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-17-00074.1 ANSAB, 2010. “Assessment of Allo Production and Enterprise Potential in Parbat District.” Development and Mobilization of Local Resource Persons (LRPs). Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresources, Kathmandu, Nepal. Bhattarai, Thakur, 2016. “Efficacies and Impediments in Large Cardamom Farming in Ilam, Nepal,” Economic Journal of Development Issues. Vol. 21 & 22. Bhutia, K. C., S. O. Bhutia, R. Chatterjee and A. Pariari, 2017. “Post-harvest Processing and Marketing of Large Cardamom in India,” Journal of Crop and Weed. 13(3): 212-218. Chaudhary, Raju, and Shree Prasad Vista (eds.), 2015. “Proceedings of the Stakeholders Consultation Workshop on Large Cardamom Development in Nepal,” Nepal Agriculture Research Council with UNNATI, AEC and FLCEN. Commercial Crop Division, Khumaltar, Nepal. Government of Nepal, 2015. Trade Flow Analysis of Large Cardamom in
Eastern Region, Ministry of Agriculture Development. Government of Nepal, 2017. “Nepal National Sector Export Policy: Large Cardamom, 2017-21,” with International Trade Centre. Gurung, M.B., U. Partap and D. Choudhary, 2015. “Empowering Mountain Women through Community-based High Value Product Value Chain Promotion in Nepal,” International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 114 ( 11): 330–345, January. Himalayan Wild Fibres: “Textile Wild Fibres from the Himalayas: Himalayan Nettle.” http://www.himalayanwildfibers.com/ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289407414_Empowering_ mountain women_through_community-based high_value_product_value_ chain_promotion_in_Nepal. ICIMOD, 2015. “Sustainable Livelihoods in the Kailash Sacred Landscape - Promotion of the Allo (Himalyan Nettle) Value Chain in Nepal.” International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). Lama, Laling, and Rajat Bajracharya, 2014. “A Report on Consumption/ Demand of Allo Fibre in Carpet Industry and Future Potentiality of Allo-based Microenterprise Expansion,” submitted to Micro Enterprise Development Programme (MEDEP). Lamichhane, Sharda, 2016. “Allo Value Chain from Gender Perspective: A Case Study of Myagdi District, Nepal,” PhD Thesis. Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Tribhuvan University, Nepal. MEDEP, 2010. Value Chain Analysis – Allo: Value Chain-Based Approach to Micro-Enterprise Development . Lalitpur, Micro Enterprise Development Programme (MEDEP). Mehta, M.P., J. Rabgyal, and S. Acharya, 2015. “Value Chain Analysis of Large Cardamom in Bhutan,” FAO. National Foresters’ Association (NFA), 2014. “Allo Products Diversification, Supply (Value) Chain And Future Potentiality of Expansion…+++, e Neustatter, Angela, 2008. “Rash Thinking,” The Guardian, February 28. https:/ / www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/feb/28/ethicalliving.fashion Pyakurel, Dinesh, and Jiva Nath Poudel, 2014. Value Chain Analysis of Selected Forest-based Products of Rapti Area, Ruparantaran Nepal and MSFP (Multi- Stakeholders Forestry Programme). Shah, Ghulam-Muhammad, Manbar S. Khadka, Farid Ahmad, Nandakaji Budhathoki and Anu Joshi Shrestha, 2017. “Assessment of Himalayan Nettle 47 IX. REFERENCES Value Chain Development Interventions: Evidences from Rural Households in Far Western Nepal,” Journal of Agricultural Science; 9(5):19-32. https:/ /www. researchgate.net/publication/316104637_Assessment_of_Himalayan_Nettle_ Girardinia_diversifolia_Value_Chain_Development_Interventions_Evidences_ from_Rural_Households_in_the_Far_Western_Nepal Singh, Angom Ingocha and Anand Kumar Pothula, 2013. “Post-harvest Processing of Large Cardamom in the Eastern Himalaya: A Review and Recommendations for Increasing the Sustainability of a Niche Crop,” Mountain Research and Development, International Mountain Society. http:/ /www.bioone.org/doi/ full/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-12-00069.1 Sony, K. C., and Bishnu Raj Upreti, 2017. The Political Economy of Cardamom Farming in Eastern Nepal: Crop Disease, Coping Strategies, and Institutional Innovation, Sage Open, Volume: 7 issue: 2, http:/ /journals.sagepub.com/doi/ full/10.1177/2158244017705422 Sony, K.C, Bishnu Raj Upreti and Bashu Prasad Subedi, 2016. “ ‘We know the taste of Sugar Because of Cardamom Production:’ Links Among Commercial Cardamom Farming, Women’s Involvement in Production and the Feminization of Poverty.” Journal of International Women’s Studies,18 (1) 181-207. Subedee, B.R., R.P. Chaudhary, T. Dorji, and A.J. Shrestha, 2017. Indigenous and local knowledge of conservation and sustainable use
of Himalayan Giant Nettle (Girardiniadiversifolia (Link) Friis) in Eastern and Far- Western Regions of Nepal,” ICIMOD. http:/ /lib.icimod.org/record/32747 Timsina, K.P., K.P. Shrestha, S. Pandey, and I.H. Poudel, 2012. “Value Chain Analysis of Cardamom: A Case of Taplejung District, Nepal,” Agriculture Development Journal, Vol 9: 23-35. UNDP, 2010. “Allo: A Flourishing Enterprise for Rural Entrepreneurs,” UNDP Nepal. http:/ /www.np.undp.org/content/nepal/en/home/ourwork/ povertyreduction/successstories/allo---a-flourishing-enterprise-for-rural- entrepreneurs.html UNDP, 2014. Value chain designing of Allo of Panchase protected forest area, BARDAN, GoN,   48 X. ANNEXURES List of Respondents – Large Cardamom Farmers No. Name Gender Place Interviewed 1. Pavitra Karki Female Phrumbu, Taplejung 2. Ganga Maya Limbu Female Phrumbu, Taplejung 3. Ambika Sigdel Female Bajogara, Taplejung 4. Manmaya Gurung Female Bhunkulung, Taplejung 5. Tulasa Karki Female Phrumbu, Taplejung 6. Tika Sigdel Female Phrumbu, Taplejung 7. Damar Kumari Sigdel Female Phrumbu, Taplejung 8. Lila Maya Sigdel Female Phrumbu, Taplejung 9. Tulasa Dahl Female Phrumbu, Taplejung 10. Jhanukha Karki Female Phrumbu, Taplejung 11. Phul Maya Limbu Female Tapetak, Taplejung 12. Sumitra Bhandari Female Lakuridada, Taplejung 13. Kal Maya Limbu Female Bajogara, Taplejung 14. Chandra Kumari Limbu Female Phrumbu, Taplejung 15. Maya Gurung Female Sattaldada, Taplejung 16. Bishnu Limbu Female Dadagau, Taplejung 17. Menuka Sunuwar Female Panthabari, Taplejung 18. Sangita Sunuwar Female Panthabari, Taplejung 19. Rajkumari Gurung Female Sattaldada, Taplejung 20. Mahendra Kumari Limbu Female Bajogara, Taplejung 21. Sarita Limbu Female Chautara, Taplejung 22. KC Maya Female Lakuridada, Taplejung 23. Dil Kumari Gurung Female Panthabari, Taplejung 24. Maita Maya Limbu Female Sattaldada, Taplejung 25. Phurba Diki Sherpa Female Panthabari, Taplejung 26. Anisha Pokhrel Female Bajogara, Taplejung 27. Krishna Maya Pokhrel Female Bajogara, Taplejung 28. Kamala Pokhrel Female Bajogara, Taplejung 29. Indira Baral Female Bajogara, Taplejung 30. Uma Devi Pokhrel Female Bajogara, Taplejung 31. Sebika Dasal Female Bajogara, Taplejung 32. Lila Devi Dahal Female Bajogara, Taplejung 33. Nabina Limbu Female Panthabari, Taplejung 34. Bidhya Prasad Sharma Male Phrumbu, Taplejung 35. Padam Bahadur Limbu Male Dadagau, Taplejung 36. Narendra Maden Limbu Male Bajogara, Taplejung 37. Jas Bahadur Gurung Male Panthabari, Taplejung 38. Khadga Raj Limbu Male Sattaldada, Taplejung 39. Harka Gurung Male Bajogara, Taplejung 49 X. ANNEXURES Traders No. Name Gender Place Interviewed 1. Govinda Raj Bapal Male Phunling Bazaar, Taplejung 2. Nirmal Bhattarai Male Birtamod 3. Goma Kathiwada Female Phunling Bazaar, Taplejung 4. Deepak Nepal Male Phidim Processors No. Name Gender Place Interviewed 1. Gunja Chaudary Female Birtamod 2. Maya Gurung Female Helipad Area, Taplejung 3. Astha Kumari Limbu Female Bajogara, Taplejung Farmers Group No. Name Place Interviewed 1. Sattaldada Farmers Group Taplejung Experts No. Name – Organization Gender Place Interviewed 1. Naresh Chandra Ghimire– Department of Agriculture Male Taplejung 2. Tara Ghimire – President, Chamber of Commerce Male Taplejung 3. Nirmal Bhattarai – President, Large Cardamom Entrepreneurs Male Birtamod Association, Nepal 4. Kanchenjunga Himalica –Agricultural Group Taplejung 5. Chandra Bahadur BK – Field Supervisor, Taplejung – Male Taplejung Environment Conservation and Development Forum (ECDF) 6. Sunil Acharya – Senior Officer, Department of Cottage Male Taplejung and Small Industries 7. Kailash Dixit – Director of Aarya Aroma Male Kathmandu 8. Mayor’s Office Taplejung 9. Hansaram Pandey – Director, FNCCI Male Kathmandu 10. Anu Joshi Shrestha – Value Chain Expert, ICIMOD Female Kathmandu 50 X. ANNEXURES List of Respondents – Allo Processors No. Name Gender Place Interviewed 1. Sangeeta Rai Female Khandbari 2. Amrita Rai Female Khandbari 3. Sangeeta Kulung Rai Female Khandbari 4. Safalta Rai Female Khandbari 5. Lalsari Rai Female Khandbari 6. Lal Kumari Rai Female Khandbari 7. Sara Rai Female Khandbari 8. Uma Shrestha Female Khandbari 9. Prabha Raut Female Khandbari 10. Barta Biko Female Khandbari 11. Kamla Rai Female Khandbari 12. Sushila Neopaane Female Khandbari 13. Rajita Kumari Rai Female Khandbari 14. Nirmala Rai Female Khandbari 15. Tirsana Rai Female Khandbari 16. Sumitra Rai Female Khandbari 17. Tulasa Dahal Female Khandbari 18. Pavitra Rai Female Khandbari 19. Chandrakala Female Khandbari 20. Asmita Rai Female Khandbari 21. Devika Kulung Rai Female Khandbari 22. Sushmita Rai Female Khandbari 23. Dhan Lakshmi Rai Female Khandbari 24. Dil Kumari Rai Female Khandbari 25. Nirmala Rai Female Khandbari 26. Ranita Shakya Female Khandbari 27. Hemkala Rai Female Khandbari 28. Ritu Kulung Rai Female Khandbari 29. Mohan Kumari Rai Female Khandbari 30. Mani Kumari Rai Kulung Female Malta 31. Lakshmi Maya Rai Female Khandbari 32. Mamta Kumari Rai Female Khandbari 33. Suntali Kulung Rai Female Malta 34. Bimla Kulung Rai Female Malta 35. Sharmila Kulung Rai Female Malta 36. Poornimaya Kulung Rai Female Malta 51 X. ANNEXURES Traders No. Name Gender Place Interviewed 1. Kailash Sankhya Male Khandbari 2. Nishan Rai Female Khandbari 3. Bishnu Kumari Kulung Rai Female Khandbari 4. Bishnu Limbu Male Khandbari Traders Group No. Name Place Interviewed 1. Sana Hastakala Kathmandu 2. Allo Samaj Khandbari Experts No. Name – Organization Gender Place Interviewed 1. Robin Man Amatya – CEO, SABAH Nepal Male Kathmandu 2. Yujraj Shakya – Chair, District Chapter of Federation of Male Khandbari Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries 3. Krishna Bhagat Pradhan - VP, District Chapter of Federation Male Khandbari of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries 4. Saroj Bajracharya – General Secretary, Federation of Male Khandbari Handicrafts Association of Nepal 5. Dron Rai - Industry Officer, Small and Cottage Industries Male Khandbari 6. Murari Prasad Khatiwada - Mayor Male Khandbari 7. Shobha Gurung – VP, Federation of Nepalese Female Kathmandu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNSCI) 8. Anu Joshi Shrestha - Value Chain and Enterprise Female Kathmandu Development Specialist, Livelihoods, ICIMOD 9. Mukund Sanjer - Assistant Conservation Officer, Male Khandbari Department of Forest and Wildlife Conservation 10. Hari Singh Dhami – Law Officer, Forest Department Male Kathmandu 11. Krishna Bhatta – Programme Cooridnator, Male Kathmandu Poverty Alleviation fund Nepal 12. Mala Thapa – Allo Trader Female Kathmandu 13. Rajesh Verma – MEDEP Male Kathmandu 14. Bashu Babu Aryal – Country Officer, IFAD Male Online Interview 52 HomeNet South Asia (HNSA) – Liaison Office Flat-6, 32 Shamnath Marg, Opposite Vidhan Sabha Metro Station Civil Lines, New Delhi – 110054, India Phone No: +91 8130502003