Unit Code: FAS600

Unit Name: Non-Timber Forest Products

Description: The purpose of this unit is to provide an introduction to the concept, definition, scope and importance of Non-timber forest products (NTFP), categories of NTFPs, evolving perspectives on NTFPs, and reactions to the renewed profile of NTFPs: optimism, skepticism, and research, emerging middle ground - culture, local markets, diversity and managed forest. The unit further provides information on NTFPs for livelihoods and poverty alleviation, economic, environmental and cultural value of NTFPs, traditional knowledge and NTFPs of Fiji and the Pacific, NTFPs for improving livelihoods and poverty alleviation, role of NTFPs in livelihood diversification, harvesting management of NTFPs, enhancing production from the wild, domestication and cultivation of NTFPs, improved harvesting practices and minimizing post-harvest losses, processing and preserving plant products to enhance their value, good agricultural and collection practices for NTFPs, introduction, types and characteristics of NTFP markets, dynamics and identification, and market barriers and constraints in trade of NTFPs in local markets. The unit provides a holistic approach to NTFPs and their conservation, regeneration and artificial propagation, laws, post-harvest and storage, certification of NTFPs, standards development and codes of practice, PEFC and NTFPs, The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and NTFPs, key issues in NTFP certification, accessibility, applicability, opportunities and challenges of NTFP certification, planning a non-timber forest enterprise, risks and barriers, elements in planning an NTFP enterprise: personal evaluation, resource evaluation, market evaluation and project feasibility evaluation, starting an NTFP enterprise, and improving management and resource productivity. The purpose of this unit is to provide information on: introduction ? Seed and its importance. Role of seed technology in nursery stock production. Production of quality seed, identification of seed collection areas. Seed orchards ? location and maintenance of seed orchards, isolation and rouging, seed source, provenance and stands. Selection of seed tree, genotypic and phenotypic selection, seed processing ? seed extraction, drying, blending, cleaning, grading, treating, bagging, labeling and storage. Storage ? orthodox and recalcitrant seeds, precautions of handling of recalcitrant seeds, natural longevity of tree seeds. Factors affecting longevity ? storage conditions, methods and containers. Seed testing, sampling, mixing and dividing, determination of genuineness, germination, moisture, purity, vigour, viability. Seed dormancy and breaking of seed dormancy. Different viability and vigour tests, seed pelleting, seed health. Classes of tree seeds, certification procedures of tree seeds.

Learning Target Outcomes:

Prerequisite: N/A

Prerequisite Sentence: Student must be enrolled in the programme.

Credit Point: 15

Offered In: Semester 1