. Commercialization of non-timber forest products. Factors influencing success. Lessons learned from Mexico and Bolivia and policy implications for decision- makers. UNEP-WCMC Biodiversity Series NTFP value chains quantity in an environmentally sustainable manner. Because they assume an unlimited market demand, these projects often overestimate the potential value of the NTFP (Belsky and Siebert 1998, cited in Neumann and Hirsch 20001. Subsequent attempts to identify or create demand can end in failure due to lack of understanding of market netviforks, contacts, sustained demand and so on
. Commercialization of non-timber forest products. Factors influencing success. Lessons learned from Mexico and Bolivia and policy implications for decision- makers. UNEP-WCMC Biodiversity Series NTFP value chains quantity in an environmentally sustainable manner. Because they assume an unlimited market demand, these projects often overestimate the potential value of the NTFP (Belsky and Siebert 1998, cited in Neumann and Hirsch 20001. Subsequent attempts to identify or create demand can end in failure due to lack of understanding of market netviforks, contacts, sustained demand and so on. While none of the products studied by the CEPFOR project were completely new, two cases illustrate that, under certain conditions, it is possible for demand to be stimulated on the basis of existing supply. The dried mushroom market, for example, has been stimulated by the community, with NGO assistance, by holding an annual mushroom fair and providing targeted training for chefs in the nearby town of Oaxaca, a significant centre for foreign tourists. Demand has also benefited from a growing fashion for Italian restaurants and healthy-eating campaigns. In the case of mezcal, the regional association of distillers has learned from the growing demand for tequila and has begun a marketing campaign highlighting the region and agave species of origin. This is changing the popular perception of mezcal as a second-rate liquor to one of a higher-quality traditional drink with a recognized label. These cases suggest that the key conditions that allow this approach to work are: I recognition of an incipient market, possibly located away from the community, for a product available in the community; I existence of an effective intermediary to establish links between the community and the market, particularly with respect to communicating the consumers' quality and quantity requirements to the producers; ? community organization enabling it to adapt pro- duction and/or processing to meet
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