Major UN Award for Nelson company's partnership in

Major UN Award for Nelson company's partnership in Vietnam

A new Vietnamese-New Zealand partnership that produces natural products from native medicinal plants has won a prestigious United Nation's award, with a support package that includes US$8000 to further develop the partnership.

The Medicinal Plants Innovation Project, funded by New Zealand Aid, was instigated by Nelson company Forest Herbs Research Ltd in 2003, to work with hill tribes in the remote Sa Pa region of North Vietnam. The project aims to replicate Forest Herbs' own success with sustainable harvesting of the New Zealand native horopito, used in the internationally marketed anti-yeast Kolorex products.

The award goes to a partnership between four organisations: Forest Herbs Research Ltd, Sa Pa Essentials, a new Vietnamese company formed to commercialise the project's results, the local medicinal plant producers' association in Sa Pa, and CECEM (the Hanoi based Centre for Community Empowerment). The new partnership was one of five winners of the Seed Initiative award, selected from over 230 submissions spread over 70 countries (SEED stands for Supporting Entrepreneurs in Environment and Development).

The aid project has identified a tuber that shows promising anti-melanoma properties - if scientific research confirms its promise it could be a life changer for the people of Sa Pa. The intellectual property generated by the project is being protected for the benefit of the local population of Sa Pa. Meantime the producers' association is already starting to market unique essential oils from native Vietnamese medicinal plants now being sustainably produced, harvested and processed by the hill tribe people.

Seed Award finalists were judged on their project's economic, social and environmental benefits. Forest Herbs' International Project Coordinator Chris Wheatley says the win is international recognition of the project's potential to have a major impact on the lives of the people of Sa Pa.

"Winning the award recognises the Sa Pa project's innovation and potential," he said. "The support the award gives us will help the project grow and expand - we're now at the stage of turning the initial concept into a commercial reality and the award will be extremely helpful as we work with the local people to develop an operation with real impact in the area."

The next step is an award presentation ceremony in Vietnam, then Seed's Partnership Support Channel will work with the NZ-Vietnam partnership to develop a package of tailor-made support. A SEED spokesman said the support would be based on discussions with the project's leaders to identify their needs. It could include training, helping to build partnerships and networks, developing capacity in specialised areas, opportunities for exposure and help with financing. The Œbursary' of US$8000 is awarded to implement the support package.

Partners in the Seed Initiative include the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the governments of the United States of America, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, and the United Kingdom and private sector partner Swiss Re.

ENDS

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