This survey aims to bring together your perspectives as key stakeholders to contribute to a more sustainable and resilient future of this important sector. It offers a platform for exchanging ideas and experiences as well as creating a network of stakeholders. All comments will be moderated to ensure the discussion remains on topics raised by the questionnaire.
The project objectives are:
– To identify and engage key state and non-state stakeholders involved in wild plant collection and monitoring
– To identify an action agenda for the Armenian government to better manage wild plant collection and ensure its sustainability
– To promote an understanding and awareness on how to balance economic necessities and environmental concerns
Some of the existing problems associated with this sector are:
– Legislative and institutional constraints and gaps to regulate and manage wild harvest of plants
– Implementation of regulations vis à vis legal entities and natural persons
– Violation of environmental protection laws and problems with monitoring
– Gender-related issues or gaps in collection, processing, and sales within the sector
– Availability of resources for members of rural communities to start new businesses or expand existing ones related to wild harvest of plants, thereby retaining more value in the community
– Limited collaboration among collectors and across the value chain undermining expansion and sales opportunities
– Limited training opportunities for women collectors on environmentally friendly and sustainable harvesting practices
– Problems with the application of nature utilization payments for collectors, processors, and traders and the collection of taxes
– Problems resulting from the absence of a single official body in charge of issuing wild collection certificates, due to the absence of relevant legal acts on this matter