Presentation on the High Conservation Value Approach (Members Version)

Start here for a full update on the working groups since the July 2022 General Assembly!

Strategy and Objectives Working Group

The Executive Committee (EC) approved the creation of the Assurance Model Task Force, which will look into finalizing GPSNR’s Assurance Model design by the end of this year. Members interested to join the Task Force should look out for a call-for-participation that should be sent out soon. The Risk subgroup also received feedback from the EC on its plans and will discuss the feedback while continuing to refine GPSNR’s risk-based approach.

Smallholder Representation Working Group

In July 2022, the Smallholders WG began discussions on the following developments: Smallholders Policy-equivalent Framework with HCVN; ‘Intro to Agroforestry’ pilot workshops with CIRAD and Dr Maria Wang; and HCSA Toolkit field trials with HCSA. Preparations are also being made for an onboarding workshop for smallholders in Malaysia to be held in the first week of August!

Policy Toolbox Working Group

On updates for the Policy Toolbox Working Group, the Implementation Guidance was approved by the General Assembly and the latest version of the guidance is available here. The guidance will continue to be updated regularly, starting with updates for section 7.1 and 7.2 for all categories. The Reporting Requirements process has also started and the Secretariat is processing the responses from the PPT category.

Capacity Building Working Group

The Capacity Building WG is currently reviewing proposals for the Comprehensive Disease Fighting Approach in Indonesia, and will formalize a decision in August 2022. Projects in Indonesia, Thailand and Cote d’Ivoire are also being advanced, with concrete developments expected to be shared in August. 

Shared Responsibility Working Group

The working group is putting forward the plans to implement the shared responsibility framework, which was recently approved by the General Assembly. 

Several challenges of sustainable natural rubber production were brought up and discussed among rubber farmers and GPSNR members, but front and foremost was the issue of livelihoods and future of labour. After the field visit and 3 days workshop, the rubber farmers both in Indonesia and Thailand agreed that to solve such issues, smallholders should be put at the center of the solution.  They agreed that including smallholders’ representatives in the new governance model is the way forward to achieve this.  As for the criteria of the organizations, apart from having a personnel with extensive knowledge around rubber from cultivation, transportation to processing, the farmers also said that it is important that any representing organization should have a democratic governance. The smallholders also pointed out to a few farmers from different regions that could directly represent smallholders in GPSNR.  A few organization names were also proposed which will then be followed up by Smallholders representation working group to ensure active engagement for further collaboration.

“I am happy to hear that the downstream of natural rubber users like tire makers wish to establish a direct relationship with the upstream natural rubber producers like us. Personally I believe that sustainable supply chain will work only when every actor in the chain work together to find potential solutions together.” said one rubber smallholder in Thailand. Smallholders also emphasised on the importance for engagement to be long term if results are to be achieved.

The dates for the last 3 smallholder workshops have been confirmed and will be held in Brazil (20 – 21 Nov), Cote d’Ivoire (26 – 28 Nov) and Vietnam (16 – 18 Dec) respectively. The aim of the workshops is to gain a better understanding of smallholders, how smallholders can be meaningfully represented within GPSNR and to further explore the future of sustainable natural rubber production from a smallholders perspective at local level.

We will keep you posted on our progress in our upcoming newsletters. Stay tuned !