Forest Products, Livelihoods and Conservation

Rachel Wynberg 67

In 1999 renewed concerns about overharvesting and unsustainable methods

of harvesting, as well as the unauthorised harvesting on communal and private

lands, led to a reassessment of the situation and the issuance of the overarching

Policy on the Harvesting and Export of Harpagophytum by the Ministry of

Environment and Tourism. The policy stipulates a harvesting season from March

to October for both species of Harpagophytum, no permits being issued outside

of this period. Harvesting will be subject to a nontransferable permit valid for

the duration of the harvesting season and applicable for a particular locality

only. Permit holders, which may be individuals or a group, are required to

obtain the permission of the landowner prior to harvesting and are also required

to report the number of bags harvested, to whom such bags were sold and on

which dates. New permits will be issued only on receipt of such a report and

confirmation of compliance with sustainable harvesting techniques.

Furthermore, persons dealing (purchasing, transporting, selling, exporting,

importing) in Harpagophytum are required to register annually with the

ministry, to keep a register of all transactions, in collaboration with harvesters,

and to clearly distinguish between the two species of Harpagophytum in

reporting. Export permits are still required for the export of Harpagophytum,

to be accompanied by information on the origin of all material, as are

phytosanitary certificates. Permits are also required for any cultivation of

Harpagophytum, for research on the plant and for any feasibility studies into

cultivation. The policy also supports projects that add value to Harpagophytum

in the interest of national development. Decision-making is effected through

the Devil’s Claw Working Group, a stakeholder group set up in 1999, and the

government gives increasing recognition to the importance of maintaining a

sustainable trade in the plant.

TRENDS AND ISSUES

The Resource Base

Although the commercial harvesting of Harpagophytum can have negative

ecological impacts, evidence points towards the excellent potential of the plant

as a resource that can be harvested sustainably. However, this requires the

implementation of appropriate management practices and plans at local, regional

and national levels. These are to varying degrees already in place but, because

of the patchiness of the resource, are locally specific and often project specific,

hinging on the involvement of NGOs. A major constraint is the ability to monitor

and enforce harvesting and trade policies, particularly in remoter harvesting

areas. Little capacity exists within government, requiring adoption of innovative

approaches, including self-policing and monitoring by communities (van der

Vleuten 1998). This in turn requires capacity-building programmes at the local

level and an enhancement of existing extension services. A further constraint is

the lack of reliable information on the population status of Harpagophytum

species, which precludes effective resource management and points to the need

for systematic and comprehensive research.

Despite these constraints, there is increasing political will and growing

awareness of the importance of conserving devil’s claw and ensuring its

sustainable use. One of the beneficial effects of CITES proposals to list devil’s

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