Petari is one of the Sub-blocks under Kabjisa block in Punakha. The community of Petari has been extracting the oil from Symplocos paniculate (pangtse seeds) and using it as cooking oil for decades and the surplus is sold to earn cash to buy important household commodities. However, the traditional practice of oil extraction was found to be declining over time because of easy access to imported cooking oils. The very tree which provides a livelihood for the community is losing its importance and the communities have decided to cut down the trees gradually to create more space for the crops. Considering the importance of age-old tradition, National Biodiversity Centre decided to visit the village and investigated the cause of the negligence. It was learned that women and youth in particular have been hit hard mainly due to the cumbersome method of extraction involving extensive manual work with low returns or oil yields. Another problem is the lack of a proper market and knowledge to promote the product.

The community of Petari especially the women and youth were found to be deprived of a reliable source of income and depend on seasonal nonwood forest products such as fern head (nakey) and mushrooms. Whereas, men travel to other parts of the country and engage in non-farm activities. There are still a good number of S. paniculata trees in the field, both mature and young which require immediate management interventions to nurture them to enhance seed production. On the other hand, the farmers were also found to be optimistic about the drying tradition and willing to revive and continue it provided that they receive support and guidance from the government.

To address the issue, the proposed project will explore women and youth-friendly oil extraction equipment or modify the traditional ones suitable for women and youth. The oil extraction efficacy of the proposed equipment will be evaluated by conducting tests before the procurement or modifications. A suitable facility in place will not only make the workers? life easier but also attract the participation of more young entrepreneurs in the future.

On completion of the project, the following are the key deliverables:

? Increased participation of women and youth in the conservation and sustainable management of S. paniculata tree, especially in S. paniculata growing areas in Punakha.
? Successfully revived and maintained Symplocos oil extraction practices and created a decent source of income for livelihood.
? Improved packaging with nutritional facts and creating awareness of the product.
? The oil from Petari will be tagged as a natural premium product and distributed through identified niche markets.
? Provided a source of income and created employment opportunities in the village.
? Enhanced social cohesion and stability within the community and fostered people-centric conservation initiatives.

The project site will also be useful for teaching-learning purposes, creating environmental awareness and as a pilot enterprise that can be adopted by other communities.

Challenges:
Promotion and marketing of local products for beginners are affected by the high cost of production, and on the other hand, export is hindered by quality standards and trade requirements. The poor processing facilities have also contributed to the quality requirement of the products. It is evident that developed nations have sophisticated processing facilities in place to attend to quality and also reduce the input but developing nations are yet to adopt the technology.

It is evident from the national policy documents and trade statistics that domestic production of cooking oils and fats is negligible and more than 90 percent of the requirements are met through import spending around Nu. 1.4 billion in a year. Although the figures are alarming and the trend is increasing for a country like Bhutan but there is not even a single institution attempting to protect the traditional practices. Lack of proper guidance and appropriate technology was found to be the reason for disregarding the importance of biological resource which was supposed to be the lifeline of the community.

The community of Petari is still optimistic about this dying tradition and expressed their willingness to revive the oil extraction provided that they receive proper support and guidance from the government. A recent meeting with the community revealed that the entire 32 households in Petari are interested in Symplocos oil revival project. However, the meeting coincided with paddy harvesting and only 27 households could confirm their participation in the project.

A very recent production study (dated 26 October 2022) indicated there are 267 trees (184 fruit-bearing and 83 non-fruit-bearing) and harvested around 409 drey (local measuring unit) of seeds in 2021. All the harvested seeds are converted into oil and the oils are consumed or sold in the local market. The average production of a tree is 9.6 kilograms, which ranges from 1 to 20 kilograms per tree. The production in the future is expected to increase with better management initiatives and some young tresses attending the fruiting cycle.

It is also encouraging to note from the Development Plan of the Dzongkhag that every household in the gewogs of Goenshari, Kabjisa, Chubu, Teowang, and Shengana-Bjemi has around 60 pangtse trees each. Although the pilot project is proposed in Petari, the raw materials can be arranged from other Gewogs to meet the market requirements of the oil until Petari attains self-sufficiency in raw material production.

Petari Pangtse Zinchong Detshen has been instituted to reinstitute sustainable management of Symplocos paniculala and revive pangtse makhu production with a mission to produce a premium makhu for niche product both for domestic and international markets. Detshen is aware that domestic products are not so popular among consumers and planning to integrate the best production strategy required for the premium product and integrate a focused marketing strategy. Pangtse makhu is believed to be associated with health benefits and with changes in the lifestyle and food habits of consumers around the world is found worth promoting to provide a choice of oil in the market.

Besides income and livelihood, a successful revitalization and sustainable management of S. paniculata itself will be a viable solution to global environmental issues. Management of existing trees and proposed plantations will help stabilize the surrounding environment with an improved ecosystem. They will also aid in species restoration and biodiversity conservation, soil stabilization and preservation of streams and discharge of clean water by preventing erosion and ultimately contributing to global climate change mitigation initiatives.

SGP Country Programme Strategy:
1. Community-based conservation of threatened ecosystems and species:
The project will promote a natural, sustainable and eco-friendly oil production and processing facility, while also enhancing the landscape of the surrounding area by conserving the S. paniculata through the plantation and best management practices.

2. Community-based Adaptation:
The end users of the project are the community members of Petari Pangtse Zinchong Detshen. The project can also be replicated and adopted by other communities of adjoining Chiwogs and Gewogs.

3. Enhancing social inclusion:
The project will emphasize the inclusion of more women and youth in community-based resource management initiatives. Participation in group activities and achieving a common goal will promote social inclusion and stability in the community.

4. Knowledge Management:
The entire project will be extensively documented and advocacy programs will be conducted.

5. Results Management, Monitoring & Evaluation:
Along with the documentation of the project, reviews will also be conducted with all the relevant stakeholders.