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Coordinated by UNCTAD, the BTFP aims to facilitate sustainable trade in biodiversity products and services.

It enables specific activities in beneficiary developing countries which enhance sustainable bio-resource management, product development, value-added processing and marketing.

The programme supports products that have market potential and can be produced without harming biodiversity. To develop and trade these products, export plans are formulated and then implemented through a set of practical trade promotion services, including market information collection, products development, quality improvement certification, labelling, trade fairs participation and matchmaking.

BTFP directly contributes to:

  • improving the functioning of private enterprises which products and services are biodiversity-based;

  • guiding those enterprises in accessing and consolidating in foreign markets;

  • improving the living conditions of rural communities sourcing the above-mentioned enterprises;

  • conserving biodiversity;

  • building capacity of the national institutions supporting biotrade enterprises; and

  • increasing national economies by diversifying exports and the national trading base of the countries.

BTFP provides assistance on specific issues related to trade and investment in order to complement the work developed by the National and Regional  BioTrade Programmes. Its support  includes:

  • facilitation of access to services of organisations that are currently not accessible for BioTrade partners and enterprises;

  • provision of services of experts not readily available in the beneficiary countries;

  • generation of demand-driven information on markets, legal, sustainability issues among others;

  • development of methodological approaches, best-practices, and guidelines; and

  • facilitation for exchanging experiences among BioTrade partners.

Objective

Facilitates sustainable trade in biodiversity products and services, through innovative collaborative arrangements that enhance sustainable bio-resources management, product development, value-added processing and marketing.
Duration Five years
Operational start 1 July 2003
Implementing agency UNCTAD
International partners ITC, CBI, SIPPO, IUCN, ICTSD
Regional partners Southern African region: PhytoTrade Africa (Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe)
Amazonian region: Bolsa Amazonia
National partners South America: National BioTrade Programmes in Bolivia, Brazil Colombia, Ecuador, Peru      
Africa: National BioTrade Programme in Uganda  
Asia: Vietnam
Donors Government of Switzerland                         
Government of the Netherlands
Remarks - BTFP is a WSSD type-2 partnership.
- ITC acts as technical advisor.
- BTFP is guided by a Donor Committee and an Advisory Board (composed of donors and partners).

Document:

BTFP info on the
UN Partners for Sustainable Development website