FairWild Foundation launches technical consultation for fungi certification standards
October 2021 - The FairWild Foundation and partners are preparing to open the FairWild certification scheme to fungi, making this valuable tool available to industry and other stakeholder groups to help tackle the considerable sustainability challenges associated with the harvest and trade of these essential biological resources.
The FairWild Standard provides a comprehensive framework by which the sustainability of harvest and trade of wild ingredients may be assessed, and includes plants and fungi (including lichens) within its scope.
While pilot audits for fungi harvesting operations have been carried out using version 1.0 of the standard (focused on social and fairtrade aspects), the FairWild Standard version 2.0 (also encompassing ecological elements) has not yet been used for fungi certification.
Technical consultation on implementing voluntary sustainability certification standards for the harvest and trade in wild fungi has now begun. Together with the IUCN SSC Medicinal Plant Specialist Group and the IUCN SSC Fungal Conservation Committee, the FairWild Foundation has established an expert working group to adapt existing methodologies for wild plants, including:
Adaptation of the existing “risk analysis” process to apply to fungi. The “risk analysis” is a desk review of the target species to determine whether the species is at low, medium or high risk of overharvesting.
Adaptation of the FairWild performance indicators for use in fungi certification. The indicators are used as the checklist in the FairWild audit and contain the detailed requirements that must be met in implementing the FairWild Standard.
“Fungi are a critical resource for humanity but are so often overlooked. Opening the FairWild certification scheme to these taxa provides an opportunity for the industry to use these resources to ensure their conservation and sustainable use. I look forward to contributing technical expertise to this initiative to define criteria and methodologies for assessing the sustainability of fungi harvesting.”
Gregory M. Mueller - Chair, IUCN-SSC Fungal Conservation Committee, Chief Scientist and Negaunee Vice President of Science, Chicago Botanic Garden, USA. Member of the FairWild Foundation Advisory Panel.
In parallel with the technical adaptation process, which will begin with a series of workshops between October and December 2021, the FairWild Foundation is currently establishing pilot projects to be implemented together with industry and civil society partners over the following 12 months (COVID-19 situation allowing), prior to a potential full opening of the certification scheme to these taxa.
For more information on the technical working group and the possibility to participate in pilot projects, please get in touch with us via secretariat@fairwild.org.