Overview
This project aimed to develop the application of DNA markers to verify legal sourcing of teak for supply chains in Indonesia and Myanmar.
Teak is one of the most commercially important timbers in the world, and its duarable and and water resistant wood is used for boat building, exterior construction, veneer, carving, turnings, and for furniture manufacture. Removing doubt about origin creates certainty for industry and consumers, opens markets for timber and increases taxation revenue for governments in developing countries. It also provides a mechanism for community forestry suppliers to demonstrate sustainability to the global market.
Project outcomes
- Developed and applied DNA chain of custody verification tests to teak sourced from plantation forests in Indonesia and natural forests in Myanmar.
- Collected a total of 100 samples of teak from Indonesia and 170 from Myanmar and used them in the genotyping process.
- Held a regional workshop in Mynmar and consulted with a broad range of stakeholders across the region (Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand), including via the RAFT3 platform in collaboration with TNC, to scope a project to develop a broader regional DNA teak source verification tracking method for teak.
