Kathmandu, January 20:

Minister for Trade Astalaxmi Shakya has assured entrepreneurs that she will lobby for the use of Nepali handmade papers as the government documents.

“I will help in my capacity to fulfil your demand of using Nepali handmade paper as citizenship certificates,” the minister assured them while inaugurating the Nepali handmade paper expo here.

Nepal Handmade Paper Association (HANDPASS) has organised a handmade paper expo on the occasion of bagging a project ‘Enhancement of Sustainable Production of Lokta Handmade Paper Production in Nepal’.

The European Commission (EC) has granted the largest ever grant of Euro1.4 million — in a single commodity — to operate the four-year project that starts from January 2009.

“As per the agreement with the EC on December 18, the project will be initiated from January 2009 and be concluded by the end of December 2012,” informed the association.

The project will focus on

proper method of paper production in the hills and mountains making it environment-friendly industry and be alternative source of income for the marginalised farmers in the hills and mountains.

“It aims to cover 18 districts reaching about 30,000 farmers, who extract lokta — a shrub that grows at an altitude of 2000 metres to 4000 metres in the most coniferous froeforestst in Nepal,” said Kiran Kumar Dangol, secretary of the association.

The handmade paper is made of the inner bark of the Lokta shrub. Nepalokta is also registered in Europe as Nepal’s handmade paper that has employed more than 55,000 families in the rural areas.

Out of the total production,

40 per cent of Nepali handmade paper is exported. But there is

still a huge untapped market at home also.

“We want the government to use Nepali handmade papers in various official documents like citizenship certificates in spite of importing ivory paper that is not as durable in comparison to Nepali handmade paper,” said Dr Milan Dev Bhattarai, president of HANDPASS.

The government could also promote local product — by using as certificates in the universities — like the Pokhara University due to its durability that is unchallenged.

“Pokhara University uses Nepali handmade papers for its certificates,” Purushottam Baskota, vice-chancellor of the university informed.

Though some institutions like Nepalokta Cooperative and GTZ are helping the HANDPASS, the government seems unimpressed from the industry that can help reduce rural poverty.