Crown Institute for Agarwood Science, Art, and Sustainable Enterprise (CI-ASASE)
Advancing Agarwood Through Science, Culture, and Sustainable Enterprise
1. Executive Summary
The Crown Institute for Agarwood Science, Art, and Sustainable Enterprise (CI-ASASE) is a pioneering research-driven, culturally grounded, and sustainability-focused institution dedicated to elevating the agarwood industry in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. CI-ASASE integrates biotechnology, forest science, artisanal craftsmanship, and market-based enterprise strategies to build an ethical, profitable, and globally competitive agarwood value chain.
The Institute serves as a hub for research, training, innovation, and industry incubation, bridging the gaps between scientists, farmers, artisans, government, and global markets.
2. Vision, Mission & Core Values
Vision
To be Asia’s leading center of excellence for agarwood science, sustainable cultivation, cultural preservation, and enterprise development.
Mission
- To conduct world-class research on agarwood propagation, resin formation, inoculation, and extraction.
- To develop sustainable plantation systems that protect the environment and benefit local communities.
- To revive and innovate artisanal agarwood products through cultural and creative industries.
- To strengthen the global competitiveness of Philippine agarwood through proprietary technologies, traceability systems, and export compliance.
Core Values
Innovation • Sustainability • Integrity • Cultural Preservation • Scientific Excellence • Community Empowerment
3. Organizational Structure
Divisions
- Biotechnology & Research Division
- Tissue culture, organogenesis, molecular diagnostics
- Resin induction R&D (Fusarium, abiotic, enzymatic, chemical)
- GC-MS, FTIR, quality grading labs
- Sustainable Plantation & Field Operations Division
- Model farms, agroforestry systems, carbon integration
- Farmer training, extension services, plantation audits
- Art, Culture & Creative Products Division
- Incense, carvings, perfumery, rituals, heritage documentation
- Collaboration with artisans and designers
- Enterprise & Market Development Division
- Supercritical CO₂ extraction
- Branding, marketing, export compliance
- Buyer engagement (GCC, ASEAN, Europe)
- Education & Capacity-Building Division
- Certification courses
- Manuals, workshops, academy programs
- Community enterprise support
4. Products & Services
A. Scientific & Technical Services
- Tissue culture and organogenesis protocols
- Nursery development
- Inoculation training and services
- GC-MS resin profiling
- Plantation management consulting
- ESG, traceability, and DENR/CITES compliance systems
B. Physical Products
- Agarwood chips (graded, certified, traceable)
- Agarwood oil (supercritical CO₂, hydro-distilled)
- Crafted incense, bakhoor, cones, and traditional blends
- Artisanal carvings, sculptures, cultural items
C. Training & Certification
- Agarwood Cultivation & Plantation Management
- Resin Induction Protocols
- Carbon Farming with Agarwood
- Artisanal Agarwood Craft & Incense Making
- CITES Export Compliance Training
- Oud Academia Certification Programs
D. Innovation & Licensing
- Proprietary fungal/abiotic resin-induction formulas
- Organic fertilizer blends for Aquilaria
- Traceability blockchain or QR-based system
- Supercritical CO₂ fragrance formulations
- Intellectual-property licensing to farms and manufacturers
5. Industry & Market Analysis
Global Market Value
- Agarwood oil: $30,000–$80,000 per kg
- Premium chips: $5,000–$100,000 per kg
- Global market size: USD 14–16 billion, growing annually
- Key markets: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Japan, Korea, France
Philippine Advantage
- Suitable climate for Aquilaria malaccensis and A. crassna
- Strategic trade position to GCC countries
- Emerging demand for sustainable plantation-based agarwood
- Government support for agroforestry, carbon credits, and tree plantations
Key Market Trends
- Shift from wild agarwood to certified, plantation-grown products
- Premiumization: artisan products, bespoke perfumes
- Digital traceability and ESG compliance
- Rising perfumery & wellness market in the Middle East and Asia
6. Operational Plan
A. Facilities
- Biotech Laboratory
- Tissue culture room
- Molecular lab
- Microbiology suite
- GC-MS, FTIR
- Demonstration Plantation
- 5–20 ha pilot farm
- Inoculation trials
- Carbon baseline monitoring
- Supercritical CO₂ Extraction Facility (Phase 2)
- Training & Conference Center
- Artisan Workshop Studio
- Incense formulation
- Carving & design room
B. Staffing
- 1 Scientific Director
- 1 Chief Operations Officer
- 3 Biotech Researchers
- 3 Field Agronomists
- 2 Lab Technicians
- 1 Perfumer/Aromatics Specialist
- 1 Cultural/Artisan Coordinator
- 5 Admin/Support Staff
C. Phased Implementation Plan
Phase 1 (Year 1)
- Institute incorporation
- Lab setup and nursery establishment
- Pilot organogenesis and inoculation trials
- Start training programs
- Initial revenue from consulting
Phase 2 (Year 2–3)
- Scale research outputs
- Develop artisan product line
- Launch Oud Academia
- Begin supercritical extraction facility setup
Phase 3 (Year 4–5)
- Export of chips and oils
- Certification & traceability system rollout
- Partnerships with GCC buyers
- International conferences & exhibitions
7. Marketing & Sales Strategy
Market Positioning
CI-ASASE is uniquely positioned as a science-driven, culturally grounded, and sustainability-certified agarwood institute.
Key Channels
- Wholesale export to GCC, India, East Asia
- Partnerships with perfumers and luxury brands
- B2B with wellness, spa, and aromatherapy companies
- Farmer enrollment into training & certification programs
- E-commerce for artisan products
Brand Pillars
- Scientific Credibility
- Ethical & Sustainable Sourcing
- Cultural Authenticity
- Premium Quality & Luxury Market Appeal
- Traceability
8. Financial Plan
Initial Capital Requirements (Estimated)
| Component | Cost (PHP) |
|---|---|
| Research Laboratory | 12–20M |
| Nursery & Demo Farm | 5–10M |
| Initial Operations (1 year) | 4–6M |
| Training Center Setup | 2–4M |
| Marketing & Branding | 1–2M |
| Working Capital | 3–5M |
| TOTAL | 27–47M PHP |
Projected Revenue Streams (Year 5)
| Revenue Source | Annual Estimate (PHP) |
|---|---|
| Scientific services (testing, consulting) | 8–12M |
| Training & certification | 6–10M |
| Chips & oil sales | 20–60M |
| Artisan product lines | 5–15M |
| Licensing & technology transfer | 5–8M |
| TOTAL (Year 5) | 44–105M PHP |
Profitability
- Break-even expected between Year 3–4
- ROI supported by high-value agarwood outputs and licensing model
9. Sustainability & ESG Framework
Environmental Commitments
- Plantation-based agarwood production
- Carbon sequestration & climate-smart agroforestry
- Biodiversity corridors
- Organic inputs, zero-burning policies
Social Commitments
- Farmer livelihood upliftment
- Artisan community integration
- FPIC compliance in indigenous areas
- Scholarships and training grants
Governance
- Full DENR, EMB, and CITES compliance
- Traceability ledger & QR identity system for each tree
- Ethical labor and transparency standards
10. Risks & Mitigation
| Risk | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Low resin yield | Continuous R&D, improved inoculation formulas |
| Regulatory delays | Early coordination with DENR/CITES |
| Market price volatility | Diversified product portfolio |
| Technical failures | Collaboration with universities & biotech firms |
| Farmer non-compliance | Strict certification & monitoring |
11. Appendices
- Organizational Framework
- Lab & Facility Layout
- Training Curriculum Outline
- 5-Year Cashflow (can be generated upon request)
- CITES & DENR Regulatory Matrix
- Traceability System Blueprint