April 2008

Community Forest Management for Whom? Learning from field experience in Vietnam
Following surveys in two provinces in Vietnam, a brief by the Forest Governance Learning Group and RECOFTC highlights the role of community forest management in poverty reduction and the conditions that are required for its successful implementation. External agencies are called upon to help build local awareness and capacity.

Forest Connect alliance calls for better support services to small and medium forest enterprises

A new report by IIED reviews best practice support structures for small and medium forest enterprises and provides a framework to facilitate policy influence, better links to markets and improved business development services.

Charcoal production in Malawi: friend or foe of sustainability?

As Malawi's third biggest industry, the domestic charcoal market is valued at approximately US$41.3 million. Charcoal is a vital energy source in Malawi and the industry provides around 93,000 jobs. Despite these factors, its production is generally treated as either non-existent or illegal. A new report from Malawi documents the problems this lack of formal recognition is causing - and the potential to make production sustainable: Charcoal the reality: A study of charcoal consumption, trade and production in Malawi

Biofuels: Strategic choices for commodity-dependent countries

Decisions about biofuels involve difficult trade-offs: carbon benefits versus other environmental benefits; food security versus export development; large-scale production versus smaller-scale or mixed production systems. IIED has authored a report for the Common Fund for Commodities to guide countries considering whether, and how, to invest in biofuels. "Biofuels: Strategic Choices for Commodity-Dependent Countries" is available at:

www.common-fund.org/download/actualiteit/07Biofuels.pdf For more information please contact Sonja Vermeulen sonja.vermeulen@iied.org