International Institute for Environment and Development 
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Forestry and Land Use Project Summary
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Theme: Small-scale producers and local economies Project name: ‘Forest Connect’ - Reducing poverty by linking small and medium forest enterprises with national forest programmes, markets and service providers Duration: April 2007 to March 2010
Photo by Duncan Macqueen Geographic region: An international alliance with current partner acivities in Burkina Faso, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Lao PDR, Mali, Mozambique and Nepal. Introduction: Small and medium forest enterprises (SMFEs) are critical to the poor. They generate local wealth, help to secure local resources and environmental accountability, promote local creativity and help to preserve indigenous cultures and market niches. But while the number of SMFEs starting up in least developed countries is high, keeping them going sustainably is a major challenge. They face problems such as too much bureaucracy, unstable policies and regulations, insecure land rights, lack of bargaining power, insufficient business knowledge and difficulties accessing credit, market information and technology. Many SMFEs work together in associations to reduce transaction costs, adapt to new market opportunities and shape the policy environment in their favour. But in least developed countries, support structures for such forest associations either do not exist or fail to reach those who need help most.Objectives: The central aim of this alliance is to connect SMFEs to:
The main alliance outputs will include:
Join the Forest Connect online social network As part of this alliance a new online network has been created to share news, tools, tactics and documents to help improve the prospects of SMFEs around the world. Membership of the network is free and open to everyone working or interested in SMFE issues. Please visit www.forestconnect.ning.com to become a member and join the discussion. Key findings and publications to date: Supporting small forest enterprises - a cross sectoral review of best practice The big significance of small forestry enterprise James Mayers and Duncan Macqueen. 2007. This paper was presented at the West and Central Africa Tropical Forest Investment Forum in August 2007 and argues for improved recognition of the signigicant role of small enterprises in the forestry sector. Toward an enabling environment for small and medium forest enterprise development Jason Donovan, Dietmar Stoian, Sophie Grouwels, Duncan Macqueen, Arthur van Leeuwen, Gemma Boetekees and Ken Nicholson. 2007.This policy brief was developed from an international conference on Small and Medium Enterprise Development for Poverty Reduction: Opportunities and Challenges in Globalizing Markets, Costa Rica, 23-25 May 2006 English policy brief Spanish policy brief View French policy brief Links to partners: International Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Sophie Grouwels sophie.grouwels@fao.org Burkina Faso TreeAid Tony Hill tony.hill@treeaid.org.uk China Ethiopia Ghana Guatemala Guyana Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development Sharon Ousman sousman@iwokrama.org Lao People's Democratic Republic Ministry of Industry and Commerce - Department of Production and Trade Promotion Mali Mozambique Centro Terra Viva Alda Salomao asalomao@tvcabo.co.mz Nepal Project supported by: The UK Department for International Development (DFID) The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DANIDA) The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) The Norwegian Government (through a funding agreement with FAO’s Community-based Forest Enterprise Development programme) IIED contact: Duncan
Macqueen Copyright © 2005 International Institute for Environment and Development. |
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