Forestry training plays a vital role in sustainable management of forests, especially if we are talking about one of the world’s riches tropical forest regions: the forests of Amazonia.

Deforestation in the Amazonian region is destroying habitat and endangering the existence of many indigenous plants and animal species.

Many people living in this region are poor and rely on the forest for alternatives to timber. These alternatives are often referred to as Non-timber Forest Products (NTFPs) and include nuts, fruits, oils and resins and other products that supplement local livelihoods. CIFOR has recently been collaborating with local stakeholders in Brazil’s Amazonia region in documenting the role and importance of NTFPs both locally and globally.

A unique strategy employed by CIFOR Scientists Patricia Shanley and Carmen Garcia to disseminate research findings is having considerable impact by reaching out to a wider audience through training institutions.

One of the training institutions using CIFOR's NTFP research is the Fundação Floresta Tropical institute (FFT) based in Belem, Brazil. FFT is associated with the Tropical Forest Foundation (TFF) and promotes sustainable management of forests through training for foresters, mid-level technicians, university students, decision makers, local communities among other participants from Brazil and neighboring South American countries.

The main aim of my study was to explore the direct and indirect outcomes of CIFOR’s research in influencing the adoption of NTFPs as a subject in the FFT's forestry course and other institutions promoting training. Prior to CIFOR’s intervention, most of the FFT’s course content was largely related to harvest inventories and reduced impact logging techniques. There was little or no focus on NTFPs. However, following the introduction of concepts such as NTFP inventorying, livelihood issues, and the socio-cultural, ecological and economic valuation of non-timber products, forest management training has gained a whole new dimension.

Belem’s University Federal Do Para (UFPa) has approached CIFOR Brazil to be a research partner in its work along the Trans-Amazon highway involving 37 settlements and in the development of future leaders through a Train-the-Trainer program. According to Salomão of UFPa, NTFP research by CIFOR’s Shanley and Gabriel Medina influenced him to supplement his training program with a number of new issues and topics, such as how to conduct an NTFP inventory, traditional NTFP practices, how communities can benefit better from logging, and how to influence national Banks to support local communities embark on commercial NTFP activities.

Preliminary findings from the study suggest that promoting the importance of NTFPs through training has succeeded in disseminating information to target groups in the Amazonia region. The findings also show capacity building is crucial in helping to change the way people manage forests. Possible future expected impacts include the adoption of sustainable practices, better policy decisions recognizing NTFP’s livelihood role, and the development of NTFP curriculum materials suitable for foresters, technicians and decision makers in Amazonia. As we always say, achieving impact in the problem-riddled forestry sector is not accomplished overnight. But through small and significant steps, we can gradually increase the local capacity needed to manage the world’s largest tropical forest. PB.