Asian NTFP manual for Latin American Forests
Steps to Sustainable and Community-based NTFP Management: a manual written with special reference to South & SE Asia, published by Mary Stokdale in 2005, is to be adapted for forest users in Latin America. An international meting on NTFPs in Xanana, Mexico, in March attracted researchers from a broad range of Asian and Latin American forestry groups to discuss NTFPs and provide input into adapting Stockdale’s manual for use in a Latin American context. Organizations represented at the “Community-based NTFP Management” workshop included NTFP Exchange Programme for South and Southeast Asia, Philippines, the Centre for Tropical Research of Veracruz University (CITRO), Mexico, and the Agroforestry Research and Extension Group of Acre State (PESACRE), Brazil. These organizations are collaborating on the manual with CIFOR, Fundaciones Hivos, BothENDS, Doen, and USAID/FRAME. For further information contat Citlalli López:citlalli_lb@yahoo.com.
GTZ assisting new Amazonian programme
Representing CIFOR and the Centre for International Migration and Development, Christiane Ehringhaus attended a GTZ planning meeting to discuss a follow-up programme for the soon-to-end Pilot Program for Protection of the Brazilian Rainforests (PPG-7). Participants identified areas for further cross-programme study and action, as well as proposed relevant research areas that may potentially involve CIFOR, the Amazon Initiative and other partners. Under the direction of new GTZ director in Brazil, Dr. Helmut Eger, GTZ wishes to increase its level of interaction with research institutions. GTZ’s aim is to improve areas such as knowledge management, programme and project monitoring so it can assist in developing and delivering a research profile that meets the needs of new projects.
CIFOR- Bolivia helps government develop new rural and forestry development strategy
Bolivia’s Ministry for Rural Development, Agriculture and Environment (MDRAyMA has asked CIFOR-Bolivia to help in crafting a new strategy for the inclusion of a 'forest reform' as a crucial part of the Ministry’s ongoing activities in land reform and rural development policy. CIFOR’s Pablo Pacheco spent all of March leading an inter-agency team under the sponsorship of the MDRAyMA. Pablo’s expertise has been sought several times to assist in critically analysing and reflecting on the renewed reforms. The reform process underway in Bolivia will present CIFOR and its partners with challenges and opportunities as the new policies take effect and hopefully enhance the livelihoods of forest users, improve forest resource management and lead towards a new and more effective pattern of rural development.
New Paper on Payments for Watershed Services
Twenty-five participants from both developing and developed countries met for a week at the Rockefeller Center in Bellagio (Northern Italy) to discuss the role of payments for environmental services (PES) in watershed protection initiatives. Organized by Fundación Natura Bolivia, CIFOR’s Sven Wunder, IIED and EcoFund Ecuador, the important event attracted a sizeable number of people based in Latin America, indicating the region’s pioneering role in watershed PES development. The workshop examined a range of “hot” issues, including research needs prior to implementation, encouraging user willingness to pay, and up-scaling. Short synthesis papers for the various issues were produced. These will eventually be edited and synthesized by the workshop’s rappporeur, CIFOR’s Peter Frost, into a single executive-style briefing paper for widespread dissemination, including through the Katoomba Group and CIFOR’s PES webpage. (http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/pes/_ref/home/index.htm).
Acre Government asks CIFOR to train staff
Brazil’s Acre State Government recently requested CIFOR consultants Flávio Contente and Murilo Serra to hold a workshop for technicians of the Secretary for Agroforestry Technical Assistance and Extension. Based on CIFOR’s successful 2005 publication, Frutiferas e plantas uteis na vida Amazonica (Fruit Trees and Useful Plants in the Lives of Amazonians) the workshop participants learned about CIFOR’s experience in discussing the importance of NTFP among forest-dependant communities and discussed a range of NTFP certification models. At the final session, participants proposed a meeting to discuss policies and practices regarding local use of NTFP, involving governmental institutions, NGOs and civil society.
CIFOR in Brazil will promote the National Congress of Ethnobiology in 2008
During the last symposium of ethnobiology and ethnoecology, held in early this month in Porto Alegre (Brazil), the organizing committee discussed and approved CIFOR’s proposal to be one of the organizers for the next national congress in 2008. CIFOR should help in fundraising for the event, providing logistics and the agenda. By holding the next congress in the Amazon, the committee and CIFOR expects to increase visibility of local institutions in producing knowledge related to ethnobiology. Further information with Christiane Ehringhaus c.ehrnighaus@cgiar.org
Bolivia: CIFOR assists international workshop on CFM
The Bolivian Government is sponsoring an international policy dialogue wiorkshop on community forestry, for April 21-27. Bolivia's Ministry of Rural Development, Agriculture and Environment, and the GOvernment's Forestry Superintendence, are sponsoring the event with organisations such as CIFOR, FAO, PROMAB (Programa Manejo de Bosques de la Amazonia Boliviana), CERES and SNV. During the workshop, the social organizations will contribute to the Bolivian Government in framing policy guidelines on community forestry, one of the key platforms in Bolivia's new forestry strategy. CIFOR will attend as part of the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), helping to mobilize forestry community leaders from Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Brazil, and Panama to share their experiences with Bolivian counterparts and policymakers.
Miriti project visits communities in Abaetetuba, Brazil
Scientists and students were in Abaetetuba (Pará State) in March as part of their research into local miriti forests. The team was supported by the Abaetetuba Islands Dwellers Association and included CIFOR’s Paulo Vieira (CIFOR), Gracialda Ferreira from UFRA, several master students and local researchers. The team visited communities of Tauerá, Sirituba, and Acararaqui, and presented the results of a previous meeting about the miriti handicraft production chain, miriti manufacturing and trade schedules and maps of miriti production areas. The group also visited both degraded miriti areas and forested areas with the potential for further miriti research. Information about the project is available from pauloforest@gmail.com