Introducing RAVA: The Amazon Livelihood and Environment Network

The Amazon Livelihood and Environment Network (known as ‘RAVA’, its Spanish acronym), was formed in 2007 by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and other partner institutions within the Amazon Initiative (AI) Consortium (including CIFOR). Using the PEN methodology, RAVA analyses the living conditions of Amazonian communities to gain a better understanding of the impact of forestry, agroforestry and agricultural activities on the wellbeing of the communities and on the integrity of their surrounding environment. more
 

PEN PROJECT: Riyong Kim Bakkegaard (DRC): Forest and environmental income surrounding Luki Biosphere Reserve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The PEN Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) study was conducted in the lowland rainforest area surrounding Luki Biosphere Reserve, Bas-Congo Province in western DRC. The reserve is located approximately 120 km from the Atlantic coast and covers 32 968 hectares. Five villages surrounding the reserve were surveyed, and 193 households completed the year-long PEN survey in September 2008. more
 

"However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results" -- Winston Churchill

The single largest cluster of PEN studies is being undertaken by the ‘Danida-PEN’ project. This is a four year (2007-10) PEN based research project with approximately USD 1 million in funding and supported by the Research Committee of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project uses PEN methods for extensive fieldwork in Cambodia, Burkina Faso and Ghana (presented below). In addition, the project includes support for PEN’s central operation at CIFOR. Field work in the three countries is coming to an end, following at least four visits to more than 1500 households and data entry almost completed. more
 

PEN flyer - a brief description of the PEN project

Download PDF, 300KB