Overview of EC-FAO Partnership Programme progress and planned activities
Due to the workshop’s dual purpose it was divided into two parts, although there was no strict separation between the parts. The first part was mainly reserved for presentations on the progress the EC-FAO Partnership Programme had achieved during 2000 and 2001, which was followed by discussions on planned activities for 2002. It included in-depth discussions on the status of forestry statistics in Asia and the rationale for establishing a network of statistical correspondents, as well as an introduction to the National Forest Programme Facility, which has started to assist countries in tackling the challenges and constraints in implementing national forest programs.
The second part of the workshop focused on forest policies and forest policy reviews. It included overviews on FAO’s global forest policy work, eleven country presentations and a guest presentation on “The impact of present forest policies on sustainable forest management in Malaysia” by Ms. Chan Lai Har of the Ministry of Primary Industries, Malaysia. In addition, M. du Breil de Pointbriand provided insights into the support program of the European Commission for forestry.
The workshop itself was organized and facilitated by four FAO staff (Mr. Martin, Mr. Durst, Ms. Ma and Mr. Enters). The workshop was quite informal and provided plenty of opportunities for discussions and exchange of experiences during plenary sessions and various group sessions (see Appendix 2 for the workshop program).
Mr Patrick Durst, Senior Forestry Officer and Program Manager, gave a brief welcoming address, in which he outlined the objectives and the expected outcomes of the workshop. He reminded the participants of the history of the EC-FAO Partnership Programme and the efforts of the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC) to improve forestry statistics throughout the region. He noted the parallel EC-FAO initiatives in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and thanked the focal points for their assistance in the implementation of the program, in general, and individual country activities, in particular. In concluding, he expressed his appreciation to Dr. Razak and Dr. Norini Haron of FRIM for providing logistical support for the smooth organization of the workshop.
Mr. Thomas Enters (Forestry Sector Analysis Specialist) provided an overview of the program activities and achievements during 2000 and 2002. He noted that after a relatively slow start during the second half of 2000, the EC-FAO Partnership Programme had picked up momentum. By the end of 2001, more than 50 activities, most of them pilot studies, had been initiated (see Appendix 4 for a list of activities). Most studies are still ongoing and are expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2002. Studies concerning non-wood forest products were completed in July 2001. A report, including an overview chapter, is currently available in draft format and participants were provided with copies of the country papers for verification.
As the workshop was organized in Kuala Lumpur, the organizers invited two pilot study implementers from FRIM to provide an overview of their activities. Mr. Samsudin Musa of FRIM provided the preliminary results of a pilot study on “Assessing the status of logged-over production forests-development of a rapid appraisal technique”. Based on recent experiences the study is reviewing existing methodologies and developing a cost-effective approach applicable for prevailing conditions in Peninsular Malaysia. Currently, the selected approach is being tested in the field and refined for wider application. As the condition of forest areas is of great interest not only to Malaysia, workshop participants recommended that the study be followed by training that will be provided during the second half of 2002.
Dr. Daniel Baskaran of FRIM reported the progress of a pilot study on “Assessing the extent of private sector forest plantations in Peninsular Malaysia-development of an effective data collection methodology”. The paper discussed a cost-effective approach to document private sector forest plantations in Peninsular Malaysia and the development of a database. Preliminary results of the study indicate that the area under private management is larger than originally assumed. Private sector involvement in small- and large-scale forest plantations is becoming more important, which makes the pilot study very timely. In fact, FRIM has been approached already by the Ministry of Primary Industries for information.
Both presentations were well received and the presenters provided additional information during discussions. In general, the participants were satisfied with the EC-FAO Partnership Programme’s progress, although some focal points proposed additional studies. Mr. Enters recommended that only few additional studies should be initiated and that most activities in the Programme’s third year should focus on much needed training and application of earlier work. The proposed training activities on GIS, assessment methods for trees outside forests, logged-over forests, and forest products and trade statistics (see Appendix 4) were well received.
Mr. Durst presented current and recent activities on forest policy in the Asia-Pacific region. The following are the most important:
Mr. Enters followed with a detailed description of the study on “Impacts of incentives on plantation resource development in Asia and the Pacific”, which is funded partially through the EC-FAO Partnership Programme. The study is conducted under the APFC umbrella and other contributors include the USDA Forest Service, FAO Regular Programme, the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand. The initiative provides an excellent example of EC-FAO Partnership Programme collaboration with other organizations and its ability to respond to requests for information at the regional level. The results of the study will be presented at the 19th Session of the APFC in Mongolia at the end of August 2002.
Ms. Ma gave a presentation on “The process and main findings of FAO policy studies in Africa and the Caribbean”. In Africa, FAO is coordinating an analysis of the current situation with respect to financing government forestry institutions from revenues collected from the forestry sector and from general government revenues collected from individuals and other sectors of the economy. The results indicate that revenue systems are highly complex, that most of the funds are spent on staff and that in most countries revenues are insufficient to achieve SFM. The forestry policy study in the Caribbean countries indicates that most countries lack the necessary data and capacities to analyse policy-relevant issues as a foundation for formulating sound forest policies. In concluding, Ms. Ma outlined a number of opportunities for follow up and stressed that a program approach at the regional level is the best way to respond to the complex task of supporting forestry policy improvement and addressing the key issues in the Caribbean region.
Mr Durst and Mr. Enters presented a paper on the many reasons for the poor quality of information on forestry in Asia. The purpose of the presentation was to alert participants to a number of problems that cannot be addressed by the EC-FAO Partnership Programme and to stimulate a discussion on the underlying causes of poor forestry information. During breakout groups participants had the opportunity to comment on the hypotheses presented. They provided very useful inputs for the further refinement of the paper.
Ms. Ma outlined in her presentation on “Network of statistical correspondents” the key constraints in receiving the Joint Forest Sector Questionnaire and in national statistics to provide reliable, up-to-date and complete information. She noted that the planned network is an important output of the EC-FAO Partnership Programme and proposed the establishment of a regional network of national statistical correspondents to:
Participants reached a consensus on the need for a network of statistical correspondents. Focal points agreed to Ms. Ma’s proposal to identify national correspondents who will attend a workshop on forestry statistics to be held from 20 to 24 May 2000 in Bangkok in collaboration with the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO). To ensure the sustainability of the network, it was agreed to provide training for Ms. Parijat Chuntaketta (Statistical Clerk, FAO/RAPO) in Geneva and Rome in the middle of April 2002.
Mr. Martin outlined the links between the Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study, the EC-FAO Partnership Programme and the National Forest Programme Facility, which will assist countries in tackling the challenges and constraints in implementing national forest programs. He reiterated the importance of data collection, data analysis and information dissemination as cornerstones of an appropriate forest policy formulation process.
