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INTRODUCTION

Background

In many areas of the world, the forestry sector is evolving and adapting to new demands that in turn increase pressure on forest's resources, goods and services. Global trends such as, liberalization and decentralization, increasing role of the private sector and local communities amongst others, have changed the forestry institutional setting and new actors have emerged as partners in many sectors that traditionally had been public sector domains. There is a change from timber-exploitation to management of forest resources (including non-timber forest products) as well as a shift from a mono-disciplinary approach towards an inter-disciplinary approach. Increased attention is now given to biological diversity, non wood forest products and other environmental functions provided by the various forest ecosystems, as well as, to their fundamental role in the livelihood systems of very large numbers of people outside as well as inside forests. Thus, the value of forests has shifted from being based mainly upon a forest-use model; to one that values forest services and includes also economic, social and environmental concerns.

Inevitably, this context has implications on how forestry is conceived, implemented and learned. In particular, at university level, the traditional curricula of forestry education needs to be revised in order to make it more responsive to the social, economic and environmental evolution seen in the forestry sector and society at large.

Objectives of the consultation

The objectives of the meeting were:

Organization

The Consultation was organized by FAO in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, Waters and Forests and the Ministry in Charge of Waters and Forests of Morocco. The "École Nationale Forestière d'Ingénieurs" (ENFI) was the focal organizing institution.

Participants

Nine experts were invited from Chile, France, Gabon, Morocco, United Kingdom, USA, the "Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza" (CATIE, Costa Rica), the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF, Kenya) and the Regional Community Forestry Training Centre (RECOFTC, Thailand). Additionally, resource persons and observers from the Forestry Education Unit of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), the Mediterranean Programme Office of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-MedPo), the Regional Office for Central Africa of the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Republic of Congo, the Tempus-Tacis ENARECO Project in Ukraine, and several Moroccan institutions were also invited.

FAO staff from Headquarters (Sustainable Development Department and Forestry Department) and the Near East Regional Office, also participated and served as secretariat. Annex 1 gives the full list of participants.

PROGRAMME

Structure of the meeting

The consultation was organized into four main segments: 1) Opening; 2) Setting the stage; 3) Development of recommendations; and 4) Summary and conclusions. The detailed programme is given in Annex 2.

Opening

The Consultation was officially inaugurated by Mr. Mohamed Anechoum, Secretary-General of the Ministry in Charge of Waters and Forests, who delivered the opening address on behalf of the Minister in Charge of Waters and Forests (Annex 3). Mr. Amor Ben Romdhane, FAO Representative in Morocco welcomed the participants on behalf of the Director-General of FAO (Annex 4), and Mr. Tage Michaelsen, Chief, Forest Conservation, Research and Education Service, delivered an address on behalf of the Forestry Department of FAO (Annex 5).

The participants elected Prof. Omar M'Hirit (Morocco) as Chairman of the Consultation and Prof. Hugh Miller (UK) as Vice-Chairman.

Setting the stage

The secretariat presented the framework, objectives, expected outputs, proposed structure and working procedures of the consultation, which were discussed and approved by the participants.

Keynotes on the following items were presented and discussed, as an introduction to the preparation of recommendations (the keynotes are included in Annex 7).

1. Global changes in the forestry sector and their implications for forestry education.

As a complement, the secretariat presented main ideas and findings on the new profiles of foresters. This presentation was based on six case studies of forestry education curriculum development and revision in Honduras, Morocco, Namibia, Ukraine, Uruguay and Vietnam.

2. Approaches and methodologies for curriculum revision.

3. Monitoring and evaluation.

4. Mechanisms and tools to strengthen forestry education programmes.

5. Education for all, a systemic approach to forestry education.

Development of recommendations

Two working groups were formed to facilitate input from all participants. Both groups worked separately on each of the following outputs:

The results developed by the two working groups were then shared and discussed in plenary, before finalization of the above-mentioned outputs by the Consultation.

Summary and conclusions

Prof. Omar M'Hirit, Chairman of the Consultation, presented the results of the Consultation at the closing session, which was attended by representatives of the Government of Morocco. Mr. Tage Michaelsen delivered closing remarks on behalf of FAO (Annex 6).

Background Documents

The participants received the following documents as background readings for the meeting:

Independent activities to the expert consultation

On Saturday, 21 October 2001 a field visit was organized to the Sidi Amira Research Centre, the Mâamora forest (cork oak regeneration experimental plots) and the Environmental Education Centre of the Biological Reserve of Sidi Boughaba.

RESULTS

The consultation highlighted that forestry education institutions, in many countries, are not on their own able to initiate and manage the following recommended processes. FAO should take leadership in all these steps. However, governments, public and private institutions in forestry education and other sectors, as well as NGOs should play key roles.

General considerations on the status of forestry education and recommendations for strengthening forestry education programmes

Findings

Participants identified changes that affect the forestry sector and their implications in forestry education.

Changes that affect the forestry sector

a) Changes in forest science

b) Global conventions and forest policies

c) Forest management practices and technologies, job markets and stakeholders

d) Education systems and information and communication technologies

Implications of these changes in forestry education

Recommendations to FAO and member countries

Recommendations to FAO

Curricula revision, development and implementation

Findings

a) General overview

b) Teaching-learning methods

c) Resources

d) Processes and characteristics for improving the capacity of teachers

e) Components and processes for monitoring & evaluation

Recommendations to FAO and member countries

FAO and member countries should support and/or encourage:

Recommendations to FAO

Provision of forestry education to the wider public, through formal and non-formal education, including the media (mass communication)

Findings

Recommendations to FAO and member countries

Recommendations to FAO

FAO should:

Mechanisms and tools for forestry education institutions to interact and exchange information

Findings

Recommendations to FAO

The consultation stressed that the support of Member Countries is essential to the success of FAO's efforts to provide assistance to forestry education, including, harmonization of forestry education systems, the expansion of regional programmes and the integration of research and education.

FAO should:

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