FAO Committee on Forest Development in the Tropics
Paper from tequila
The Eighth Session of the Committee on Forest Development in the Tropics (CFDT) was held from 14 to 18 September 1987 at FAO headquarters in Rome. It was attended by delegations and observers from 55 FAO member countries and by representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), the World Bank, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), as well as by observers from the Asian Development Bank and the African Timber Organization and from several international non-governmental organizations, including IIED, IUCN, IUFRO, WWF and Caritas.
Mr Pong Leng-Ee of Thailand was elected chairman of the meeting and G. Lozano (Colombia) and K. Soundélé (Côte d'Ivoire) were elected vice-chairmen.
Three topics dominated the Committee's discussions: international assistance in tropical forestry; implementation of the Tropical Forestry Action Plan (TFAP); and forestry research.
While welcoming the significant increases that had been achieved in funding to the forestry sector from both bilateral and multilateral aid organizations, the Committee expressed concern over the shortfall between the level of funding needed, as indicated in the TFAP, and the scale and rate of increase so far achieved. It noted a need in many countries to move rapidly where possible in order to secure the long-term commitment of resources needed to support the development of the forestry sector.
Stressing the importance of high-level political meetings such as the 1986 Silva Conference in Paris and the 1987 Bellagio Strategy Conference on Tropical Forests, the Committee recommended that additional meetings along these lines, especially at the regional level, be stimulated to give forestry the political dimension it urgently needs in national development planning.
The Committee also urged increased efforts to quantify economic and financial benefits of aid and investment in the forestry sector, considering both actual rates of return and the costs of restoration needed if degradation trends continue. It stressed that because the sustainability of resources was the basis for sound development, the supply side should receive due consideration when planning new investments in forestry.
Noting that 30 countries had to date requested support for developing national forestry action plans the Committee welcomed the flexibility afforded in the planning and implementation of TFAP activities at the national level, in line with policies, priorities and development needs of individual countries, and agreed that any action regarding the adaptation of the TFAP or its implementation in the countries should be carried out at the request of the government concerned. Representatives from some countries outside the tropical region also expressed interest in the assistance provided within the framework of the TFAP.
The Committee registered concern over the relatively low priority at present assigned to the institutional aspects of the TFAP, and in particular to education and training, and to the development of the forestry administration in the countries concerned, noting that strengthening of institutions was essential to increase the absorptive capacity and transfer of technology to developing countries. It recommended that these aspects receive maximum attention in the implementation of the TFAP.
The Committee also noted that the conservation of tropical forest ecosystems was at present insufficiently represented in international aid programmes. It recommended that measures be taken to ensure that all activities undertaken within the framework of the TFAP adequately reflect the importance of this field, and further recommended that wildlife management be given a higher profile in TFAP in view of the great importance wildlife plays as a source of food and economic resources in rural areas in a large number of developing countries, and as an important component of the tropical forest ecosystem.
The Committee also took note of the disparity between countries concerning the volume of aid accorded to them, and some delegates from the Latin American and Caribbean region expressed concern about the low share allocated to the region, which was not commensurate with the large endowment of its natural resources. The Committee recommended that bilateral and multilateral aid aim at reducing this disparity by supporting all countries requesting assistance within the framework of the TFAP.
Noting that the priorities set by national governments are of overriding importance in determining the level of external aid to the forestry sector, the Committee recommended that the forestry services of recipient governments intensify efforts to secure increased priority for forestry by well-marshalled economic, social and political arguments for the revision of national development priorities, in the context of the TFAP.
The Committee endorsed the strengthening of FAO's coordinating role at the international level for TFAP implementation, and warmly welcomed the support provided by a number of donors in this effort. It also commended efforts to improve the quality and effectiveness of action under the TFAP, both by FAO's TFAP Coordination Office, and by the informal group of forestry advisers at their regular coordination meetings, and emphasized the value of appropriate participation of representatives of developing countries in such meetings.
The Committee stressed the importance of careful and detailed preparation and execution of TFAP missions when needed and requested, and the necessity for clear guidance to those involved to ensure that all relevant aspects of the complex interactions of forestry with other sectors were considered.
Turning to the subject of research, the Committee agreed that the changing role of forestry called for new thinking in research programmes. It stressed the role of forestry in rural development and consequently recommended that social and economic aspects be given greater priority in research programmes, with particular attention to the human dimension of forestry. The Committee also underlined the need for strengthening forestry research in such fields as ecosystem management and conservation, including wildlife and mangroves; use of multipurpose tree species and their use in agroforestry systems.
The Committee agreed that it was important for research to take account of the important fund of traditional knowledge and skills and to develop them as a valuable capital in support of efforts to resolve local forestry problems, while at the same time making more use of modern technologies such as remote sensing and informatics. While developing new research units sufficient support should also be given to existing organizations.
The Committee also recommended that more efforts be made at national and international levels to sensitize decision-makers to the benefits of research through, in particular, publication of success stories; that in order to improve the quality and effectiveness of forestry research, measures such as adequate training and continuing education of research staff, attractive working conditions and reward systems should be adopted; and that strong links be established with other institutions concerned, such as extension organizations and forestry development programmes.
The Committee recommended that international cooperation in forestry research give priority to the strengthening of national institutions and to flexible coordination mechanisms such as networks and twinning arrangements. In this connection the Committee noted with appreciation the activities carried out under the IUFRO special programme for developing countries and welcomed the recent progress toward the establishment of its International Council for Forestry Research and Extension (INCOFORE).
The Committee recommended that the TFAP be used to the maximum extent for the strengthening and harmonization of international cooperation in the field of forestry research and recognized the particular role of FAO in this respect.
TAI NATIONAL PARK, COTE D'IVOIRE conservation of ecosystems is a TFAP priority
The demand for cellulose in Mexico is growing at an annual rate of 10-15 percent, while national production of the material is growing at only 5.6 percent a year. Mexico currently imports a third of its cellulose requirements, a difficult problem for a country trying to save foreign exchange.
Research into other sources of raw materials for cellulose production is being given high priority. For example, sugar cane bagasse now supplies 25 percent of the annual consumption of cellulose in the country.
Another potential source now being investigated is the tequila-yielding maguey (Agave tequilana). Sugars extracted from the cone of this plant are processed to produce the well-known Mexican tequila liquor. The cones are the residual from the liquor production.
Researchers report that a fibrous material yield of from 5 to 7.6 percent (dry basis) can be obtained from the cones. Further experimental work indicates that tear and fold factors compare favourably with results obtained from sugar bagasse. The explosion factor and breaking length were found to be under the proposed values. Considering the value of the breaking length, it would be necessary to add 20-25 percent of conifer cellulose pulp to the tequila-cone pulp in the paper-machine mixing-tank.
The study concluded that it would be possible to install a cellulose plant using the tequila cones that are readily available from the tequila industrial centres located in the region of Tequila, Mexico.
Further information on tequila pulp research may be obtained from Mr J.-L. Herce-Vigil, UN I DO, PO Box 300, A- 1400 Vienna, Austria.
