United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN's global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. It is on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. UNDP administers special-purpose programmes such as the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), UN Volunteers (UNV), UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), Capacity 21 and the Global Environment Facility (the latter jointly with the the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Bank).Priorities related to the forestry sector
UNDP's general policy for assistance is to promote multisectoral and programme-wide approaches to forest management and to help countries formulate and implement national forest programmes. UNDP projects are designed to identify and measure productive resources, provide technical training, supply equipment and technology and assist planning and coordinating development efforts. Programmes related to natural resources management are considered a priority and the support to forestry operations has progressively shifted from large plantation schemes towards agroforestry and social forestry as part of watershed/land management.
Procedures
UNDP has a resident representative in almost all developing countries. An Indicative Planning Figure (IPF) defining the UNDP activities and provisional budget in the country is prepared every five years by the country representative and the counterpart ministry. To be considered for UNDP support, forestry-related activities have to be positioned as a priority inside the national development strategy.
The UNDP Representative in any country has considerable autonomy in approving projects and is at present allowed to authorize financing for projects of up to US$1 million - over that limit, authorization from headquarters in New York is required.
UNDP projects have budgets ranging from US$100 000 to approximately US$3 million and last three to five years. The time needed to formulate a project is highly variable and depends on the scope of the project; from three to six months for a project of less than US$1 million. A sector study and analysis is generally required for bigger projects; for certain large projects, a start-up using advance funding is possible (on request).
Funding for project preparation
Advance project funding (later incorporated into the substantive project budget) can be made available for project preparation, sometimes even to initiate some early activities. Also, to help in upstream policy and sector/sub-sector work and project development, UNDP has earmarked limited funds for Technical Support Services (TSS1 and TSS2 respectively) which are also available for forestry. These services can only be provided through international organizations like FAO but need an official request of the country through the counterpart ministry to the UNDP representative to be implemented. Normally official dealings of UNDP with governments are routed through the ministry responsible for planning, development or finance. FAO sometimes provides preparatory funding for UNDP projects under its Technical Cooperation Programme if there is assurance that substantive follow-up finance by UNDP can be expected.
Contact details
Headquarters:United Nations Development Programme
1, United Nations Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10017
USA
Tel: 1- 212-906 5088
Fax: 1- 212- 905 5385
Web site: http://www.undp.org
E-mail: enquiries@undp.org
More information about UNDP programmes, priorities and procedures can be obtained from each UNDP country office present in almost every developing country.