Pilot countries - Background information

This page presents the background information on the 6 pilot countries selected by the Steering Committee members to start FFF activities in 2013: Guatemala, Nicaragua, Gambia, Liberia, Myanmar, and Nepal. The FFF will build on the NFP Facility and GFP experiences which are presented below. The selection of neighboring countries should facilitate exchange of experiences, and learning and strengthen regional or sub-regional cooperation.

You can also find on this page the reports of the Launching Mission recently conducted to launch the FFF in the countries.

Guatemala

NFP Facility (since 2005) and GFP (since 2009) support have contributed to the development of:

• The community forestry alliance ('Alianza') actively engaged in policy issues and the elaboration and implementation of the incentives programme for forest small holders (PINPEP).
• Smallholder producer associations.
• A national forest financing strategy and financial mechanisms.
• Nine regional multistakeholder forestry consultation.

Guatemala - Lauching Mission Report 

Nicaragua

With NFP Facility support since 2004, national and sub-national Forest Forums (named GOFOs) were strengthened; vulnerable groups participated in the implementation of the national forest programme; and local compensatory mechanisms for uphill communities managing the forest to produce water for the cities were established.

The project "Moving Forward in the Implementation of the Non-legally Binding Instrument (NLBI) working close together with the Forestry Authority (INAFOR) has provided support to Banco Produzcamos for the improvement of credit for productive forestry activities. This credit is now adapted to smallholders and to the reality and conditions of the forestry activities.

Nicaragua - Lauching Mission Report 

Gambia

The NFP Facility Partnership with the Gambia was officially launched in 2009 with the broad objective of empowering communities to sustainably manage natural resources, implement rehabilitation systems, conserve biodiversity and halt environmental degradation and desertification. To accomplish this objective, the country created a NMSC which met regularly to discuss and forward the country's National Forest Programme (NFP) activities. The Gambian Department of Forestry has, as the government agency responsible for coordinating and overseeing nfp activities, worked proactively to increase its staff's knowledge and capacity on communications, monitoring and community forestry. Additionally, the Department of Forestry received the World Future Council's Future Policy Silver Award 2011 for the Gambian Community Forest Policy, initiated in 1995 and further supported by the nfp Facility

The main achievements of the NFPF support are: (i) further consolidation and development of community forests through training and elaboration of a community Forestry Field Manual; (ii) provide further trainings for enterprise development in Community forests; (iii) launch of the “All Gambia Forestry Platform” with the aim to strengthen stakeholder capacity and coordinate stakeholder efforts toward successful implementation of the Gambian nfp (iv) communication efforts on better understanding of the Gambia’s national forest programme; (v) establishment of the National Multi-stakeholder Steering committee of the Gambian nfp.

Gambia was selected as Forest & Farm Facility (FFF) pilot country by the FFF steering committee in the meeting held on 10 – 11 January 2013. The launching mission was undertaken from 10 to 13^th of March 2013 with the objective to present and discuss the relevance of the FFF with Government institutions, farmer organizations and forest communities in The Gambia and to get their feedback in identifying gaps and priorities to be addressed by FFF. On the last day of the mission, 13^th of March, the launching workshop was held in which more than 45 stakeholders from government and civil society participated. The interviews in this video were captured during this event.

Gambia - Launching Mission Report 

Liberia

The main achievements of the NFP Facility and GFP support (respectively initiated in 2009 and 2010) are:

• The establishment of the National Forest Programme (NFP) platform comprising of a National Forest Forum (NFF), a National Multi-stakeholders Steering Committee (NMSC), and 15 County Forest Forums (CFF).
• The establishment of a national union of the Community Forest Development Committees (CFDC).

Libera - Launching Mission Report 

Nepal

With NFP Facility support since 2007, and GFP active since 2010, communities and leaseholder forest user groups were supported for participatory forest management. A group of civil society organizations formed a consortium and initiated a catalytic multi-stakeholder forest policy dialogue on different burning issues, such as the recent proposal of the Government to amend the Forest Act (*1993). The country is busy preparing a new constitution and the communities are demanding that rights over forest resources be included and that forests should be locally controlled.

Nepal - Lauching Mission Report 

Myanmar

With no prior NFP Facility engagement due to political circumstances, the new government is leading to new opportunities for locally controlled forestry, and new potential for partnership with the FFF.

The 1995 Community Forestry Instructions (CFI) allow community Forest Users' Groups (FUGs) to identify a suitable area and apply to the Township Forest Officers (TFOs) for support in community forest establishment.

To meet the government Master Plan targets by 2030 related to community forestry, considerable efforts need to be made on the establishment of community forestry area, and wood fuel supply from community forests. Both government and civil society actors are supportive of a 'market-led' approach to community forestry in which profits from more organised and business-like community forestry can provide the incentive to increase the desired rate of expansion of community forestry.

The mission and outputs of the FFF precisely fit this emerging agenda.

Myanmar - Launching Mission Report