Author Mulawarman et al.

Year of publication 2003

This manual was developed to assist smallholders and NGOs in Indonesia build the technical capacity required to properly collect and manage tree seeds. It was developed through an iterative process over a 20-month period with input from teams of foresters, tree seed specialists, development workers, NGOs and farmers. ICRAF and Winrock staff, based on their own experience and a review of technical documents, compiled the original draft manual to meet the specific needs of NGOs and farmers. The draft manual was then used in four "seed source management and seed collection training" courses conducted for farmers and NGO field staff. At the end of each course, farmer and NGO participants evaluated the manual and provided input on how to make it more relevant to farmers and NGO staff. After each course, this input was incorporated into the draft manual for use in subsequent training courses. After the fourth training course the manual was then reviewed and finalized. The result of this participatory document development process is a technically-sound field manual that considers the unique land and socioeconomic conditions that confront farmers and NGOs. The manual's recommendations and guidelines are flexible and meant to be adapted to specific site conditions. This manual is a valuable document, meant to be used by individuals and organizations involved in tree farming and seed collection activities at the local level.