Expert meeting to discuss the draft guiding framework for strengthening coherence
between forestry and social protection for forest-dependent communities

5-6 June 2019
FAO HQ – India Room (A321)

©Anastasiia Kraskovska
Background
Promoting social protection is a critical strategy for reducing poverty and food insecurity, and decreasing vulnerability and inequalities in developing countries. The sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicate the commitment of the international community to end poverty and hunger by 2030, and recognize the urgent need to expand social protection coverage by calling countries to expand coverage of nationally appropriate social protection systems to achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable by 2030 (SDG 1.3).

Most of the food insecure and poor people with the greatest need for social protection live in rural areas and depend on natural resources for their livelihoods. Forest-dependent communities (FDCs) are usually located in remote and disconnected rural areas characterized by low levels of market development and poor access to public goods and social services. The challenges of ecological degradation and climate change are especially relevant to FDCs around the world. FDCs constantly deal with the consequences of market failure and are particularly exposed to risks and repeated shocks. A wide range of environmental, economic, health-related, demographic, social, and political factors are key sources of vulnerability for these communities. FDCs are therefore significantly in need of social protection.

Since 2014, FAO has explored the topic of social protection for FDCs with particular focuses on expanding social protection coverage and strengthening coherence between forestry and social protection for achieving poverty reduction and sustainable forest management. Activities conducted include global literature reviews and country case studies in Burkina Faso, China, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, national workshops, a sub-regional workshop for East Africa, and two COFO side events in 2016 and in 2018. Results show that coverage of social protection interventions to FDCs is very limited despite exposure to various risks and vulnerabilities. Evidence also shows that social protection can accelerate the achievement of forestry policy goals such as forest conservation and restoration, and sustainable landscape management. 

Objectives
The objective of the expert meeting is to provide technical comments and inputs to the draft guiding framework for strengthening coherence between forestry and social protection for FDCs.  FAO Forestry Department is developing this guiding framework in cooperation with the UNU-MERIT with objectives of: i) providing rationale for coherence between forestry and social protection; ii) identifying  approaches for expanding the coverage of social protection for FDCs; and iii) identifying options for improving coherence between forestry and social protection.

Participants will be requested to discuss and contribute to the draft guiding framework by suggesting inclusion of additional examples, approaches and tools; The Draft document will be finalized according to the outputs of the expert meeting. 

Expert Meeting REPORT 

PowerPoints presentations:

• Rural social protection - FAO's approach and added value ,
  Natalia WinderRossi, SP Team Leader, SP3 of FAO
• Strengthening coherence between social protection and forestry for poverty alleviation – approaches and key messages ,
  Qiang Ma, Forestry Officer, FAO
• Introduction of the draft guiding framework on strengthening coherence between forestry and social protection for FDCs ,
  Nyasha Tirivayi, Research Fellow, UN-MERIT
• Promoting social protection for inclusive forest value chains - introduction of topics ,
  Qiang Ma, Forestry Officer
• Social insurance for informal economy workers in Zambia 
  James Canonge, Technical Officer, ILO
• Experiences and practices of Forests and Farm Facility ,
  Anna Bolin, Researcher, IIED & Sophie Grouwels, Forestry Officer, FAO
• Experiences and practices of forestry poverty alleviation in China: role of social protection and forest value chains ,
  Chen Xie & Sheng Zhang, Director, FEDRC China