At the request of Drs. J.P. Pronk, Dutch Minister of Development Cooperation, the Tropenbos Foundation organised a seminar titled 'Research in Tropical Rain Forests. Its Challenges for the Future'. The Seminar was held in Wageningen on November 25 and 26, 1997.
The aim of the Seminar was to present an overview of the role of Dutch research in tropical rain forests. Almost 200 participants attended the Seminar, including politicians, researchers, forest managers and members of NGOs, from tropical as well as temperate countries. Together they discussed crucial subjects in research on sustainable forest management and conservation. Recommendations were made to improve the link between policy and research and to improve the pre-conditions for effective research.
Drs. Pronk opened the Seminar which was chaired by Prof. Dr. R. Rabbinge of the Wageningen Agricultural University. After the opening, the value of research in tropical rain forests was elaborated on by several users of research results. The first speaker, presenting a paper for the Centre for Environment and Development (CED), explained what research results this NGO from Cameroon needs in order to fulfil its mission. The representative of the Governor of the Colombian Guaviare Department, Mr L.J. Martinez, pointed out the role of research in the formulation of a method for sustainable forest management in Colombia. Dr. R. de Camino, representing the timber company Precious Wood, demonstrated the impact of research and the research needs for the management of this company.
In his keynote address, Prof. J. Sayer of the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) elaborated on the future roles of forest research institutes like CIFOR and Tropenbos, taking into account that in the future large parts of the forests will be used in a multi-functional way while other parts will be intensively exploited.
Prof. K. Verhoeff gave a clear picture on the Dutch research activities in tropical rain forests. He pointed out in which areas Dutch programmes and projects are located and which subjects are focussed on. Subsequently, three speakers from three different parts of the world, discussed the pre-conditions for effective research. Dr. G. Walcott based his presentation on experience in the Tropenbos-Guyana Programme, while the Director of the Tropenbos Foundation, Mr. E.M. Lammerts van Bueren, presented the general lessons learnt in the Tropenbos programmes. Dr. R.R. Araño of the Philippines reported on the research on community-based resource management in a national park.
During the first afternoon, an information market was held where all the participants had the opportunity to present their project and organisation through posters, Internet and other audio-visual means. The market was a great success because of the high number of people who participated and the lively interaction between the participants.
The second day began with three parallel sessions: on biodiversity; the social aspects of sustainable forest management; and the technical and production aspects of sustainable forest management. Up-to-date information and concrete case-studies were presented resulting in interesting discussions.
The theme of the second afternoon was 'From Local to Global Perspective'. Dr. W.T.M. Smits presented the integrated approach to forest management of the Tropenbos-Indonesia Programme. Prof. C.J. Jepma of the University of Groningen introduced, by means of a number of statements, 'top-down' versus 'bottom-up' research regarding sustainable tropical forest use.
Experts on various disciplines formulated the final conclusions and recommendations on linking policy and research, on translating pre-conditions into policy recommendations and on the three themes of the parallel sessions. Together with the other Seminar outputs, the conclusions and recommendations will be presented in the proceedings which will be published early in 1998. It is hoped that the Seminar was a motivation and inspiration for the participants to continue their work in research and policy development in tropical rain forests.
For further information please contact:
The Tropenbos Foundation
P.O. Box 232
6700 AE Wageningen
, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 317 426262; Fax: +31317 423024
E-mail: tropenbos@iac.agro.nl
http://www.tropenbos.nl
DFID's forestry research programme: edited extracts from the FRP report for July- September 1997 by John Palmer
Demand surveys
The United Kingdom Department For International Development (DFID, formerly the Overseas
Development Administration) is committed to selective support for demand-driven research in
developing countries, in cases where UK-based institutions may complement national research capacity.
DFID's Forestry Research Programme (FRP) commissioned the first four compilations of national priority
problems related to forestry and land use in the DFID partner countries. The four countries were Bolivia,
Ghana, Indonesia and Nepal. The compilations involved substantial reviews of recent literature on
national development strategies, environmental and forestry action plans, biodiversity strategies, etc.
The reviews were supplemented by interviews with key public and private sector officials and with major
non-government organizations. Draft reports were presented at the end of October and during November
1997. The adequacy of the review process will be considered at the end of 1997. If the surveys are
comprehensive and indicative, other consultants will be recruited to survey the remaining DFID forestry
target countries in the same way. The national priority problems and selected supporting documents will
be made available on NR International's Internet website, for proposers of concept notes.
Call for proposals
A general call for proposals on 26 themes derived from the concerns of DFID technical forestry advisers
was issued in early September 1997. 80 concept notes were received. A large number (47) of external
reviewers were invited to comment on between 1 and 5 of the concept notes: the number of reviewers
was much larger than normal because the FRP is moving from a mainly biological and technological
focus to those issues of policy and institutional development which have been difficult for
DFID-supported bilateral development projects. FRP has therefore had to expand its pool of reviewers,
as the range of topics has broadened. 32 concept notes were accepted and full proposals have been
invited. Acceptance of a concept note is not a guarantee of a research grant. The FRP programme
advisory committee recommended that all projects for monographs on major tree species and genera
should involve also the preparation of generic or site-specific extension manuals, in order to make more
widely available the main conclusions from the monographs.
Workshops
DFID has supported numerous research and development projects to encourage soil and water
conservation in developing countries. Except in refugee and recent colonization zones, do farmers need
more research, or only demonstrations of techniques which may be well known in other areas; such as
cover crops and no-till cultivation ? The termination of two FRP-funded projects in 1997-98 provides
an opportunity for a workshop during 1998 to summarise and discuss the results. If the purpose of the
projects is primarily to enhance and sustain rural livelihoods, is there any need for more
biological-technological research in the near future ? FRP will commission the School of Agricultural
and Forest Sciences at Bangor (Wales) to organise the workshop.
FRP project R6917 convened a workshop in September 1997 on methods for rapid biodiversity
assessment. Approximately 50 participants came from Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Finland,
France, Ghana, India, Malaysia, Switzerland, Uganda, USA, as well as from CIFOR and the United
Kingdom. Work on plant biodiversity seemed to be less advanced or organized than work on the larger
animals.
Selected news from projects
There were 39 FRP projects in operation at the end of September 1997. Project R6912 (mahogany
regeneration in natural forest) was delayed because the intended research site in Brazil was handed over
to a Malaysian-owned logging company. A more remote site, within an Amerindian (Xikrin) area, was
under negotiation. Other sites have been visited in collaboration with forestry staff from EMBRAPA's
Centre for Tropical Humid Research, Belem. Cooperation has been promised by the timber industry
association AIMEX, the federal environment agency IBAMA, and by the non-government organization
ISA. It is now difficult to locate mahogany-bearing forest in eastern Amazonia which is legally available
for research involving experimental treatments, and which has not been logged carelessly.
Some components of the large project R6348 (agroforestry modelling and coordination) will receive
increased funding so that the final products meet the needs of the target institutions ICRAF and IITA.
During the last year of the project, collaborators from both target institutions and from selected African
NARS will work in some of the UK research stations, so that the computer software is well adapted and
tested before general release.
Dissemination
Demand continues for manuals and monographs prepared by some FRP projects. This is perhaps the
most secure evidence of the developmental value of the FRP, even though the demand comes from the
target institutions rather than the ultimate beneficiaries. Large printings and distributions have been
commissioned for a monographic treatment of Leucaena (project R6296) and a seed orchard management
manual for Calliandra (projects R5654 and R6535); these are genera of popular multi-purpose trees.
For more information, please contact:
J.R.Palmer
Manager of DFID's centrally-funded Forestry Research Programme (FRP)
Natural Resources International Limited
PO Box 258, Chatham
Kent ME4 4PU, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 1634 88 3365 technicalmatters;
+44 1634 88 3081 administrative matters
Fax: +44 1634 88 3937
E-mail: john.palmer@nri.org for technical matters and louise.tilburn@nri.org for administrative matters
Expert consultation on forestry research in Sub-Saharan Africa
Based on a draft summary provided by FAO
The consultation was organised by the FAO Forestry Department and RegionalOoffice for Africa in
collaboration with the Special Programme for developing countries of the International Union of Forestry
Research Organisations (IUFRO-SPDC). It was held in Accra, Ghana from 30 September to 2 October
1997. In addition to 12 experts from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi,
Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe, resource persons participated from the
African Academy of Sciences (AAS), the African Development Bank (AfDB), CABI, CIFOR, ETFRN,
IPGRI, IUFRO/SPDC, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), and SADC/FSTU. The representative
from CORAF-Forêt apologised for not attending.
The meeting identified several important issues in forestry research in Sub-Saharan Africa, including the
following.
The meeting formulated a list of recommendations to deal with these issues, ranging from very general
to specific recommendations for actors such as forestry scientists and forestry research institutions.
The meeting thoroughly reviewed the project proposal on strengthening national forestry research systems
and regional cooperation in Sub-Saharan Africa, which had been prepared by FAO and IUFRO/SPDC.
Subsequently the meeting requested FAO to finalise the project document, taking the comments into
account, for submission to donors as soon as possible.
The draft summary report is available in English and in French from the ETFRN Coordination Unit.
For further information, please contact:
Oudara Souvannavong
Senior Forestry Officer
FAO, Forest Resources Division
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy
Tel: +39 6 5705 4750, Fax: +39 6 5705 5137
E-mail: oudara.souvannavong@fao.org