In this issue… Reflections on the 4th International learning event of the China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform and why the Market Analysis and Development (MA&D) approach is being used in Cameroon for the CoNGOs project.

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News and blogs

China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform event, Pemba

The 4th International learning event of the China-Africa Forest Governance Learning Platform was held in Pemba, Mozambique from 23 – 26 October 2017. It was co-hosted by the National Directorate of Forests of Mozambique (DINAF), Terra Firma, WWF and IIED; and brought together Chinese and African stakeholders from policy-making, business, civil society and research communities.

The focus of the event was to find ways for Chinese businesses in Africa, and African businesses linked to China, to generate strong benefits for local economies in Africa while looking after forest resources for future generations. It was agreed that through cooperation between China and Africa on forest-linked issues, existing good work on human resource development could spread to institutional capacity support in the near future. More information, including PowerPoint presentations given during the event can be found o n the IIED website.

Forest rights create new livelihoods in Myanmar

Duncan Macqueen explains why the transfer of rights to forest land to local communities is an important move.

Events

Rewarding environmental stewardship: New thinking on its role in development policy

The Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) initiative is hosting an evening of discussion looking at different governance mechanisms to incentivise environmental stewardship, and how they can be more effective in achieving socioeconomic and environmental goals, and what this means for development policy.

The event takes places at the IIED London office at 5:30pm on Thursday 15 February 2018. Register via the ESPA website.

Our work

Market Analysis and Development (MA&D) training Phase 3

Market Analysis and Development (MA&D) is a participatory training approach designed to assist local people in developing income-generating enterprises while conserving tree and forest resources. The process was developed by the FAO who have created training materials including a manual and field facilitator guidelines.

The approach is now being used in the CoNGOs project as a field-oriented training of facilitators in both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon. Training in MA&D enhances the entrepreneurial capacities of local communities, so they can access market opportunities and improve their cash income, while also gaining greater incentives to protect and sustainably manage their natural resource base. There have been two training sessions held so far, the most recent of which took place in Yaoundé, Cameroon where 27 people were trained and 50 percent of participants were women. Further details are available in the r eport (français ).

Community forestry in Cameroon: a diagnostic analysis of laws, institutions, actors and opportunities

A study to share the knowledge and experience from partners of the CoNGOs consortium enabling a joint understanding of the current state of play in relation to community forestry in Cameroon. (Also available in French/français).

Investimento Chinês no Sector Florestal Moçambicano (Português)

China é o maior consumidor da madeira explorada em Moçambique. No entanto, dados quantitativos do envolvimento da China em Moçambique são muito difíceis de se obter. Esta pesquisa visa que tem como objectivo criar uma base de dados sobre o sector florestal moçambicano que permitisse o mapeamento do investimento chinês.

Partner spotlight

Centre for Environment and Development (CED)

CED contributes to defending people's rights while ensuring environmental protection. It promotes environmental justice and sustainable management of natural resources through monitoring illegal logging, supporting the aspirations of local communities and protecting the forests of Central Africa - namely in Cameroon and the Congo Basin (CAR, Gabon, Republic of Congo, DRC).

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