Strengthening collective innovation capacity of forest stakeholders in
research and development:
The role of IUFRO
ByMichael Kleine
Coordinator, IUFRO Special Programme for Developing CountriesIUFRO Headquarters, Vienna, Austria
International Workshop on Small-holder Timber ProductionWorld Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Nairobi, Kenya
29 November to 1 December 2004
Sustainable development of forests – a major challenge
• Forces outside of the forestry sector• Global and regional policies• Market opportunities and support policies
for agricultural production• Unresolved land tenure issues • Decentralisation of government and poor
law enforcement• Involvement of many stakeholders
• Many stakeholders decide how forests are managed
• Joint recognition of the issues• Extensive debate and search for
solutions• Joint learning• Definition of collective action in policy
and forest management
Multi-stakeholder innovation– a “new” focus
Multi-stakeholder innovation– some examples
• Forest concessions under community management in the Mayan Biosphere Reserve (MBR) in Peten, Guatemala
• African Network for Agroforestry Education (ANAFE)
• Consortium for Scaling up Options for increasing Farm Productivity (COSOFAP)
Multi-stakeholder innovation– capacities needed
• To interact with policy levels• To efficiently manage and share
information • To participate in social processes
through effective communication• To facilitate mutual learning processes
Enhancing stakeholder innovation capacity
What can IUFRO do?
What is IUFRO?
IUFRO is the global network for forest science cooperation;
IUFRO unites more than 15,000 scientists in about 700 Member Organizations in over 110 countries;
IUFRO is non-profit and non-governmental, voluntary and non-discriminatory;
Founded in 1892, IUFRO has a long history of international forest science
cooperation.
IUFRO’s Vision is …
of science-based sustainable management of the world’s forest resources for economic, environmental and social benefits.
IUFRO's Mission is …
to promote the coordination of and the international cooperation in scientific studies embracing the whole field of research related to forests and trees.
IUFRO’s objectives are attained through …
• generating knowledge by means of science and research cooperation in a global network;
• providing access to and disseminating scientific knowledge;
• assisting scientists and institutions to strengthen their research capacity.
IUFRO’s structure for cooperation:
• Divisions
SilvicultureD1
D2
D3
D4
D5
D6
D7
D8
Physiology and Genetics
Forest Operations
Inventory, Growth, Yield, Quantitative and Management Sciences
Forest Products
Forest Health
Forest Environment
Social, Economic, Information and Policy Sciences
D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8
IUFRO’s structure for cooperation:
• Task Forces
- In addition to Divisions, Task Forces are established on temporary basis for inter-disciplinary cooperation in inter-divisional forest research fields
Task ForceTask Force Task Force
Task Force Task Force Task ForceTask Force Task Force Task Force
IUFRO’s structure for cooperation:
• Task Forces
Environmental ChangeTF
TF
TF
TF
TF
TF
TF
TF
Mountain Development
Gene Resources
Science/Policy Interface
Carbon SequestrationInformation Technology and the Forest Sector
Water and Forests
Public Relations
TF
Forest Biotechnology
IUFRO’s structure for cooperation:
• Special Programmes and Projects
- Established to carry out activities in support of global and regional science cooperation
- Located at the IUFRO Headquarters
SPDC SilvaVoc WFSE
IUFRO Secretariat
IUFRO Headquarters
Multi-stakeholder innovation– capacities needed
• To interact with policy levels• To efficiently manage and share
information • To participate in social processes
through effective communication• To facilitate mutual learning processes
Enhancing stakeholder innovation capacity – contribution by IUFRO
Forest Policy
IUFRO Task Force on Science-Policy Interface
IUFRO SPDC Training Course on “Roleof scientists in national forest programmes”
IUFRO – CPF Member
Enhancing stakeholder innovation capacity – contribution by IUFRO
Information Management
• Internet gateway to forest information resources from around the world
• Enhance access to and provision of quality forest-related information
• Initiative of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF)
• Main Partners: CABI, CIFOR, FAO and IUFRO
Global Forest Information Service (GFIS)
GFIS in Africa
• 5 GFIS Service Centres established– Gabon, Ghana, Kenya,
Senegal and Zimbabwe– Computer hard- and
software– Training of staff
• Regional mandate to develop GFIS partnerships
• Focus on grey literature and other off- and online resources
• EC-funded Project 2000-2004 (1 million EUR)
www.gfis.net
Enhancing stakeholder innovation capacity – contribution by IUFRO
PR and Communication
IUFRO Task Force on PR in Forest Science
IUFRO SPDC Training Course on“Communicating forest research:
Making science work for policyand management”
IUFRO-SPDC
Enhancing stakeholder innovation capacity – contribution by IUFRO
Mutual learning processes
• Working towards common understanding of complex problems
• Developing innovative solutions• Integrating research, development
actions and policy measures
Enhancing stakeholder innovation capacity – contribution by IUFRO
EC-Project Application
• Familiarisation with mutual learning and selection of pilot cases; “Implementation agencies are familiarised with mutual learning and 2 mutual learning platforms are selected as pilot cases for each region”.
• Capacity building for Facilitators and Promoters; “Educational, training and research institutions are able to effectively facilitate mutual learning processes amongst forest stakeholders.”
• Set up six mutual learning platforms as pilot cases; “National level mutual learning platforms are implemented as pilot cases in Africa, Asia-Pacific and in Latin America.”
• Establish additional mutual learning platforms; “Proposals to establish additional mutual learning platforms in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America are developed and submitted to relevant funding agencies.”
• Dissemination; “Communication among partners and dissemination of results is achieved through traditional instruments and state-of-the-art information technology tools”.
• ICRA International Centre for development oriented Research in Agriculture
• IUFRO International Union of Forest Research Organizations
• ETFRN European Tropical Forest Research Network
• FAO Food and Agriculture Organization• FORNESSA Forestry Research Network of Sub-
Saharan Africa• APAFRI Asia-Pacific Association of Forestry
Research Institutions• CATIE Tropical Agriculture Research and
Higher Education Centre
Project Partners
CONCLUSIONS
IUFRO can contribute in many ways to enhancing innovation capacity of forest stakeholders
Main players in this endeavour are IUFRO’s member organisations, supported by the IUFRO service units
Coordination and mobilisation of resources
Initiatives in support of small-holder timber production may benefit from IUFRO activities
