NTFP-EP was given opportunity to address the ASEAN body during the 33rd SOM-AMAF Meeting on October 4, 2011 and presented ‘Civil Society Engagements: Community Forestry Partnerships –Working Towards Building the ASEAN Community’. The presentation highlighted Social Forestry as strategy in developing the ASEAN Forestry Sector.
Key recommendations to the ASEAN members for consideration are:
1) to promote coordination, communication, and joint lessons learning on governance reform in community forestry, forestry resources- NTFP utilization, REDD+ strategy development, institutional processes and implementation,
2) to ensure meaningful forest-community participation in key forest-related policy and decision-making processes at different levels, and to
3) recognize, implement and institutionalise FPIC principles and processes,
4) to accelerate and strengthen the enactment and implementation of community forestry agreements with particular attention to securing tenure for forest-based peoples and support for sustainable NTFP use, development and enterprise for improved local livelihoods,
5) to adopt and implement social, environmental, and governance safeguards in REDD+ initiatives.
NTFP-EP received positive comments from ministerial representatives of Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and the Philippines. The comments were focused on ‘Promoting coordination, communication & joint lessons learning on: governance reforms in community forestry , forest resources- NTFP utilization, REDD+ strategy development, institutional process design and implementation’.
ü Indonesia Ministry of Forestry representatives expressed interest to work in collaboration with NTFP-EP with upcoming agenda to develop and promote NTFP in Indonesia. They have extended an invitation to NTFP-EP to be part of the International Seminar, Strategy and Challenges on Bamboo and Potential NTFP Management and Utilization on November 23-24, 2011 hosted by the Ministry of Forestry.
ü Malaysia representatives would like to know more about forestry and community livelihood. They look forward to more information sharing particularly on the importance of social forestry to climate change/REDD+ opportunities.
ü Myanmar delegates would like to have collaboration with NTFP-EP and extended invitation for NTFP-EP to be involved on upcoming social forestry activities.
ü Director Neria Andin of the Forest Management Bureau, Philippine representative, noted that the government is working on REDD+ strategy with CSOs. She emphasized that the presentation is about “Community partnerships working towards building the ASEAN communities’ and that the celebration of the international year of the forest is beyond 2011.
Maria Cristina Guerrero, NTFP-EP Executive Director responded that NTFP-EP look forward to closely collaborate with Indonesia, Myanmar and Malaysia especially in Sarawak, Malaysia and the Philippine forestry sector. NTFP-EP would strongly support respective country mandates to promote social forestry and develop NTFP. She especially noted and applauded the Philippine Forest Management Bureau for the amazing way they have allowed the CSOs to be part of the REDD+ process in the Philippines.
In celebration of the International Year of the Forest this 2011, the33rd ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) Meeting had a week-long exhibit from October 3-7, 2011 on‘ASEAN Cooperation in Forestry’. The NTFP-EP contributed to the exhibit displaying NTFP products of partner communities in Cambodia (Cando Handicrafts and Community-based Wild Honey Enterprise), Indonesia (Crafts Kalimantan, Borneo Chic), Sarawak, Malaysia (Gerai Orang Asal) and the Philippines (CustomMade Crafts Center). The exhibit also included participation of Ms. Devi Herma of Bina Usaha Ratan (BUR), demonstrating the Pepas Eheng village, East Kalimantan craft and art of rattan basket weaving.
