Month: January 2022

NTFP-EP Asia is searching for a PROJECT COORDINATOR for the project “Capacity Building on Enhancing Resilience to Forest Fire, and Local Livelihood and Market Linkages” implemented under the Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises component of NTFP-EP with field level activities in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam (CLMV) and all of ASEAN for select regional trainings and publication work in partnership with international organizations.

NTFP-EP Asia is an association of 25 members with over 100 partner non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations working with forest-based communities to strengthen their capacity in the sustainable management of natural resources in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Click here to learn more.

If interested, apply on or before 10 February 2022 (Thursday):

1. Email your application letter, CV and sample works to applications@ntfp.org addressed to THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR with the subject “Project Coordinator, Capacity Building Local Livelihood (Name of applicant)”
2. Fill-up a form in this link: https://forms.gle/qMVwmMJTz3NbZptD8

Reports to: Sustainable Climate-Adaptive Livelihoods (SCAL) Thematic Program Lead

Job Location: Philippines or in any one of the CLMV countries

QUALIFICATIONS

1. At least 6 years at a senior project management position in conservation and livelihood related projects (preferably an international project)
2. At least 10 years experience total in social development and environment related projects; working knowledge and experience on the project’s specific themes is an advantage
3. At least 2 years work experience in CLMV countries
4. Excellent writing, coordination, negotiation, budgeting and finance skills
5. Excellent online and offline communication skills
6. Fluency in English (written and oral)
7. Fluency in CLMV languages an advantage and preferred

JOB SUMMARY

The employee is a member of the Sustainable Climate-Adaptive Community Livelihood thematic programme of NTFP-EP and as such contributes through her/his project responsibility to the achievement of the target outcomes of the SCAL thematic programme and not just the Project directly responsible for.

Overall Project Management

The Project Coordinator (PC) is to represent NTFP-EP in all aspects related to the project, except in the Steering Committee where NTFP-EP will be represented by higher management. The PC will be responsible for implementing the strategies and activities to achieve the outcomes and outputs of the project. This will include internal and external coordination, HR management, financial management and control, and reporting and planning.

This is full-time work with a maximum six-month probation. Salary range is from USD 1,200 up to USD 1,800 (or its equivalent in Philippine Peso if based in Philippines) gross per month with basic benefits and commensurate to qualifications. The project will run for three years and projected hiring will start by March 15, 2022.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for interview.

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NTFP-EP is an equal opportunity employer and values the diverse backgrounds of all its applicants. It follows the principles of honesty, trust and respect. It does not tolerate harassment or discrimination of any kind, such as cases involving gender, race, color, age, religion, citizenship, disabilities, sexual orientation, senior citizen status, or any other protected status. This policy follows all applicable laws governing non-discrimination in employment in the Philippines and/or in the CLMV country where the employee or applicant is based.

Indigenous and local youth campers from Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines and Vietnam gathered for the first virtual regional forest camp last December 11, 2021 and January 8, 2022.

Through the event, the youth participants identified their aspirations, visions and proposed activities. Josefa Cariño Tauli of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network discussed international policies and programs to support indigenous peoples and while Chandra Tripura of the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact talked about the current situation of indigenous and local youth in the ASEAN region.

The campers also participated in skill shares for photo advocacy, spoken word poetry and natural dyeing during the first day of the camp.

On the second day, the youth from the different countries shared their existing programs to support youth empowerment. The virtual campers shared various issues and challenges such as access to basic needs like food, health and quality education, future job opportunities, unsustainable practices, land tenure, livelihood, discrimination, and the recognition of youth voices and their rights.

Forestry students from the University of the Philippines Los Baños also held a virtual campus tour specifically in the College of Forestry and Natural Resources located within the forests of Mount Makiling in Laguna, Philippines. Campers were also treated to the photo contest entries and the spoken word poetry performances from their fellow youth participants.

“It is time for us to join together and take part in conserving our environment and the development of the culture of our communities. We must show that we are worthy of being called the true hope of the nation,” said Monitte Lantas of Nagkakaisang Kabataang Katutubo ng Narra from Palawan, Philippines in her winning Tagalog-language spoken word poetry piece.

The event is part of NTFP-EP Asia’s focus on youth engagement and empowerment as one of the organization’s new thematic areas. Engaging the youth now is key to the future security of the conditions of forests and the indigenous peoples and local communities that depend on forest resources. The youth camp was held virtually through Zoom amid safety concerns and travel restrictions due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

NTFP-EP Asia and the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFOCO) formally signed a memorandum of understanding expressing mutual commitment for institutional and project cooperation in a virtual ceremony held last January 11, 2022.

The agreement is consistent with multilateral cooperation among regional and international organizations in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement, the Strategic Plan of Action for ASEAN Cooperation on Forestry 2016-2025, and the Glasgow Climate Pact. It will also facilitate the joint implementation of project support from the Korea Forest Service and the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund on non-timber forest products development and community forest enterprises.

“[The] forest is a very important natural capital harboring biodiversity, regulating climate and water, and supporting the livelihood of millions of forest dependent peoples. But as always, the challenge is on how people and government will value the forests to build resilient communities and healthy forest ecosystems for food security and sustainable livelihood,” said Ricardo Calderon, AFOCO’s executive director.

This framework of cooperation between the two organizations will support the synergy, complementarity and mutual reinforcement of assets and comparative advantages particularly in the fields of sustainable forest management, forest restoration and non-timber forest products (NTFPs). The specific cooperation areas are:

1. Capacity building and civil society and institutional engagements in the regional and international forestry sector development;
2. Developing and operating of projects in forestry through leveraging internal and external resources; 
3. Supporting applicable initiatives including ASEAN and international partnership to address climate change in the forest sector; and
4. Supporting research in and by AFOCO member countries to reduce poverty and build sustainable societies, particularly in the areas of non-timber forest products, livelihoods and enterprises and sustainable forest management.

“We look to build more innovations and good practices through an institutionalized partnership and collaborative projects with the AFOCO,” said Maria Teresa Guia-Padilla, chairperson of the NTFP-EP Asia board of trustees.

“A partnership with AFOCO towards improving local community livelihoods in Asia, expanding also to countries beyond our membership, through increased income from non-timber forests products and modeling scalable community-based enterprises in the region is indeed at the heart of NTFP-EP’s vision and mission.”

The AFOCO and NTFP-EP Asia will be collaborating in two projects from 2022 until 2026, with regional and country level activities in their respective member countries including Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam. Other participating countries include, Bhutan, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Myanmar, Thailand and Timor Leste.

The Asian Forest Cooperation Organization is a treaty based intergovernmental organization that is committed to strengthening forest cooperation and taking concrete actions to promote sustainable forest management and address the impacts of climate change.

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For more information on this partnership, please contact: info@ntfp.org

The NTFP-EP and the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity have launch e-posters on the Forest Harvest Collective Mark this January to promote awareness for the evolving community forestry label.

Forest Harvest is a collective mark initiated by NTFP-EP and its partners to enhance the market presence of community-based NTFP enterprises and to distinguish their products from other natural-based products in the market. It aims to highlight the forest source and sustainability of products and covers all non-timber forest products that are harvested from the forests, whether from the wild or already cultivated sources.

The e-poster is available in English, Lao, Vietnamese and Khmer.