Tropenbos International unites numerous partners behind a single objective: to ensure that knowledge is used effectively in the formulation of appropriate policies and managing forests for conservation and sustainable development.

As an intermediary organization we link the demand for knowledge and capacity building from policy makers and forest users with research and capacity in the North and South. As facilitator we foster multi-stakeholder dialogues as an effective means of communicating information needs, expertise, issues and solutions for forests and forest-dependent people.

Our efforts are geared to obtaining five results that will help us to achieve our objective and fulfil our mission:

1. The information and knowledge needed for better decisions on forests is available (through research).
2. National human capacity is sufficient to generate knowledge and to use it (through training and education).
3. National forest sector organizations are able to identify, manage and deploy relevant information (through institutional development).
4. National information exchange mechanisms are operational (through fostering multi-stakeholder knowledge networks and dialogue).
5. National and international forest agendas are coordinated and support forest-based sustainable development and poverty reduction (through promoting knowledge-based international dialogue).

Our philosophy

To make good forest policies and wise use of forests we need good quality information. But good information and knowledge will only lead to better policies and wise use of forests if the research programmes designed to generate this information and knowledge meet certain requirements:

1. They answer questions, solve problems and open up new opportunities for those who use the forest or are responsible for formulating or implementing policies.
2. Research results are actively and interactively targeted towards those who need them or will benefit from them.

A precondition for the effective uptake of research results is the existence of a properly functioning forest sector in the partner countries. Without such an enabling environment it is unlikely that information and knowledge - the product of good research - will benefit forest users and policy makers.

For that reason, TBI invites key forest users and policy makers to become members of the bi-national steering committees in each of the countries where we work. TBI operates as a platform for discussing and identifying priorities for the forest sector, with an emphasis on those that require information or institutional capacity. This feature of our programme ensures that we are well-connected with the forest sector and that the sector has a say in setting the objectives of each programme and in its governance.

For institutions and organizations to function better, two things are important. First, they need good information to make better decisions on forest use and conservation. This should preferably be coordinated with regional development plans, national forest programmes (NFPs) and national poverty reduction strategies (PRSPs). Second, organizations need staff capable of identifying information needs, designing research strategies to obtain such information, and using this information.

This philosophy is reflected in the following features of our strategy:

• Local ownership of programme development
• Integration of research and capacity building
• Research targeted to the needs of forest users and policy makers - a development - oriented research agenda
• Capacity building in research relevant to forest users and policy makers
• Emphasis on the uptake of the programme's findings by forest users and policy makers
• Partnership between Southern and Northern research organizations