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19 November 2020 the Netherlands
On the 26th of November, FTA and TBI are proud to launch and present their latest report on Innovative Finance for Sustainable Landscapes.
17 November 2020 the Netherlands
Tropenbos International is planning the final evaluation for the EU-funded project: “Strengthening the capacity of non-state actors (NSA) to improve FLEGT-VPA and REDD+ processes in Western Africa” (EU Project 2016 / 380 509). The purpose of this evaluation is to assess the relevance, impact and sustainability of this action and to give recommendations to sustain the action’s results beyond its duration.
12 November 2020 Ghana
In Ghana, charcoal provides 64% of domestic energy requirements, and is a major source of income in northern and transitional zones. Taxes and levies on charcoal trading are also important sources of revenue for traditional authorities (including local chiefs), local government and the Forestry Commission. But the industry remains informal and unregulated, and with a lack of coherent policies, charcoal production remains a key driver of dryland degradation and deforestation. The Nationally Agreed Mitigation Actions (NAMAS) and the Renewable Energy Act 2011 (Act 832) stipulate a district-based permit system for wholesalers, and a revenue-sharing regime. However, these initiatives do not insist on the need to restore land cleared for charcoal production, nor do they require the establishment of wood lots and native trees for future harvesting.
12 November 2020 General
As a farmer in northern Kenya, I came to understand the importance of dryland restoration. After moving to Kaijaido country in the south, I started an initiative to restore the land, increase food security and reduce poverty, supported by a grant from the East African Community with various activities supported by FAO and Yale University.
09 November 2020 General
Together with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission and the Konso Development Association, Plant-for-the-Planet Foundation has established a blueprint project for forest landscape restoration. This Plant-for-Ethiopia joint venture has developed a forestry management system and vocational training programme, with new forests providing materials and food, improving biodiversity and soil fertility, and reducing the impacts of climate change.
02 November 2020 General
Past failures in forest landscape restoration were due in part to less consultative, more top-down approaches and policies, with purely local initiatives often hampered by government rules and limited resources. Based on empirical evidence, local participation must be at the heart of sustainable restoration from programme inception. But what exactly does participation mean and practically entail? There is no shortage of terms to describe participation, but they often lack clear meaning or indicators to measure them. Also, they are often based on the assumption that initiatives are externally led and locals can participate, rather than the other way around. However, participation can be better evaluated and understood by examining the dimension and the context of participation.