In Vietnam, the lack of quality data in the forestry sector has been an obstacle to institutional reflection and effective policy formulation. This study analyzes the status and gaps of this data, and its implications for addressing poverty in Vietnam.

The Forest Governance Learning Group (FGLG) Vietnam undertook a survey in Dak Lak and Thua Thien Hue provinces between December 2006 and April 2007. The survey aimed to provide insights into different forms of community forest management, the factors influencing its success, and their contribution to poverty alleviation. 

In Bokeo, ForInfo focuses on using the inherent economic incentives in teak cultivation to contribute to sound livelihood systems for the communities, based on sustainable forest management principles. ForInfo , as a project of RECOFTC, is in the process of promoting a range of improvements to maximize benefits from teak plantation management by supporting smallholder plantation certification and linking them with micro-finance schemes. In this factsheet, the findings of the TFT-supported Luang Prabang Teak program (LPTP) provided the basis for the intervention in Bokeo.

Since 2009 RECOFTC through the Grassroots for Capacity Building for REDD+ in Asia project have been working to develop capacities of local partners in five countries (Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal and Viet Nam) to facilitate awareness raising on and initiatives to deal with climate change and REDD+.

Research shows that community forestry enterprises (CFE) in community forestry (CF) sites are restricted due to a number of factors: a lack of support by governments, combined with policies that undermine CFE’s viability; misconceptions by governments that communities are unable to manage forests in a sustainable manner;  and regulatory framework that favours private sector and state forest enterprises. These restrictions prevent CF members from developing and commercializing forest products, thereby only allowing them to benefit from their forests through a subsistence approach.

"The main argument for community forestry, in the context of climate change, is that it responds to multiple interests.  Forests, and in particular community forestry, represent a bundle of assets and benefits. They serve as a safety net in times of hardship and support critical ecosystems required for well-being.  The cases point out that while the contributions of community forestry to mitigation are well-recognized, in the case of adaptation, community forestry is equally well placed to support adaptive capacity, but this is not automatic." - Regan Suzuki

Violent conflict affects three quarters of Asia’s forests and tens of millions of people. In Cambodia, for example, nearly half of the 236 land conflicts recorded in 2009 escalated to violence. Because forest conflict is such a major issue in the region, we need a better understanding of the underlying causes, impacts, and management solutions. This issues paper sheds light on these topics, drawing lessons from eight new case studies.

This brief reviews a teak tree valuation methodology that attempts to ameliorate the risks inherent to borrowers and banks as well to ensure that community forestry principles and aims to improve livelihoods and capabilities are adaptable to existing social and economic pressures. The valuation method was created in tandem with the implementation of a smallholder forestry project in Bokeo, Lao PDR. The project was implemented by RECOFTC in conjunction with the Lao Provincial Organisation for Forestry and Agriculture (PAFO) and the Lao Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Planning the adaptation of agriculture and forestry landscapes to climate change remains challenging due to the need for integrating substantial amounts of information. This information ranges from climate scenarios, geographical site information, socio-economic data and several possible adaptation measures. Thus, there is an urgent need to have a framework that is capable of organizing adaptation strategies and measures in the agriculture and forestry sectors in Mediterranean climatic regions.

There is an urgent need for a global transition to sustainable and wildlife-friendly farming systems that provide social and economic equity and protect ecosystem services on which agriculture depends. Java is home to 60% of Indonesia’s population and harbors many endemic species; thus, managing agriculture alongside human well-being and biodiversity is vital. Within a community of ~400 coffee farmers in the province of West Java, we assessed the steps to develop a wildlife-friendly program until reaching certification between February 2019 and October 2020.

By declaring the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the UN has recognized that there are only 10 years left to restore the world's degraded land. Countries are striving to fight climate change by 2030 through their Paris Agreement commitments and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But in many cases, their climate and development agenda are disconnected, even though sustainability and development go hand in hand – especially for rural communities. The divide is particularly severe when it comes to restoring degraded land.