Yokohama, Japan, 9 November 2022: An agenda item on ITTO’s Strategic Action Plan and a proposed resource mobilization strategy generated passionate debate among delegates on day three of the 58th session of the International Tropical Timber Council. The Council agreed to approve the strategy, with amendments.

Also today, the Committee on Reforestation and Forest Management declared four projects, two pre-projects and four activities completed and reviewed the progress of four ongoing projects. Of those declared completed, two enabled Guatemala and Cambodia to prepare for REDD+ by building the capacity of local authorities and improving the livelihoods of communities.

The project in Guatemala helped build participatory and inclusive processes to counter deforestation and forest degradation in the department of Quiché. It was implemented because of the high rates of deforestation and poverty in the department and the need, therefore, to increase forest-based income.

The project developed REDD+-based alternatives to ensure the conservation and sustainable management of local forests, as well as economic options for communities living in conditions of extreme poverty. Four pilot sites were restored and the communities living near these sites were trained in forest landscape restoration.

The project developed participatory processes based on organizational structures related to resource management and the use and tenure of forests by communities, municipalities and other stakeholders. It established agreements on forest management and trade and strengthened the collection of the information needed for forest management and planning.

The project also developed and implemented sustainable forest management plans for the conservation of community forests, including by running 14 training workshops on the Forest Incentive Programme for Small Forest and Agroforestry Landholders. Training in management practices was based on a “learning by doing” approach and included translation into the Ixil language. The project supported and strengthened the knowledge of existing organized groups and community forest associations, in coordination with municipal and national agencies. The project designed a REDD+ project for external funding encompassing 12 municipalities in the departments of Quiché, Huehuetenango and Alta Verapaz.

Read more about the project here. 

In Cambodia, the country’s Forestry Administration received funding from ITTO to implement a project in Tumring Forest in Kampong Thom province to address REDD+ challenges, building on the experiences of previous projects.

The Committee on Reforestation and Forest Management heard that the project helped strengthen the capacity of government staff at the national and local levels in the monitoring of sustainable forest management through capacity-building programmes. It assisted the development of land-use planning in community forestry, which will help minimize forest–land conflicts and foster good governance for effective community forestry. The project strengthened leadership in participating local communities on forest management and increased opportunities for sustainable livelihoods through applied agroforestry and intensive farming practices.

The project contributed to the implementation of Cambodia’s national REDD+ strategy, which emphasizes the development and implementation of enabling policies and measures to address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation. The land-use planning and forest survey of the project sites were helpful in reviewing the achievement of the national target of maintaining 60% forest cover. The project’s achievements will help Cambodia participate in international efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation while pursuing national goals.

Also today, the Council considered items on the quorum (agenda item 2), the report of the Credentials Committee (agenda item 9), matters related to Article 19 of the ITTA, 2006 on the Administrative Account (agenda item 11) and the extension of the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 2006 (agenda item 12). The Joint Session of the Committees reconvened to receive a report on ex-post evaluations and a report of the Expert Panel for Project and Pre-project Appraisal. The Committee on Finance and Administration also convened today.