Towards an enabling environment for small and medium forest enterprise development
Document type: report
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Abstract:
This policy brief discusses the challenges in the promotion of small and medium forest enterprises (SMFEs) that extract, process and market timber products (logs or sawnwood) or non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and examines the role of government and non-governmental agencies, as well as SMFEs and their business partners in the process. These SMFEs are located at or near the resource base, and typically pursue multiple objectives, including employment and income generation, distribution of dividends among stakeholders, community development, greater participation in political dialogue, and improved local safety nets. Access to forest-based resources may be collective or private. Enterprise governance is usually influenced strongly by local rules, practices and customs. Owners of SMFEs may include anything from a handful of founding members to hundreds of small-scale producers or community members. Several market trends favour the development of SMFEs, including: (1) growing scarcity and consequent price increases of a number of tropical hardwoods from natural forests; (2) increased tourism, providing expanding markets for handicrafts and ecotourism; (3) specialized export markets, e.g., certified wood products, fair trade NTFPs, and bio-ingredients; (4) growing domestic markets for furniture, construction wood and certain NTFPs, such as bamboo, rattan and palm hearts; (5) greater awareness of forest certification and ecosystem services and the need to pay for them.
Note:
International Conference on Small and Medium Forest Enterprise Development for Poverty Reduction : Opportunities and Challenges in Globalizing Markets, held in Costa Rica, 23 to 25 May 2006
Authors:
Donovan, J.
,
Stoian, D.
,
Grouwels, S.
,
Macqueen, D.
,
Leeuwen, A. van
,
Boetekees, G.
,
Nicholson, K.
Series Title:
Policy brief
Category:
Policy
Keywords:
forestry
,
enterprises
,
public administration
,
private sector
Language:
eng
Organization:
ICCO - Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation
,
SNV - Netherlands Development Organisation
PAGE:
[6]
Place:
[The Hague]
Publisher:
SNV [etc.]
Year:
2006
Right:
© 2006 CATIE, FAO, IIED, SNV, ICCO
Subject:
Agriculture and Rural Development
Title:
Towards an enabling environment for small and medium forest enterprise development