INTERNATIONAL TROPICALTIMBER ORGANIZATION

Helps communities benefit
economically from sustainable
forest use and add value to theirforest resources.

CFME

Improves local forest governancethrough partnership building.

Provides capacity building andtraining to support sustainablecommunity enterprises.

Community member from Cordillera del Condor.
Photo: Fundacion Natura

ENHANCING
COMMUNITYLIVELIHOODS& ECONOMICRESILIENCE
THROUGH THE
SUSTAINABLE
USE OF FORESTPRODUCTS.

Over 1.6 billion people depend on forests for theirlivelihoods.1 Forests provide income, employment,
food and a range of other goods and services.
However, due to high levels of poverty, poor
governance, education and training, and limited
market opportunities, many communities use
their forest resources unsustainably which leads
to deforestation and forest degradation. Even whencommunities are able to start their own forest-based
enterprises, a lack of human, financial and physicalassets means they struggle to compete with larger
businesses. Opportunities to develop into mediumsized industrial enterprises and truly add value
are almost non-existent.
1Factsheet, United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), 2011.

THROUGH 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, ITTO HAS DEVELOPED INNOVATIVEAND EFFECTIVE METHODS FOR CAPACITY BUILDING, AND DISSEMINATEDCRITICAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION AND LESSONS LEARNED ON THE
DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY FOREST ENTERPRISES (CFEs).
CASE STUDY: GHANA
The Ashanti, Eastern and Volta Regions of Ghana
are home to numerous communities who rely on
the forest environment for their homes, food andlivelihoods. In these communities, the sustainable
management of forested areas is vital to reducing
poverty and forest degradation.
Recognizing this need, ITTO initiated a projectto help local farmers establish community forest
enterprises (CFEs) and build capacity in sustainable
forest management (SFM). Working with local
farmers, ITTO provided training in farming methods
and skills, and viable business management practices
to encourage community members to start theirown businesses.
As a result, ITTO helped establish numerous CFEs,providing 150 farmers and their families with morediverse and secure sources of income. The establishedmodel is now applied to 10,000 farmers in the area.
Ultimately, the project enhanced local livelihoodsthrough the promotion of new CFEs and improved
community participation in SFM.

A nursery established by a group of women to help
rehabilitate degraded forest lands in the Volta Region.
Photo: Polycarpe Masupa-Kambale

INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER ORGANIZATIONPROGRAMME OVERVIEW
ITTO’s Community Forest Management and Enterprises (CFME) Programme provides solutions for the sustainable
development and use of forests by local communities. Supported by a streamlined and effective funding process,forest communities, civil society organisations, government agencies, donors and the private sector are invitedto submit project proposals that are aligned with the goals of SFM and the needs of forest communities. Proposals
are then assessed and prioritized to determine those that will create dynamic partnerships among stakeholders.
1) Strengthening Community-Level Capacity in SFM and Adding Value to Forest Resources.
• Deliver pilot and demonstration projects to support capacity building offorest communities and community enterprises.
• Provide training for CFEs in managerial and technical skills.
• Support capacity building of community-based cooperatives, such as trading
associations, alliances and networks.
2) Strengthening Country Capacity and Enabling Conditions in the Development of CFEs.
• Enhance social and natural assets through improved land tenure and resource rights,and cooperation between community organisations.
• Design and generate improved policy, legal and institutional frameworks to promote CFEs.
3) Strengthening Knowledge Management.
• Support knowledge generation of community forestry and CFEs, including traditional
indigenous forest uses and management methods.
• Enhance knowledge sharing and dissemination of lessons through partnership-building
across national, regional and international bodies.

The Shuar people of Ecuador. Photo: Fundacion Natura

THE COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT & ENTERPRISES (CFME) PROGRAMME DELIVERS BENEFITS FOR:FOREST
DEPENDENTCOMMUNITIESTHEPRIVATE SECTOR

GOVERNMENT& THE PUBLIC
SECTORDONORS & THE
INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITYTHE
ENVIRONMENTIMPACT: Increases
access to resources,
skills and knowledge
resulting in poverty
reduction and improved,
more resilient
livelihoods.

IMPACT: Expands thesupply of sustainable
forest products andstrengthens cooperation
with local communities
through effective
corporate social
responsibility practices.

IMPACT: Improves
governance, policy
decisions andinstitutional capacity ineducation and researchthrough better access toinformation.

IMPACT: Enhances
investments that provide
direct impacts on theground; economic
stability, poverty
reduction and improved
livelihoods for local
communities.

IMPACT: Adds value toforest resources,
reduces deforestationand forest degradation,and enhances forest
quality.

INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER ORGANIZATIONWHAT WE
CAN ACHIEVEPARTNERWITH USThe Community Forest Management and Enterprises(CFME) Programme presents a vitally important
opportunity to contribute to the development of forest
communities by supporting national and global goals
on sustainable development. Increased financial
support to CFME will allow communities to develop
their own methods of economic resilience, and help
manage and protect our planet’s natural resourcesin more sustainable ways.

To successfully deliver the Community Forest
Management and Enterprises (CFME) Programmeover the next three years, ITTO requires anadditional US$5 million per year. This will
deliver significant livelihood improvements forcommunities in Africa, Asia and Latin Americaand support the development of sustainable
forest products for local and global markets.

There is an increasing global demand for high value,socially responsible products such as construction
materials and sustainably sourced non-timber forest
products. Since forest communities provide theseproducts, by strengthening their ability to sustainably
manage their forest resources, and assisting
CFEs to add value to forest products and services,
the CFME Programme is helping communities gain
access to international markets. This connects
global markets with local solutions for the effective
management and use of forests, resulting in more
economically resilient communities that benefit fromforests over the long term, reduced poverty levels,and sustainable development.

The CFME Programme is just one of ITTO’s key
areas of work and we need your support to deliver
it successfully. Download our Strategic Action Planfor 2013-2018 at www.itto.int/publicity_materials,
which outlines ITTO’s programmes of work andopportunities for donor support. For more
information please contact tp@itto.int.
By partnering together, we can help sustain theworld’s tropical forests. Our work over the last
30 years has reduced forest degradation, delivered
improved governance systems and created more
resilient livelihoods but there is still much toachieve. To learn more about ITTO, the Community
Forest Management and Enterprises Programme,
and how to support our projects, visit us atwww.itto.int.

WHY ITTOTO ENHANCECOMMUNITY FOREST ENTERPRISES?

International Tropical
Timber Organization (ITTO)
International Organizations Centre, 5F
Paciﬁco-Yokohama 1-1-1 Minato-Mirai,
Nishi-ku Yokohama, 220-0012 Japan
T +81-45-223-1110
F +81-45-223-1111
E itto@itto.int

Since 1989, ITTO has gained in-depth knowledge
and experience through the implementation of morethan 85 results-driven community forestry projectsin 36 countries, which cover approximately 80% of
the world’s tropical forests. With investments of morethan US$40 million in community forestry, we havean unparalleled track record of engagement infield-level activities in countries across Africa, Asiaand Latin America.
To date, programme evaluations have consistently
demonstrated that CFME projects have hada significant impact on country and community
capacity in a broad range of forestry and related
business operations.

Cordillera del Condor, Ecuador.
Photo: Fundacion Natura