Below the forest canopy, many products are harvested and traded by communities and their community forest producer groups. These non-timber forest products (NTFP) significantly contribute to the livelihoods and incomes of approximately 1.3 billion people who depend on forest resources and services. Despite the importance of the NTFP trade, it often goes unnoticed compared to the very visible timber trade. 

Community-Based Non-Timber Forest Product Enterprises (CBNE) stimulates income generation for indigenous and rural communities and promotes conservation of natural resources through forest protection and sustainable harvest practices. Considering the growth of social forestry programs in South and Southeast Asia, the potential of CBNEs in the health and beauty, food, cosmetics, furniture and craft, textile and other industries are often overlooked as CBNEs are considered market players with little capacity, scale and market access. They often lack the organization and consolidation capacities that allow them to approach the market strategically and capitalize on their unique points of leverage. A dynamic and supportive political environment is still to be seen for these enterprises to become successful. 

Non-Timber Forest Products – Exchange Programme (NTFP-EP), recognizing the untapped potential of thousands of CBNEs across the region and their vast contribution to community well-being and forest conservation, will organize a forum to channel the public’s focus on CBNEs. The online forum will foster information exchange, capacity enhancement, market engagement, and political action in support of CBNEs. It will provide a venue for sharing, exchanging, partnering, and bringing the issues of the understory to light. It will be an opportunity for CBNEs to grow, connect, and navigate in the new normal as attention and action are solicited from more sectors, more segments, and more generations.

For further information on the forum topics and program please visit the official website: https://www.forestharvestforum.com

IFSA is an official co-organizer at the Forest Harvest: Community-based NTFP Enterprises (CBNE) Forum from June 1 – 5 2021 and there are several activities for IFSA members to get involved as part of the digital delegation or as volunteers in different functions. The activities of engagement for participants are manifold and include:

• Be part of a team coordinating a forum session
• Creating content for and managing the communication channels
• Cover social media of single sessions, side activities, or the whole forum
• Support the language team: translating of texts, creating subtitles
• Participate in or coordinate a Hackathon
• Support the Daily Forum Newsletter publication

Is coming soon…

If you are interested in the above engagement, please mark so in the open call application. It is possible to engage in more than one task, but also to only register as a normal delegate, who could participate in event sessions without further tasks. 

→ Apply for delegates: http://bit.ly/IFSACBNE

With IFSA being an official co-organizer, all tickets for IFSA members will be free of charge. IFSA members should register on the website as students. If some members have just graduated and no longer use .edu accounts or the type used for education, please write an email to cbne.tf@ifsa.net to request a partner code.

Meet the Team