B7-6201/97-20/VIII/FOR "Training and Mobilisation of Key Actors in the Formulation and Implementation of National Forest Programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa" by The African Academy of Sciences (AAS)

Objective : To enhance country capacities to plan and to implement sound National Forest Programmes in a cost-effective manner and in consonance with the new forestry paradigm.

Beneficiaries : Senior policy/decision makers from participating countries and potential donors; Key forestry officials in participating and other countries; Other stakeholder groups - particularly relevant NGOs, universities and the private sector

Results : Plans for the implementation of National Forest Programmes in SSA with recommendations for solving forest policy issues at national level.

Activities : Analyse lessons from National Forest Programmes. Develop guidelines for participatory training. The guidelines will cover criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management, forest certification, climate change, biodiversity, etc. Sensitise participating countries on changes in forest policy and management. Use "train-the-trainer" approach. Support participants in forming National Task Force and in training grassroots level. Support members of the national task force to develop their country-specific framework paper and encourage them to continue to share their experiences in regional workshops. The training workshops on emerging guidelines will rely on participatory approaches, which allow maximum contributions from participants and ETFAG members. Evaluate the quality of the training and of the guidelines. Prepare and distribute questionnaires to participants on the impact of the training on the work within their organisations and ETFAG members.

Coordination: Ongoing FAO sponsored activities under the NFP process and with the joint EC/World Bank/FAO Congo Basin process.