RECOFTC was founded in 1987 with funding from the Asian Development Bank, the Government of Switzerland, and Kasetsart University. Since 1991, RECOFTC has had its own facilities located on the campus of Kasetsart University in Bangkok, Thailand. These include classrooms, offices, seminar rooms and accommodation for 25 trainees and resource persons. RECOFTC's mandate is to organise, provide, facilitate and support training for community forestry in the Asia Pacific Region. RECOFTC's activities include provision of training courses, seminars, research, operation of the Forest, Trees and People Programme Network (with FAO support) and publications. The Director of RECOFTC put forward to DFIDSEA in 1993 a proposal for DFID support to community forestry training and documentation at the Centre.

Institutional strengthening of Regional Community Forestry Training Centre (RECOFTC) through provision of fellowships, technical assistance and equipment for the Document Centre.

• Most appropriate candidates attend courses and seminars.
• Courses and seminars of high quality developed and held annually.
• Upgraded Document Centre increasingly being used.