AFoCO successfully organized the 3rd Regional Workshop on Developing Country-Level Roadmaps for the Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) Project (AFoCO/035/2022) from November 5-8, 2024, at the Four Points by Sheraton in Bali, Indonesia. The workshop brought together 34 participants, including 25 representatives from 14 AFoCO member countries, 6 resource persons from NTFP-EP Asia, and 4 members from the AFoCO Secretariat.
The workshop focused on enhancing the capacity of country project teams to develop strategic roadmaps for Community-Based Enterprises (CBEs) and sustainable NTFP management. The event provided a platform to review country project progress, share best practices, and strengthen policy frameworks to improve local community livelihoods through NTFP enterprises. Key sessions covered Introduction to NTFP Roadmap Development, Assessing Bottlenecks and Risks, Stakeholder Engagement and Policy Alignment, and Monitoring and Evaluation for Roadmap Implementation. These sessions encouraged knowledge sharing, enabling attendees to explore challenges and opportunities unique to their respective countries.
A field trip to the Yayasan Bambu Lingkungan Lestari (YBLL) in Nyambu Village and the Penglipuran Village offered participants hands-on exposure to sustainable NTFP management, eco-tourism practices, and the critical role of women in community-based bamboo enterprises.
The workshop concluded with discussions on future activities, including a Regional Trade Fair in 2025 to showcase project outcomes. The event was praised for its impactful sessions, collaborative spirit, and contributions to advancing sustainable NTFP practices across Asia.
Drafted by Tluang Hmung Thang, Myanmar Fellowship Official and Submitted by Hae Won Son, Assistant Program Officer, Special Funds Project Team
