FOREST

FOR-CC provides capacity building to improve the cooperation of ASEAN Member States on climate change-related key topics in agriculture and forestry. On the regional level FOR-CC promotes dialogue, exchange of knowledge, and policy development through relevant ASEAN bodies and networks, based on the strong commitment and contributions of ASEAN Member States. On the national level or in local pilot activities FOR-CC supports ASEAN Member States in implementing regional agreements as well as guidelines and to create best practices that can be shared in ASEAN.

“one step to move the meeting is by proposing FLEGT related discussions into the agenda of the 15th Meeting of PAN ASEAN Timber Certification Initiative in May 2016. One of the highlights is to discuss the status of the implementation of four ASEAN documents related to timber legality and sustainable forest management. That is the right place to present and discuss it,” told Bruno from FAO.

Two project components address the interrelated issue of forestry and agriculture in the face of climate change. In the forestry component the project works with ASEAN specialised bodies in improving the regional and national frameworks for REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) and FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade). The component on climate smart value chains supports the ASEAN Climate Resilience Network (ASEAN-CRN) to promote the scaling-up of climate smart agriculture practices in Southeast Asia.

Lao representatives from the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI), the Maize and Cash Crop Research Center and Provincial Departments of Agricultural and Forestry, expressed their keen interest to replicate the model of “Village Based Maize Seed Production” to boost the resilience of Lao maize farmers to climate change and to overcome some of the challenges the Lao maize sector is facing. Mr. Viengsavanh Phimphachanhvongsod, Deputy Director in the Planning and Cooperation Division of NAFRI, explained “maize farmers in Laos usually use open pollinated rather than hybrid seeds which have a higher yield potential. Hybrid seeds currently have to be imported from other ASEAN countries, and hence are very costly for Lao farmers”. Dr. Viengsavanh estimates that 50% of the cost for importing maize seeds could be saved if Laos is able to breed its own seeds using parent breeding materials from Thailand.