Work

The Forest Smallholders Project is testing solutions to the challenges faced by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in pilot projects. Lessons learnt from the pilots are documented and shared nationally, regionally and internationally. Where appropriate, lessons learnt are fed into policy processes and pilots upscaled nationally. The European Forest Institute (EFI) works with all actors relevant to MSMEs in forest product supply chains, namely national and local governments, local and national authorities, policy makers, industry associations, civil society organisations (CSOs), private and national development banks.

Work

The Forest Smallholders Project is testing solutions to the challenges faced by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in pilot projects. Lessons learnt from the pilots are documented and shared nationally, regionally and internationally. Where appropriate, lessons learnt are fed into policy processes and pilots upscaled nationally. The European Forest Institute (EFI) works with all actors relevant to MSMEs in forest product supply chains, namely national and local governments, local and national authorities, policy makers, industry associations, civil society organisations (CSOs), private and national development banks.

Supply chain analysis

Following an inception report to frame the scope of work, the Project conducted regulatory assessments of wood-based MSMEs in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. Fourteen timber products supply chains producing for domestic and international markets were analysed in the four Mekong countries from June 2017 to June 2018.

Pilot projects

Based on the assessments and stakeholder consultations, the Project selected specific supply chains for pilot projects. Through these pilots, the Project is testing approaches and tools to support MSMEs in overcoming challenges they face in their operations. Solutions tested and lessons learnt from the pilots are contributing to: building MSMEs’ technical and operational skills; supporting their access to legal timber and finance; promoting formal registration of informal entities; strengthening MSME networks; and supporting their participation in policy processes.

Lessons learned

An important aspect of the Project is the documentation and dissemination of lessons learnt from the pilot projects. Lessons are shared through publications, workshops, meetings with local and national stakeholders, and presentations at regional events. Lessons learnt are shared with policy makers and inform national policy processes, such as in the context of Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) supported by the EU FLEGT Asia Programme implemented by EFI.

Upscaling

Pilot projects are conducted in a specific geographical area. In these pilots, the Forest Smallholders Project works directly with MSME owners and workers, and engages stakeholders such as local and national authorities, policy makers, industry associations, civil society organisations (CSOs) and banks. Engaging all the stakeholders that are important for the MSMEs makes the pilots more effective and enables their upscaling.

The Project is upscaling some of the ongoing pilots by extending them to other areas. It is also working with stakeholders of national relevance, such as financial institutions, national policy makers and national industry associations that participate in national reform processes. By working with these institutions, the Project is upscaling the approach tested in pilots to the national level. At the same time, the Project is engaging in regional policy platforms, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to raise awareness about MSME challenges and solutions at the regional level.

About the Forest Smallholders Project

Since 2016, the European Forest Institute (EFI) has been supporting wood-based micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in four Mekong countries to operate legally and sustainably. Under its Forest Smallholders Project, EFI has been testing solutions to MSMEs’ key challenges in pilot projects. Lessons learnt from these pilots are documented and disseminated nationally, regionally and internationally. Through its support to MSMEs, the Project promotes gender equality and women’s economic empowerment in the forest sector.

Disclaimer

This website has been produced with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of the authors and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of funding organisations.