| What
is APFORGEN?
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| APFORGEN
is a programme and network to increase
conservation and sustainable use of
forest genetic resources (FGR) in the
Asia Pacific region. APFORGEN aims to
support and link national forest programmes,
research institutions, NGOs and individuals
interested in FGR in the region.
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| Why
APFORGEN?
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| Erosion
of forest genetic diversity is a threat
to ecosystems as well as livelihoods
of millions of people depending on them.
Forest species do not respect national
borders. Through regional networking
it is possible to gain synergy in research
and conservation activities and avoid
overlapping efforts. A lot remains to
do to conserve and sustainably utilize
many potentially useful and valuable
timber and other forest species.
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Conservation, improvement and effective management of forest genetic resources (FGR) is a basis to sustainable forest management but will require a holistic approach at various hierarchical levels (ecosystems, landscape, national and regional). While the concern of governments in managing their FGR has been increasing with the increasing introduction of relevant national policies and guidelines, there is a need to enhance regional collaboration and support national efforts on conservation and use of forest biological diversity despite the efforts already expended by international and regional organizations.
Bioversity International in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Association of Forestry Research Organizations (APAFRI) took the initiative to develop a regional network programme called the Asia Pacific Forest Genetic Resources Programme (APFORGEN) in 2003 with APAFRI hosting the secretariat with a modest seed funding from Bioversity International.
APFORGEN is a regional programme with a holistic approach to conservation and management of forest genetic resources in the Asia Pacific region. The broad objective of APFORGEN is to promote the management of tropical forest genetic resources diversity more equitably, productively and sustainable in the member countries. Its aim is to enhance technical, scientific cooperation, training and information exchange among members’ countries.
Fourteen countries in the Asia-Pacific region (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam) are members of the network. Twelve country representatives participated in the Inception Workshop held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2003 and since then the members’ countries have been actively participating in the network activities through providing country status updates, participating in workshops, meetings, training courses, symposium and planning of joint activities through emails consultation. This is and indication of national government which desire closer collaboration in FGR conservation and management.
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Highlights of the network in Year 2010
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The importance of FGR conservation continues to be recognized in many countries of the Asia Pacific region, the establishment of national PGR programmes has been hampered by a lack of commitment by policy markers and limited national capacity to conserve and manage FGR. The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) funded a project “Strengthening national capacity and regional collaboration for sustainable use of forest genetic resources in tropical Asia Project PD199/03. Rev.1 (F) from 2006 -2010 with aims to develop national and regional capacity to conserve and sustainable use of FGR and share information among the countries of tropical Asia. This project was jointly implemented by APAFRI and Bioversity International with Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) as the executing agency. Seven members of the network (Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand) participated in this project.
Between 2006 -2010, national capacities in sustainable use of FGR and regional collaboration between the APFORGEN countries were supported by this project. Countries organized national coordinators meetings, several national consultative workshops, trainings as well as international symposium.
Project activities concluded in 2010 with a training workshop on conservation and management of FGR in Coimbatore, India, July 2010. The workshop was jointly organized by APAFRI, Bioversity International and IFGTB. The workshop was inaugurated by Dr. P.A. Azeez, Director, Salim Ali Centre for Natural History and Ornithology, Coimbatore. Dr. Abd. Latif Mohmod, Director General, Forest Research Institute, Malaysia welcomed the participants. Dr. N. Krishna Kumar, Director, IFGTB gave the keynote address. The objective of this training workshop was to strengthen the capacity building, human resources and institution needs for FGR conservation.
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21 Researchers/foresters from seven countries participated in the workshop. |
The National focal point from the seven participating countries also had the opportunity to attend the XXIII IUFRO World Congress, Seoul, August 2010. Valuable experiences were learned from the keynote presentations of internationally renowned experts. The scientific programs were also a platform for exchanging of information, making contacts with fellow researchers and building partnership for research projects. |
Children's rendition of the IUFRO Congress theme.
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Posters on the current status, challenges, national priorities, policy and institutional support of each country were developed and displayed at the APAFRI booth throughout the congress. A side event on Asia Pacific Forest Genetic Resources was also organized. The side event was an opportunity for the seven national focal points to present their status updates, outputs and achievements from the project. Some of the achievements presented include the country status reports listing challenges to conservation and use of FGR in their respective countries. Some of the challenge reported includes knowledge gaps in research, lack of regulatory framework and strategic planning, land tenure and land use planning as well as lack of resources. Focal points also highlighted the recent initiatives for improving conservation and sustainable use. Some of the initiatives undertaken include development of legal and policy framework, institutional arrangements, research and conservation activities and information management.
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Dato' Dr. Abd. Latif Mohamod, Director General, FRIM welcoming the participants to the side event.
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APFORGEN’s work on display at XXIII IUFRO World Congress, Seoul, August 2010.
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| APFORGEN’s enthusiasm for continued regional collaboration reaffirmed. |
The results of a recent survey conducted among the APFORGEN national coordinators, participation in the national capacity building project had clearly strengthened the national programmes on forest genetic resources. The countries had received support to organize national working groups and identify their priorities for conservation and sustainable use for the resources.
They strongly expressed both the needs and the interest for continued and increased efforts to share information, enhance collaboration between researchers in the region, develop joint action plans, and attract funding, so that the activities of APFORGEN could continue and bear fruits also in the years to come.
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Accomplishments
Some of APFORGEN’s successful events:- |
- Inception workshop, 2003
- National Coordinators Meeting for South East Asia countries, 2004.
- National Coordinators Meeting for South Asia countries, 2005.
- National Coordinators Meetings, 2006 and 2007.
- Training course for researchers, 2007.
- National consultative workshops, 2007 and 2008.
- Training course for field staff, 2008 and 2010.
- International Symposium on Forest Genetic Resources, 2009.
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| Publications:- |
- Proceedings of the Asia Pacific Forest Genetic Resources Programme (APFORGEN) Inception Workshop, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 15 – 18 July 2003.
- Proceedings of the Asia Pacific Forest Genetic Resources Programme (APFORGEN) National Coordinators Meeting and International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) Project PD 199/03 Rev.3(F) Update, Dehradun, India, 15 -16 April 2006.
- International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) Project PD 199/03 Rev.3(F) Mid-term Review and the Asia Pacific Forest Genetic Resources Programme (APFORGEN) National Coordinators Meeting, Bogor, Indonesia, 5 -7 September 2007.
- Forest Genetic Resources Conservation and Management – National consultative workshops of seven South and Southeast Asian countries, 2009.
- Forest Genetic Resources Conservation and Management – Status in seven South and Southeast Asian countries, 2009.
- International Symposium on Forest Genetic Resources – Conservation and Sustainable Utilization towards Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation 5 – October 2009 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Extended Abstracts.
- Published information sheets for nine priority species (Acacia mangium, Azadirachta indica, Hopea odorata, Pinus merkusii, Pterocarpus indicus, Shorea leprosula, Tectona grandis, Eusideroxylon zwageri, Dalbergia cochinchinensis)
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