Finance for Integrated Landscape Management: Processes that support integrated landscape initiatives and make access to finance more inclusive

This methodology helps identify the key stakeholders linked to financial flows for integrated landscape management, their perspectives and motivations, and the mechanisms used to channel funding from investors through brokers or intermediaries to individual or recipient groups that support integrated landscape initiatives

Report on implementation of the Landscape Assessment of Financial Flows (LAFF) in the Juabeso–Bia and Sefwi–Wiawso Landscape

In 2018 to support collaborative landscape initiatives, Tropenbos International and EcoAgriculture Partners partnered to develop the Landscape Assessment of Financial Flows (LAFF) methodology. This practical two–phase approach helps stakeholders identify local sources of finance for new investment ideas, [to] find the current financial flows that are most in need of transformation, and better understand the elements of a landscape’s financial context that require support. This report summarizes the results of a pilot application of both phases of LAFF in the Juabeso–Bia and Sefwi–Wiawso (JBSW) landscape in Ghana and discusses the possible implications for the design of an integrated landscape finance strategy in that landscape

Report on implementation of the Landscape Assessment of Financial Flows (LAFF) in Gunung Tarak Landscape, Indonesia

In 2018 to support collaborative landscape initiatives, Tropenbos International and EcoAgriculture Partners partnered to develop the Landscape Assessment of Financial Flows (LAFF) methodology. This practical two–phase approach helps stakeholders identify local sources of finance for new investment ideas, [to] find the current financial flows that are most in need of transformation, and better understand the elements of a landscape’s financial context that require support. This report summarizes the results of a pilot application of both phases of LAFF in the Gunung Tarak Landscape in Indonesia from September 2018 until July 2019 and discusses the possible implications for the design of an integrated landscape finance strategy in that landscape

Landscape Assessment of Financial Flows: Lessons learned from pilot implementation

Collaborative landscape initiatives demonstrate enormous potential to mobilize stakeholders across sectors, supporting them to work together on shared objectives. This meets a wide range of human needs, economic goals and ecosystem objectives. However, implementing these partnerships is challenging. Perspectives, values and ways of working differ greatly among partners; in many cases there is a legacy of misunderstanding and distrust. Strategies and tools are needed to overcome the resulting tendency for stalemate and conflict

FTA Highlight No.10 – Sustainable Value Chains, Finance and Investment in Forestry and Tree Commodities

The growth of the global and domestic trade in agricultural and forest (primarily timber) commodities over the past decade has driven an expansion of their production, a significant portion of which takes place in tropical lands. This is leading to a significant increase in environmental impacts that are linked to deforestation and forest fragmentation, biodiversity loss and rising carbon emissions. Negative social impacts are also increasing; they include threats to local food and nutrition security, and to the tenure rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Positive impacts include support for the livelihoods of the smallholder farmers who depend on commodity crops

An Assessment of raw materials used in the handicraft industry in Masaya and Masatepe, Nicaragua

1 ilus. 6 tab. 6 ref.El estudio se realiz? en los municipios de Masaya y Masatepe, Nicaragua, dos importantes ?reas de producci?n y comercializaci?n de artesan?as. Se realizaron encuestas entre propietarios de talleres de artesan?as de madera y fibra, intermediarios y vendedores del mercado de artesan?as de Masaya. La mayor?a de los talleres que trabajan con madera en Masaya son empresas peque?as con uno a cinco trabajadores. El intermediario es el principal agente de comercializaci?n, tanto de la materia prima usada por los talleres como de las artesan?as. Los productos se exportan a los pa?ses centroamericanos, principalmente a Costa Rica. El sector forestal debe prestar m?s atenci?n a la industria artesanal pues es una importante fuente consumidora de productos forestales que beneficia a los productores y les incentiva para el manejo y conservaci?n de sus bosques. The study was carried out in the municipalities of Masaya and Masatepe, Nicaragua two important crafts production and trading centers. Surveys were carried out among the workshop owners of wooden and fiber crafts, middlemen and salespersons within the crafts? market in Masaya. Most of the wooden crafts workshops in Masaya are small businesses with one to five workers. The middleman is the main commercialization agent of raw material used by the shops, as well as of the crafts. Crafts main destination is the Central American countries, especially Costa Rica. The forest sector should pay more attention to the handcraft industry, as an important consumer of forest products. This would benefit producers, encouraging them to the management and conservation of their tropical forests

Understanding the Impacts of Financial Flows in the Landscape

Donors and non-governmental organizations are showing increased interest in integrated landscape initiatives (ILIs), where landscape stakeholders work together to achieve common goals related to development, climate change and conservation. In order to support the work of ILIs, we developed a novel methodology with which stakeholders—organized in multi-stakeholder partnerships—can assess how financial flows in the landscape are impacting their common goals and to identify funding gaps. Piloting the methodology in three landscapes in Indonesia, Ghana and Vietnam, we found that there were trade-offs between ensuring broad stakeholder participation in the assessments (to capture different perspectives) and the level of technical and quantifiable detail that could be acquired. The methodology effectively contributed to a common understanding among landscape-level stakeholders and triggered discussions on methods in which financial flows can be adapted to reduce their negative impacts or increase their positive impacts. It also functioned as a basis for the development of joint action plans and to initiate collaborations with the providers of financial flows that have potential to contribute to common landscape objectives. In addition to promoting common understanding and providing a basis for the development of action plans, we conclude that implementing the methodology also helped with strengthening the landscape partnerships themselves