Building-up partnerships for community forestry: The ACIAR Smallholder Forestry Project experience

Abstract

This paper reports experiences of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) Smallholder Forestry Project in the establishment of working relationships with a people’s organisation in Leyte Province, Philippines. Strategies adopted in building a partnership with the organisation through the establishment of a community nursery, conduct of field trial research and the emerging practical impacts on smallholders are specifically discussed. Information presented in this paper is the outcome of documented field experiences during the research as well as informal discussions with members of the people’s organisation. This project illustrates that within-community research can be an effective extension tool if local people are given the chance to participate in all stages of planning and implementation. Mere participation in research activities, however, is not enough. Continuing interaction between the researchers and the local people is crucial in paving the way to partnership building. The developmental partnership that was established has created practical impacts which may lead to more widespread adoption and promotion of farm and community forestry in Leyte Province.