DOWNLOAD: Promoting the Rights and Livelihoods of Forest and Farm Producers in Asia
Seeing the Forests and the Farms Together: Promoting the Rights and Livelihoods of Forest and Farm Producers in Asia, AFA Issue Paper, Volume 7, Number 2, August 2015
There is a very close relationship between forestry and farming. Both forests and farms are a source of food (both from plants and animals), nutrition, health, and livelihoods for family farmers. Besides, forests provide sources for fuel, energy, water, and medicines. Forests beautify and contribute to biodiversity in a particular landscape.
Many women and men farmers in Asia live inside or near forest areas and as such, are also engaged in gathering and producing food, wood, and other products from the forests. Moreover, they plant their crops near forests and often strive to augment their incomes by engaging in a farm as well as forest-based production and services. Many people who live inside forests are also into farming. Out of 17 member organizations in 13 countries of the Asian Farmers’ Association (AFA), 10 member organizations in nine (9) countries have members or partner farmer groups living inside or near forests.
This issue paper looks at the situation of farmers living inside or near forest areas, i.e. in forested landscapes. It examines the challenges confronting forest and farm producers in Asia and presents their initiatives and recommendations on how to address these challenges. The content of this paper is drawn from the output of nine national consultation workshops (done by AFA members in Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Nepal, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan) participated by 250 persons, as well as from a regional sharing and learning session wherein 52 representatives from 15 AFA member organizations and partners in 12 countries participated.
According to FAO, “farm and forest producers are women and men, smallholder families, indigenous peoples, and local communities who have strong relationships with forests and farms in forested landscapes. Such producers grow, manage, harvest and process a wide range of natural resource-based goods and services for subsistence use and for sale in local, national or international markets.”
Published by AFA with support from the Forest and Farm Facility
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