Support to Regional Agroforestry (Asia-Pacific Region). Terminal statement

The Asia-Pacific Agoforestry Network (APAN) was established in 1991 during Phase I of project GCP/RAS/133/JPN "Agroforestry Systems Research and Development in the Asia-Pacific" which preceded the present project, TCP/RAS/2357(C). APAN's long-term development objective was formulated to assist member countries - Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam toward achieving sustainable production with traditional farming systems and to raise the socio-economic status of small-holder farmer households through the improvement or adoption of environmentally sound and economically viable agrogroforestry practices, activities and programmes. One of the means to achieving this objective was the establishment and development of a responsive and effective regional network, to provide support for agroforestry coordination mechanisms, information and technology exchange, training and extension, and innovative field activities.Project TCP/RAS/2357(C) "Support to Regional Agroforestry", was approved in February 1993 with a budget of US$ 89 000 for a 3 month bridging period between APAN projects GCP/RAS/133/JPN Phase I and GCP/RAS/133/JPN Phase II. A request for technical assistance was submitted by three APAN member country governments - Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand - to ensure a smooth transition into Phase II - for which the Government of Japan indicated a positive response, but for which the funds were not immediately forthcoming. The project would, through APAN, guarantee the continuance of on-going activities. The assistance supported: agroforestry field-level activities in Indonesia with the cooperation of Government and NGOs; the establishment of two agroforestry demonstration sites in West Java; fifteen Indonesian participants and observers attended the international training course on "Sustainable Land Use Systems and Agroforestry Research for the Humid Tropics of Asia", held 26 April to 15 May, 1993, in Bogor, Indonesia, and in West Sumatra; the Indonesia National Agroforestry Workshop in Bogor, which was to be the basis for the development of a national agroforestry programme; and some financial assistance and information on forest management and field visits for a seminar at the First ASEAN Forestry Students Congress, organized by Bogor Agricultural University.As a follow up to the regional consultations, meetings, workshops and training courses, APAN should continue focusing on agroforestry development at the national level. Involvement in the UNDP-supported Farmer-centred Agricultural Resources Management (FARM) Agroforestry Sub-programme (RAS/93/064), should provide more funds and opportunities for APAN support of in- country activities.As there is an increasing need for agroforestry information exchange and synthesis in the region, APAN should continue to play an important role in providing information services to its member countries