Upscaling innovations towards prosperity through locally controlled forest and farm business models

Duncan Macqueen, Anna Bolin, Martin Greijmans,

Sophie Grouwels, Shoana Humphries (2016)

Relevance of locally controlled forest farm business

Lots of them – they directly affect 2.4

billion people

Their owners live with the consequences

their business decisions – favouring

sustainability

Their local benefits could incentivise

landscape restoration - on a huge scale

Their benefits go beyond financial returns -

delivering broad-based prosperity

But this potential goes undiscerned by

consumers and governments

Two definitions

Prosperity

“That which

people value in

line with the

common good”

Human development

“The processes that direct people’s freedoms

to do and be what they value and have reason

to value in line with the common good, and

that empowers them in that pursuit”

Two observations

Humanity’s significant

evolutionary advantage

“Shared ideologies that

mobilise organised action

around particular values”

Business models

“Shared ideologies

that attempt to

deliver what

human’s value”

For a rich

elite?

For the

common

good?

What do humans value? What is prosperity?

Basis of action Familiarity – values of appreciation Creativity – values of passion Common interest – values of relationship

Ideological value pursuit

Locally controlled business models aligned with the common good

Development outcome

Conserved abundance and beauty for all

Healthy levels of material comfort

Productive society with gender-equal opportunities

Decent work andsocial stability

Widespread equity and trust

Law and order for social justice

Business constructs

Democratic oversight of resource rights and land-use

Democratic control of business-derived well-being

Democratic decisions on business aims and structures

Democratic support for vocational education

Democratic cooperation towards inclusive market access

Democratic representation in decision-making and law enforcement

What humans value

(a) Stewardship of natural and cultural heritage

(b) Material health and wellbeing

(c) Sense of identity/ purpose

(d) Creative fulfilment of potential

(e) Affirmative social relationships

(f) Present and future security

Business constructs

Capital elites control resource rights and land use

Capital shareholderscontrol business corporations

Capital accumulation drives business aims and brand

Cheap non-unionised labourminimises costs

Monopolised market access drives up prices

Corrupted officials and judiciary protect elites

Development outcome

Scarcity and restricted beauty

Inequitable vulnerability

Culture of sexist consumerism

Drudgery and social unrest

Widespread inequity and securitisation

Corruption, conflict and injustice

Ideological value pursuit Capital controlled business models aligned with self interest of a few

What innovations do locally controlled

business demonstrate in terms of prosperity?

Our sample: 50 case studies – 36 from Forest

Connect case studies

24 countries (8 Latin American, 7 African, 9 Asia)

20 Timber businesses, 27 NTFP businesses, 3 Service

businesses

22 cooperatives, 16 commercial associations, 7

group businesses, 3 family businesses, 2 federations

or unions

Business name(a) Stewardship of natural and cultural heritage

(b) Material health and wellbeing

(c) Sense of identity/ purpose

(d) Creative fulfilment of potential

(e) Affirmative social relationships

(f) Present and future security

Country, business name, product types including timber, Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) and services.

1 Bolivia, AIMCU, TimberX

2 Bolivia, APMIL, NTFP - HoneyX

3 Brazil, COOMFLONA, Timber, NTFPs – latex, oils, seedsX

4 Burkina Faso, Yemboama Union, NTFPs – fruit, gum, honeyX

5 Cambodia, CBHE, NTFP – HoneyX

6 Cambodia, Mondulkiri Forest Venture, NTFPs – honey, resin, bambooX

7 Cambodia, Rattan Association of Cambodia (RAC), NTFP - rattanX

8 Cameroon, Mixed Farmer Common Initiative Group, NTFPs – Seedlings, honey, Services - ecotourismX

9 Chile, SSC Wood Technologies S.A., TimberX

10 Ecuador, Allpabambu, NTFP - bambooX

11 Ecuador, Asociación Rio 7, NTFP - bambooX

12 Ethiopia, Aburo Cooperative, NTFP – frankincenseX

13 Ethiopia, Birbirsa Cooperative, NTFP - coffeeX

14 Gambia, Tumani Tenda Ecotourism Enterprise, Services - EcotourismX

15 Gambia, Kombo Cashew Farmers Association (KCFA), NTFP - cashewX

16 Guatemala, ACOFOP, TimberX

17 Guatemala, Chachaklum, Forest Management ServicesX

18 Guatemala, Fedecovera, Timber, NTFPs – cardamom, tea, coffee, cocoa, essential oils, allspice, X X

19 Guatemala, Suchitecos, TimberX

20 Guatemala, XateMayaland Committee, NTFP – Xate palm leafX

21 Honduras, CAIFUL, Timber X X

22 Honduras, COATAHL, TimberX

23 Honduras, Moskibatana, NTFP – Batana OilX X

24 Indonesia, KHJL, TimberX

25 Indonesia, KWLM, TimberX X

26 Indonesia, KWML, TimberX

27 Kenya, Kisii Tree Planters Association (KTPA), TimberX

28 Kenya, South Coast Forest Owners Association (SCOFOA), Timber , NTFP – mango and neem X

29 Lao PDR, Keoset, NTFP – CoffeeX

30 Lao PDR, Teak smallholders - TimberX

31 Lao PDR, Houaphanh Handicraft groups - Bamboo X

32 Mexico, Ejido El Largo, TimberX X

33 Mexico, UCFAS, Timber furnitureX X

34 Mexico, TIP Muebles, Furniture retail X

35 Myanmar, La Myang Community Forest Rattan and Bamboo Group Business, NTFP – rattanX

36 Nepal, Himalayan Bio Trade Pvt Ltd, PaperX

37 Nepal, Himalayan Natural Pvt LtdX

38 Nepal, Chisapani community forestry user groups (CFUG) - Fuelwood and timberX X

39 Nicaragua, Awas Tingni - Yamaba, TimberX

40 Peru, ASCART, NTFP - Brazil nutsX

41 Peru, Tres Islas, Timber and NTFP Brazil Nut and Aguaje Palm FruitX

42 Philippines: Sunflower Weaver’s Association (Sunflower) – NTFP Hinabol FabricX

43 Tanzania, Mpingo Conservation and Development Initiative (MCDI), TimberX

44 Thailand, Doi Chang Coffee Farm, NTFP - CoffeeX

45 Thailand, Tree Bank Foundation - TimberX X

46 Thailand, Thung Yao women group - NTFPX X

47 Thailand, Pred Nai Mangrove Network - CrabsX

48 Vietnam, Association of Quang Tri Smallholder Forest Certification Groups, TimberX

49 Vietnam, Ben Hai Forestry Company, Timber, furniture, woodchip, resin and seedlingsX

50 Zambia, North Western Bee Products, NTFP - HoneyX

Democratic oversight bodies for natural

and cultural stewardship

E.g. In Mexico, ICOFOSA general

assembly for 3 communities oversees

4 community owned companies – the

first of which manages FSC certified

sustainable forest management (TFS)

– linked to a timber harvesting and

transport company (UNFOSTI) –

linked to a sawmill and furniture

plant (UKFAS) linked to a furniture

retail business (TIP Muebles).

Negotiated benefit distribution and

financial vigilance mechanisms

E.g. In Brazil, the COOMFLONA

general assembly has developed a

profit distribution mechanism

towards business investment (45%)

dividends for members (20%)

community fund (15%) legal reserve

(10%), healthcare fund (5%)

education fund (5%)

Networks for better access to markets

and decision-making

E.g. In Nepal, Himalayan

Biotrade serves as a processing

and marketing network for 4 FSC

certified community owned

paper making enterprises

spanning product from 35

community forest user groups –

and markets their products both

locally and in the USA.

Processes for conflict resolution and

justice

E.g. In Myanmar, La Myang

Community Forest Rattan and

Bamboo Group Business

consolidates community forest

rights held by 7 communities in

Kachin State where there is an

ongoing war with the Myanmar

Government – as a strategy

towards a peaceful transition to

local control

Gendered processes of entrepreneurial

development and empowerment

E.g. In the Gambia, the Kombo

Cashew Farmers Association –

developed a gender inclusive

training-of-trainers programme

for quality cashew production

through farmer field schools plus

leadership training to reduce

internal management conflicts

Branding that reinforces a local vision of

prosperity

E.g. In Indonesia, the KWLM Teak

Growers Cooperative built its

brand on the Javanese tradition

of ‘Hamemayu Hayuing Bawono’

guiding humans to live

harmoniously with their creator,

fellow humans and the natural

environment – their vision of

sustainable development

Thank you!