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!