ANSAB and Tebtebba jointly organized the regional sharing workshop from February 12 to 14, 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop brought together 65 representatives from the 10 FCPF countries which included representatives from the IPOs and CSOs that implemented the sub-projects, REDD+ focal points from ERP countries, CSO/IP FCPF observers in the region, members of the regional steering committee (RSC) for IPs, regional advisory committee (RAC) for CSOs/LCs, regional organizations working on REDD+ and the World Bank (WB). The workshop stimulated a constructive dialogue among the IPLCs in the region to share first-hand experiences and best practices, identifying gaps and challenges, drawing lessons learnt from REDD+ and ERP related projects of their country and community, and in end, identifying the ways forward. 

The regional workshops provided CSOs and LCs with the opportunity to network with, learn from and access the knowledge of other stakeholders implementing similar work. Face-to-face opportunity in the workshops facilitated the exchange of ideas, project challenges, and strategies for engaging with the REDD+ agenda and process. The regional sharing workshop provided opportunities to the participants, incl. from the non-ERP countries to learn from experience from the ERP countries for effective participation of IPLCs in REDD+ process and benefitting from ERP. CSOs and LCs were able to contribute beyond their small communities and partake in a wider network of practitioners, thereby thinking beyond and also becoming a part of global community of practitioners. Regional learning events fostered a wider community of practitioners who were empowered to share sub-project successes, and who were inspired to look at potential opportunities going forward, based on the lessons shared by other practitioners.

ANSAB, as a recipient of the Asia Pacific FCPF Capacity Building Project on REDD+ for the civil society (CSOs) and local communities (LCs), has awarded the following three sub-projects, one for each in Fiji, Nepal and Vietnam to implement the country level capacity building activities.

  • Fiji: Building Capacities & Enhancing ERP Community Awareness to strengthen REDD+ knowledge of 14 targeted CSOs and local communities ERP Sites & 2 Island Minority Communities Fiji, being implemented by GTM (Grace Trifam Ministry)
  • Nepal: Capacity Building of Local Communities and CSOs on REDD+ in Nepal (CBLC Nepal), being implemented by FECOFUN (Federation of Community Forestry Users Nepal)
  • Vietnam: Capacity Building for Local Communities and CSOs in Monitoring the Benefit Sharing Mechanism of the Emission Reductions Program in the North Central Region of Vietnam, being implemented by Center for People and Nature Reconciliation (PanNature)

The proposals of these sub-projects were selected through a rigorous competitive process that involves call for proposals; administrative check for screening the proposals based on the completeness of the eligibility requirements; technical evaluation from an independent panel of experts; and technical review of the prioritized proposals and a due diligence.

ANSAB team with FECOFUN team after signing the contract

In response to the Invitation of Expression of Interest from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to carry out REDD+ capacity building at national and local level under the FCPF REDD+ Capacity Building Program published on August 26, 2021, ANSAB has extended the deadline for the CSOs from Fiji to submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) by October 21, 2021. This extension of deadline is only for the CSOs from Fiji. CSOs from Fiji who have already submitted their EOI in response to the previous call don’t need to resubmit their EOI. 

ANSAB, as the recipient of the Asia Pacific FCPF Capacity Building Project on REDD+ has been implementing FCPF REDD+ capacity building program for civil society organizations and local communities in the Asia Pacific region. The overall objective of this project is to strengthen the engagement of targeted forest-dependent beneficiaries in REDD+ processes and decision making at the country and regional levels. As a part of the Project, ANSAB invites civil society organizations (CSOs) from Fiji, Nepal and Vietnam to submit their expression of interest for possible funding to implement sub-projects in each country. Anticipated funding for each sub-project is about US $90,000 for 9 months. Eligible organizations can submit their expression of interest for this competitive process in electronic form to ANSAB at ansab@ansab.org.np before September 30, 2021.

For detailed information on this call and application form, click below.

For Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) from Fiji, the deadline has been extended to October 21, 2021. CSOs from Fiji who have already submitted their Expression of Interest in response to the previous call don’t need to resubmit their EoI. 

Through a series of regional level meeting, workshop and regional dialogue, REDD+ stakeholders agree on Asia Pacific level key lessons learned, best practices and next steps for the full and effective participation of local communities, civil society organizations, indigenous people in REDD+ process. In 2019, ANSAB, as the regional recipient of the FCPF REDD+ capacity building program for local communities and civil society organizations, brought together the stakeholders, involving government representatives, also setting the direction for further support to the local communities and indigenous people incl. women to engage in REDD+ process.

As the continuous initiative of bringing the stakeholders in common platform, ANSAB organized a regional level workshop in Kathmandu from August 5 to 7, 2019, which brought over 40 individuals representing the government and civil society organizations from eleven FCPF Asia Pacific countries, international and regional level organizations, and the current and past FCPF CSO observers in the region participated the workshop. During the workshop, the participants exchanged first-hand learning and sharing of country level experiences on implementing REDD+ capacity building sub-projects, along with the sharing and discussion on broader experience from country/regional level capacity building of CSOs and LCs on REDD+. ANSAB also shared the lessons learnt on the REDD+ capacity building at country and regional level, that set the direction of discussion. The workshop concluded with the development of a set of recommendations for further capacity building needs to the local communities and civil society organizations in the region.

Similarly, a regional dialogue was organized together with Tebtebba (Indigenous Peoples’ International Centre for Policy Research and Education) and funding support from World Bank in Bangkok, Thailand from September 16-20, 2019. A total of 63 representatives, 32 males and 31 females, of indigenous people organizations and networks, CSOs, women’s organizations and governments from the FCPF countries, and the World Bank participated in the regional dialogue, and discussed on the lessons learned and best practices from the implementation of the capacity building program and the future needs. The regional dialogue included the “regional workshop on increasing women’s capacities and roles in REDD+ related programs and processes in the Asia Pacific region” – a 2-day discussion on gender-related gaps and actions on September 16-17, 2019, and the “regional dialogue for forest-dependent indigenous peoples, other forest dwellers and southern CSOs in the Asia-Pacific region” – a 3-day discussion on lessons learned, gaps and recommendations on future actions on September 18-20, 2019. During the dialogue, the participants a) shared the results and lessons learned from the grassroots in building the capacity of forest-dependent IPs, other forest dwellers and southern CSOs engaged in REDD+ strategies and programs; (b) discussed challenges faced in mainstreaming gender based on lessons learned from gender specific activities implemented, with the agreement on key reasons for the low participation of women in REDD+ related decision making and needed actions; and (c) agreed on a set of recommendations on further REDD+ related capacity needs support.

Learnings from these regional level initiatives and the recommendations developed in participation of the regional level stakeholders was captured in the global REDD+ dialogue organised in Washington DC, USA from November 7 to 9, 2019, for setting the direction for further support to indigenous peoples, local communities and southern civil society organizations to engage in FCPF REDD+ Programs beyond 2020. The learnings have also been instrumental for the development of the next stage of REDD+ Capacity Building Program of the FCPF, which is going to be implemented soon.