Knowledge

Programme News

About the project

The European Union’s Landscapes for Our Future programme supports 22 integrated landscape management projects across 19 countries and 3 sub-regions across the Global South.

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South America and the Caribbean

Africa

Asia

¿Cómo vamos? A tool to support more equitable co-management of Peru’s protected areas

This brief presents the findings of an assessment conducted in Peru to understand and verify the adoption, outcomes, and potential impacts of the participatory reflective monitoring tool called "¿Cómo vamos?" (How are we doing?) in multistakeholder forums (MSFs). MSFs are recognized as a means of fostering transformative change to address the environmental and social impacts of the climate crisis. In Peru, the Protected Areas Service (SERNANP) mandates the establishment of MSFs or management committees (MCs) involving various stakeholders in the management of protected areas. The tool was co-developed and tested by CIFOR and SERNANP with eight MCs. The positive reception and interest in the tool led SERNANP to publish it as an official document and require its annual implementation by the MCs of its 75 protected areas. This assessment provides insights into the adoption, outcomes, and potential impacts of the tool in Peru.
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How are we doing? A tool to reflect on the process, progress and priorities of your multi-stakeholder forum

This handbook introduces "How are we doing?", a tool for participatory monitoring in multi-stakeholder forums (MSFs). It helps MSF participants reflect, assess progress, and plan for achieving their goals. Developed in collaboration with MSF members, it focuses on inclusive decision-making and collective learning.
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Intensity and embeddedness: Two dimensions of equity approaches in multi-stakeholder forums

This paper introduces a novel approach to studying multi-stakeholder forums (MSFs) in the context of land use and land-use change, focusing on their equity implications. The authors analyse MSFs based on two key characteristics: the extent to which local communities are actively involved (intensity) and the extent to which the forum is integrated into broader societal or governmental processes (embeddedness). By employing these analytical tools, the paper offers nuanced insights into how different MSF approaches function and their impact on equity, going beyond simplistic categorizations and providing a deeper understanding of MSF dynamics.
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Introduction – Multi-stakeholder forums and the promise of more equitable and sustainable land and resource use: perspectives from Brazil, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Peru

This Special Issue of the International Forestry Review presents a multi-country comparative research project by CIFOR, exploring the potential of multi-stakeholder forums (MSFs) as participatory mechanisms for sustainable land and resource use. The seven papers analyse power inequalities inherent in MSFs and discuss their capacity for equitable decision-making. While approaching MSFs from different perspectives, the papers emphasize the need for transformative MSFs that go beyond mere participation to achieve meaningful change.
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Trust-building and leadership in multi-stakeholder forums: Lessons from Indonesia

This paper investigates the impact of trust and leadership in multi-stakeholder forums (MSFs) addressing land and resource use in Indonesia. Conflicting interests can hinder trust-building, requiring an understanding of historical relationships to improve collaboration. Different challenges within MSFs call for specific leadership styles, including shared leadership for positive relationships and charismatic leadership for conflicts of interest or lack of trust.
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The costs of elite-oriented multi-stakeholder forums to address deforestation: the case of the Green Municipalities Program in the Brazilian Amazon

This article examines the Green Municipalities Program (PMV) in Pará state, Brazil, a multi-stakeholder forum aimed at combating deforestation. Through qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews, it critiques the program's strategy of collaborating with powerful sectors while excluding indigenous and grassroots organizations. The research highlights the limitations of "anti-politics" approaches that fail to address underlying causes of environmental problems and raises concerns about the legitimacy of initiatives perceived as unjust in unequal contexts.
Published by CIFOR
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Organizing for transformation? How and why organizers plan their multi-stakeholder forums

This article investigates the alignment of multi-stakeholder forum (MSF) organizers' plans and expectations with previous lessons on "invited spaces" regarding power relations and contextual considerations. Analysing 13 subnational MSFs in Brazil, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Peru, the study reveals that while organizers aimed to include historically disempowered groups, they often overlooked addressing power inequalities and lacked strategies to engage with unsustainable local development and political priorities.
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Understanding Difference to Build Bridges among Stakeholders

Perceptions of Participation in Four Multi-stakeholder Forums in the Peruvian Amazon

This study analyses the perspectives of participants and organizers in Peruvian Amazon multi-stakeholder forums (MSFs) using Q-methodology. It reveals nuanced perceptions, highlighting optimism, risk awareness, and challenges in addressing inequality. The findings offer insights for constructing more effective and equitable MSFs.

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