Southeast Asia has experienced significant deforestation and forest degradation between 1995 and 2010. Climate change is also impacting the region through more frequent extreme weather events. Smallholder and subsistence farmers are especially vulnerable. The program focuses on issues like sustainable forest and land management, payments for environmental services, agroforestry, and climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. It partners with various organizations and conducts research in countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, China, Thailand, and Indonesia to address these challenges and develop solutions. In 2010, key accomplishments included national emissions baseline mapping in Indonesia, technical advice on climate change and REDD+ strategies, and studies on topics like tree planting programs and carbon finance projects.

1. Where are we?Southeast Asia Program Southeast AsiaRegional characteristicsBetween 1995 and 2010, Southeast Asia lost 32.8 million ha of its forests and woodlands and 18.2 million ha of its natural exploitable forests, equalling 11% and 14% respectively of the 1995 area.The demands and expectations of lowland capital cities and economic centres for regular flows of clean water from the uplands cannot be realistically met. Inconsistent or contradictory policies and conflicts over rights of use and access are main determinants of unsustainable natural resource management and poverty in the uplands and forest margins. Climate change is a present reality in Southeast Asia; Heat waves, droughts, floods and tropical cyclones have been more intense and frequent, causing extensive damage to property, assets and loss of human life. Smallholder and subsistence farmers are especially vulnerable to the impact of climate change.Such issues play a major role in our agenda.

2. Regional Research Program in Southeast AsiaRegional Research Program in Southeast Asia

3. PartnersSoutheast Asia ProgramAustralian Agency for International Development

4. Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

5. Bridgestone Japan

6. Canadian International Development Agency

7. Center for International Forestry Research

8. Common Fund for Commodities

9. Conservation International

10. Farmers

11. National, district and local governments

12. Non-government organisations: local, national and international

13. David and Lucille Packard Foundation

14. Deutsche Gesellschaft fur International Zusammenarbeit

15. Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia of the International Development Research Centre

16. European Union

17. German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development

18. Ford Foundation

19. International Fund for Agriculture and Development

20. PanEco

21. Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency

22. Swedish Research Council

23. United Nations Development Program

24. United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

25. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization

26. World Conservation Union

27. World Resources Institute

28. Winrock International

29. World Bank

30. Staffing OutlookStaffing Numbers

32. Country PrioritiesPhilippines: community-based natural resources management through the Landcare approach, improving farming and governance systems in the uplands, climate-change mitigation and adaptation strategies, and rewards for environmental servicesVietnam: capacity building and partnerships emphasizing research on payments for environmental services, role of trees on farm and landscapes, and agroforestry as a distinct entry point for climate change adaptation and mitigation strategiesChina: research on science bases of biodiversity and carbon assets, trade-offs among different land-use options and national capacity development of the agriculture and forestry sectors. These activities address the country’s environmental problems such as land degradation in dryland ecosystems, effects of climate change and deforestation. Research activities in the Himalayas, Mekong region, and North KoreaThailand: emerging cross-country partnerships and networking relationships among key colleagues and institutions in the region by helping strengthen research, education and information exchange

33. Indonesia program long term priorities Promote agroforestry for increasing farmers welfare as well as for improving environment

34. Promote agroforetsry as a strategy for adaptation and mitigation actions.

35. Produce high-quality and applicable policy research to potentially support policy development under the context of sustainable environment and improved livelihood

36. Enhancing stakeholder awareness and technical capacity regarding the production and management of high quality germplasm

37. Developing viable models for community trees nurseries

38. Improving smallholder timber production systems

39. Understanding smallholder marketing systems and identifying ways to enhance farmers’ marketing roles

40. Assessment viable of farmer associations to expand smallholder markets, livelihoods and incomeKey accomplishments 2010PhilippinesThird national PES conference that brought multistakeholders together and discussed COS, CES, CIS aspects

41. Participation in the drafting of the national REDD+ strategy

42. Two major proposals to US AID approved and funding stabilized

43. Development of a pro-poor rewards mechanism in Watershed Services and Carbon Sequestration in two RUPES pilot sitesKey accomplishments 2010IndonesiaNational emissions baseline mapping on national carbon stocks

44. Technical advice on climate change to Government of Indonesia thru the Government’s Presidential Working Group Unit on National Strategy on REDD+

45. Recommendations to encourage policy on recognition of indigenous people and land tenure

46. Establishment of REDD+ institutions at the sub-national level and increase capacity of local stakeholders

47. CAN$ 9 million proposal to CIDA approved (equivalent to 9.2 million US) for SulawesiKey accomplishments 2010Indonesia: land cover change199020002005

48. Spatial extrapolation in IndonesiaJambiAcehLampung

49. Key accomplishments 2010VietnamAU$ 2 million proposal submitted to ACIAR

50. Technical advice to the national emissions reduction strategy

51. REALU report on Northwest Uplands to allow decision makers to account for all emission from a landscape and devise holistic policies and actions

52. Studied tree planting program in 3 sites in Vietnam (agro-ecological zone, central uplands and coastal) to advise best methods to improve the quality of Vietnam’s tree nurseries Key accomplishments 2010ChinaEast Asia Node to cover neighboring countries and secure resources and provide ICRAF expertise

53. DPR Korea project – pioneering agroforestry systems restoring heavily degraded and sloping landscapes and providing food for people there. From three user groups to 65 user groups in seven counties.

54. Graduation of five long-term trainers from DPR Korea

55. Cooperation in Mongolia for rangeland carbon finance being discussed

56. RUPES worked with national policy advisors to design a large scale payment for ES targeting nation’s rangelands

57. PublicationsFull article is ‘in press’ with Int. Forestry Review (2011)

58. Full article is ‘in press’ with Int. Forestry Review (2011)

59. ScienceEMBARGOED till tomorrow…

62. Diagnostic tools outlined in CRP 6

63. Engagement Experiences with CRPsWork within SEA relates to CRP 6 (land use changes; environmental services -RUPES, TULSEA tools); REALU work from social sciences perspectiveWith FORDA and RLPS at Ministry of Forestry With CIFOR (and IFPRI) on resource rights, property rights, and gender aspects of CRPs, SEA and China level activities With Asean Forestry R and D group and Korean Forestry Services; ASEAN Social Forestry Network; SEANAFE; IASC With donors and partners (RECOFTC, RRI, ILC)

66. New Opportunities – GRP LinkagesConcept notes in developmentParticipatory land-use planning to promote sustainable palm oil production in West Kalimantan USD 200 000 for 2 years – FORD Foundation/CLUA (GRP 4,5,6)2010 land-use and land-change spatial analysis, Indonesia – FORD Foundation/CLUA (GRP 5, 6)Putting trees on the climate adaptation map: new and old options for microclimate adjustment by modifying tree cover in agricultural landscapes GBP 200 000 – CDKN (GRP 2, 4, 5, 6)(a) Volcanic slope rehabilitation (b) Peatland options – to be submitted to ACIAR (GRP 1 to 6) Benefit-sharing for vulnerable groups in REDD+(WB; 600,000 for two years; concept note stage)

67. Thank you