RECOFTC works with Institutional partners (those that support or contribute resources); Strategic or Programme partners (those that contribute resources within a 3-5 year time period); Project partners (those that contribute resources within a specified project and time period); Network partners (those that exchange information, knowledge and advice at no fee); Collaborating organisations (those that contribute to specific activities at cost or voluntarily); and, RECOFTC associates (those who are invited by RECOFTC to contribute to a particular programme on a standby, and longer term basis).

One of the current tasks for the Country Programme Support Unit (COPS) at RECOFTC is to provide its staff with a clear pathway outlining specific tasks and activities that are to be undertaken in order to actively implement and fulfill its commitments within the RECOFTC 2004-09 strategic plan. Within this, COPS needs to work primarily at the country level through action research projects.

The NR group consultant was asked to provide technical input in three areas during the assignment. These were:

• Documenting the proposed country engagement process by highlighting a series of cyclical or phased actions through which to establish individual country programmes;
  
• Documenting a draft paper on the policy and procedures for staff to use in operationalising these country programmes and;
  
• Providing technical inputs to support COPS staff in developing and preparing project proposal documents.

Two reports were produced. The first of these focused on the overall country strategy, and the second developed a set of operational guidelines for staff to ‘self-assess’ how much they have achieved in each of the prioritised countries.

The expected outcomes will show RECOFTC working together with in-country partners in action research that addresses their key Community Forestry concerns and challenges, and will keep the organisation at the leading edge of community forestry learning and sharing in the region.

Page last updated August 26, 2008