A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
In the eight years
since it was established, CIFOR has grown into a credible international forest research
organisation that is concerned with forests in the tropical region and the well-being of
the people who depend on them. CIFOR has especially distinguished itself in two areas.
First, by recognising the cross-sectoral nature of forest issues, CIFOR has built a
programme of multidisciplinary research that considers biophysical as well as
socioeconomic aspects of sustainable forest management and is highly relevant to policy
development. Second, CIFOR has contributed significantly to international dialogues on
forest policy by helping to shape the debate and providing crucial analyses of complex,
politically sensitive issues.
In accordance with its founding objective to be a ‘centre without walls’, CIFOR
has built an impressively large network of research partners worldwide, thereby
facilitating the flow of knowledge and ideas. This collaborative style of operation
enables CIFOR to mobilise the rich combined experience of diverse scientists in addressing
complex issues. It also makes it possible for CIFOR to contribute more effectively to
capacity building in many countries, and increases the likelihood that the results of
CIFOR’s research will be widely adopted to benefit the targeted clients.
I am pleased with
CIFOR’s recent expansion into new areas of research, such as climate change and
forest fires, and with its attention to the range of forest types, including developing
countries with limited forest resources where millions of people depend on them for their
subsistence. The centre’s primary focus is forests in the humid/sub-humid tropics,
where tracts of tropical forest are the most extensive and development needs are great.
But CIFOR also examines problems of forests and local communities in areas with long dry
seasons. Research in the miombo woodlands of southern Africa and in areas of the
Philippines and India, for example, will provide a much better understanding of how drier
forests can be managed to help reduce poverty and promote sustainable livelihoods in
developing countries.
As you read this Annual Report
that highlights some recent programme developments, I think you will come away impressed
by CIFOR’s contributions toward achieving healthier tropical forests for the benefit
of the millions of people who depend on them.
This report is also a
capstone of Jeffrey Sayer’s eight years as the founding Director General of CIFOR. As
such, it reminds us of how much we owe him for his outstanding leadership in making CIFOR
the highly respected institute it is today. As he leaves his present position in mid-2001
to pursue other interests, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to thank him
immensely for the fine job he has done.
Jagmohan S. Maini
Chair, Board of Trustees of CIFOR |
