24 March 2013: The Climate Investment Funds (CIF) released a learning product on stakeholder engagement in REDD+. The role of the report is to examine how the Forest Investment Program (FIP) is contributing to stakeholder engagement and collaboration throughout the REDD+ process.

The report reviews the consultative process with government agencies, other REDD+ initiatives, indigenous peoples and local communities, as well as the private sector in order to identify lessons learned and good practices.

The report concludes that successful stakeholder collaboration can avoid overlaps and gaps. It further notes that to it requires: proper planning for engagement; well-defined objectives; and the provision of sufficient time and resources for the consultative process.

The report further emphasizes the importance of: strong national leadership; improved dissemination of information; capacity building for stakeholders; simple governance mechanisms for the consultative process; and information and knowledge sharing of traditional knowledge, innovations and practices.

The report calls for improved modalities for collaboration with the private sector and notes that consultative processes must be adapted to the specific circumstance of the target countries. [Publication: FIP – REDD+ Stakeholder Collaboration]