The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will begin implementing a joint project to improve training in sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation in Central Africa.
25 January 2012: The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and the Government of Japan have signed a letter of understanding for US$3.6 million to implement a capacity-building programme in five Congo Basin countries on sustainable forest management (SFM) and biodiversity conservation.
The project forms part of a collaborative initiative between ITTO and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The five-year project will focus on improved training in SFM and biodiversity conservation, and on the construction of training infrastructure in Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Gabon and the Republic of Congo. It is expected that 250 trainers will be trained to teach biodiversity-friendly SFM planning and techniques by the end of the project. The project also aims to improve communication among the five countries and within Central Africa.
The project will be implemented by the Network of Central African Forestry and Environmental Training Institutions (RIFFEAC). [ITTO Press Release]