Seven teams of academics are exploring ways to improve forest landscape governance across Southeast Asia. These research teams are active in six RECOFTC focal countries – Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Thailand, Myanmar and Viet Nam – and in the Philippines and Timor Leste.
The second phase of the Explore initiative started in October 2022. It is working through a research grant mechanism for capacity development, informed policy and research networks, communication and knowledge management, and addressing gender barriers in research.
In 2023, to lay the ground work for achieving these results in forest landscape governance, the Explore Secretariat visited grantees and senior leadership at universities in Indonesia, Lao PDR, the Philippines and Viet Nam that received research grant funding of up to USD 190,00 each under Explore.
These visits and meetings have been crucial to facilitating research projects and fostering future collaboration with the host universities. Recipients of Explore grants discussed project implementation, including grant and financial compliance, and potential research collaborations in sustainable forest management, forest governance, livelihoods and natural resource management.
These collaborations, carried out in partnership with the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) and other partners, are strengthening our partnerships and expanding our reach in the region. Together, we are setting the stage for co-designed projects to promote good forest landscape governance.
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Taking a transboundary approach, scientists and practitioners are working through the Explore research network and community of practice to enable policymakers and other stakeholders to participate in transnational knowledge exchange, promote transboundary solutions, and share data, information, knowledge and tools.