The overall aim of the strategic partnership between SNV and WWF – that started in December 2006 – is to develop income and employment opportunities through sustainable natural resource management.
FSC fair trade label
The first cluster of activities focuses on the promotion of the FSC fair trade label (Forest Stewardship Council): what are the options for small-holders, how can they be implemented? The idea behind this is to provide better and more stable economic incentives to producers of small timber and non-timber forest products.
Aimee Gonzales, partnership coordinator for WWF, about the conclusions that can be drawn from the first projects: “Both the Bolivian and Vietnam experience indicate that the promotion of group certification, particularly when targeted at smallholders, provides a clear adoption to fair trade principles. FSC group certification allows direct access of poor rural communities to the market of FSC timber. It could therefore be considered an improvement on the prevailing system through which only large companies can cover the costs of certification.”
Bio-energy development
The second cluster of activities in the frame of SNV’s partnership with WWF aims to promote sustainable and responsible bio-energy development. The main issues we investigate are:
- can small holders contribute to and benefit from the sustainable production of bio-energy?
- and if so, how can this be integrated in existing and potential bio-energy policies and programs that aim to contribute to mitigating climate change without compromising food-security, biodiversity and natural ecosystems?
Read more on SNV's approach in biofuels
Interested? Would you like further information? Contact us at: partnerships@snvworld.org