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Welcome to the official page of the ITTO - Teak Mekong project "Enhancing the conservation and sustainable management of teak forests and legal and sustainable wood supply chains in the Greater Mekong Sub-region". In this page we will give regular update of the project activities in the partner countries in Mekong sub-region.
Given the importance of teak's prominent position in the global timber market and its potential to contributing to national economic growth and local livelihoods, the International Topical Timber Council (ITTC) at its 53rd Session in Peru in 2017 approved an activity entitled "Enhancing Teak Management" under ITTO Biennial Work Program for 2018-2019 as a comprehensive global activity to improve the management and marketing of both natural and planted teak in all three tropical regions. The ITTO project "Enhancing the conservation and sustainable management of teak forests and legal and sustainable wood supply chains in the Greater Mekong Sub-region", is funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), Government of Germany. The first stage of this activity in the Greater Mekong Sub-region consisting of 5 participating countries began with the launch of the project in Bangkok, Thailand on 23rd April, 2019.The participating countries include Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The project period is for 3 years (March 2019-Februarly 2022)
Teaknet is involved in the project with respect to the 3rd objective. The specific functions and responsibilities of Teaknet include:
The 1st Project Steering Committee meeting and Regional Workshop of the ITTO-BMEL Teak project 'Promoting Quality Timber Production in Smallholders and Community-based Teak and Other Valuable Species Plantations in the Tropics' (PP-A/54-331A) funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Govt of Germany implemented through ITTO, Japan is going to be held from 17-21 September in Rama Garden Hotel Bangkok, Thailand.
The ITTO-BMEL Teak project II phase is implemented in 6 participating countries in Asia Pacific and Togo in W. Africa which started off its activities since October 2023 for 3 years upto December 2026. The participating countries are Thailand, India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam in Asia Pacific and Togo in W. Africa. The total budget for the project is 1.4 million US dollars.
As part of the project, the 1st Project Steering Committee (PSC) and Technical Committee Meeting (PTC) is being organized at Rama Garden hotel Bangkok on 17 September 2024 followed by the 1st Regional Workshop on 'Enhancing Smallholder Plantations Towards Quality Timber Production of Teak and other Economic Species and Carbon Neutrality in the Tropics' on 18-21 September in the same venue and a field trip to Nan Province, Chiangmai, Northern Thailand on 19-20th September. The Regional Workshop is jointly organized by the Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, and ITTO in collaboration with 6 participating countries in Asia Pacific and W. Africa. Please read the detailed program. Participation by invitation only.
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Teak is a highly celebrated timber in the tropics and Mekong is one of the major teak growing regions based on rich natural teak forests with increasing teak plantations. The 2 nd Regional Workshop on "Sustainable Value-Added Teak Products for Green Economy" is organized in conjunction with the 3rd FORTROP' International Conference to celebrate the 85 th Anniversary of the Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University. The overall objective of this workshop is to increase the role of teak forests and products in the development of green economy in the Mekong region, taking into account the experiences and lessons learned from the implementation of the BMEL-ITTO Teak project that has empowered local communities and smallholders in teak forest planation and management and promoted public-private partnerships for legal and sustainable teak supply chains The workshop also aims to identify recommendations for the sustainable production and consumption of teak products in the framework of the Bio-circular Green Economic Model.
Read MoreIn Lao PDR, Teak is a priority species with natural teak forest covers an estimated 68,500 hectares as on 2010. The Forestry Department promotes community based teak plantations that estimated to cover about 36,000 ha, mainly in the provinces of Luang Prabang and Boeko.
This forum, provide opportunities to discuss the issues of sustainable teak value chains in Lao PDR by reviewing lessons from promotion of teak based sustainable forest management by the private sector and community forest enterprises. It will also contribute to enhancing teak value chain research and sustainable smallholder teak forestry in lower Mekong. The program is supported by ITTO and Germany's Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
Read MoreTo improve the management and marketing of both natural and planted teak in all the tropical regions, ITTO, Japan has established and activity entitled “Enhancing Teak Management”. With the support of the Federal Republic of Germany through the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), ITTO is currently executing a teak project in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) covering 5 countries, namely Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The first regional workshop on sustainable teak management is being organised by the Forest Research institute of Myanmar in collaboration with Cambodia's Forestry Administration (FA), Lao PDR's National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI), Thailand's Royal Forest Department (RFD) and Kasetsart University (KU) and Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences (VAFS) as well as the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO). Participation by invitation only.
Read MoreConsidering the prominent position of Teak in the global timber market and its potential to contribute to national economic growth and local livelihoods, the International Topical Timber Organisation (ITTO), Japan is executing Teak project approved by its International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC) meeting in Peru (2017), an activity entitled “Enhancing Teak Management” under ITTO Biennial Work Program for 2018-19 as a comprehensive global support program to improve the management and marketing of both natural and plant teak in all three topical regions. The project is financed by The Federal Republic of Germany through the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). The first stage of activity in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) covering 5 countries, viz., Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam commenced its activity since March 2019. .
Read MoreInternational Tropicl Timber Organization (ITTO), Japan has recently launched 2nd phase of the ITTO-BMEL Teak project entitled 'Promoting Quality Timber Production in Smallholders and Community-based Teak and Other Valuable Species Plantations in the Tropics' in 6 countries in Asia Pacific and Togo in West Africa starting October 2023 funded by Govt. of Germany (BMEL) for 3 years. The bi-monthly online Teak Mekong Newsletter is now re-named as ITTO-BMEL Teak Newsletter to reflect the changes in the start of 2nd phase of the project is continued to be published through TEAKNET website as well as FB page and project webpage of Kasetsart University, Thailand.
TEAK Mekong Newsletter support and facilitates teak networking in the Mekong sub-region through ITTO member countries and partners, and support sharing lessons of the project results through short news release, occasional papers, project related teak-based research and development information. The bi-monthly newsletter is released online through TEAKNET webpage www.teaknet.org and co-hosted by Kasetsart University, Thailand
The 1st Regional Workshop on 'Enhancing Smallholder Plantations Towards Quality Timber Production of Teak and other Economic Species and Carbon Neutrality in the Tropics' was organised on 18th September in Bangkok and a field excursion to Nan, Phrae Lampang and Chiang Mai Provinces, Northern Thailand on 19-21st September. About 65 participants from 10 countries converged in Best Western Airport hotel, Bangkok attended the workshop. The Regional Workshop was jointly organized by the Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, and ITTO in collaboration with 6 participating countries in Asia Pacific and W. Africa. The workshop, as part of ITTO-BMEL Teak project phase II, advocated greater roles and supports by policy makers and private sectors to smallholders by extending viable financial schemes to the tree plantation to sustainably produce quality timber in their homegardens in longer rotations.
Read MoreTeak in Mekong for a Sustainable Future is the outcomes of the ITTO executed Teak Mekong Project in the Greater Mekong Sub-region implemented with the financial support of the Federal Ministry of Food Agriculture, Government of the Federal Republic of Germany (BMEL) with the participating countries of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The book comprises six main sections dealing mainly with the teak distribution across the GMS region, silviculture and teak improvement, SFM and certification, teak genetics, policy and regional and international cooperation and guidance nad recommendations for promoting SFM of natural and planted teak forests in the tropics.
Read MoreAbout 50 participants in the Lao Teak Forum: Sustainable Teak Value Chains for Sustainable Local Development reviewed opportunities and challenges for sustainable teak value chains in Lao PDR in the workshop organised at Vansana Riverside Hotel, Vientiane coinciding with 2nd PSC Meeting of the ITTO Teak Mekong Project, "Enhancing Conservation and Sustainable Management of Teak Forests and Legal and Sustainable Wood Supply Chains in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region" (ITTO PP-A/54-331)" now under implementation in the five participating countries viz., Thailand, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Read MoreThe first Regional Workshop on 'Sustaining Teak Management in Mekong Basin' was organized on 24-27 September, 2019 at Yangon, Myanmar as part of a ITTO supported teak management program entitled "Enhancing Conservation and Sustainable Management of Teak Forests and Legal and Sustainable Wood Supply Chains in the Greater Mekong Sub-region" currently under implementation in the 5 countries of Mekong sub-region with financial support of German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. The workshop was jointly organized by International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), Japan, Kasetsart University, Thailand and Forest Department of Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, Myanmar.
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