The International Forest Policy project (IWP) provides a range of advisory services.

Our services to the German Federal Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ) include:

• advising BMZ on current international forest policy processes and initiatives, and on the latest developments in forest policy
• developing concepts on innovative topics, such as financing strategies for sustainable forest management, or on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT)
• representing BMZ if requested at international workshops and negotiations
• maintaining partnerships, promoting international networking and working in international expert groups
• supporting the establishment of regional initiatives and associations that focus on forests

Advisory services for projects and programmes:

• preparing partner countries and regions for international negotiations on forest policy
• formulating, shaping and implementing of socio-political processes on forests: national and regional forest programmes
• integrating of the forest issue into poverty reduction strategy papers (PRSP) and national strategies for sustainable development

Information and knowledge management

Our activities in this area include:

• reviewing information and experiences and feeding them back into forest-related international processes 
• integrating the results of international negotiations into various policy drafts and their implementation
• incorporating concepts and instruments of forest policy dialogue into the day-to-day work of German Development Cooperation via workshops, expert meetings, email lists and the Internet

Training

Are you aware of the links between multilateral conventions and the International Arrangement on Forests? How can forest-related issues be integrated into Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers? Are you acquainted with the current discussion concerning the financing of sustainable forest management?

Attend our training courses and broaden your knowledge:

Training modules

Our training modules are available in English, French, Spanish or German. Topics include:

• overview of forest relevant processes from Stockholm (1972) to Johannesburg (2002)
• International Arrangement on Forests
• National forest programmes (nfp)
• Forest Partnership Agreements to support nfps
• multilateral conventions and their relationship with forests
• Forest and Poverty, Forest and Trade, Forest and Governance
• financing strategies for sustainable forest management
• BMZ Sector Concept on Forests
• national and regional case studies.

We are continuously developing and adding to our modules.

Tailor-made courses

In addition to the standard training courses listed in the GIZ Training Programme, we also offer customised courses. The content and structure of the courses are tailored to your background and individual needs.

Comprehensive training materials

The International Forest Policy project offers extensive, continuously updated materials. These can be collected and used as a guide to refresh or broaden your knowledge.

Target groups

Our courses are especially designed for

• partners working on development cooperation projects
• persons working in Development Cooperation in Germany
• project workers worldwide

Location

Training courses can be arranged either in Germany or in your partner country, and scheduled to suit participants' wishes.

Duration

The duration depends on the type of course: an introductory or refresher course takes about 5 days; a train-the-trainer course, around 10 days.