Thai Network for Agroforestry Education

The meeting was highlighted by the discussion on SEANAFE’s accomplishments from 2005-2007, updates on ongoing activities and results of the SEANAFE impact study; agreements on proposed charter amendements; election of new board chair; and brainstorming on the network’s future directions.

Among the reported major accomplishments of SEANAFE included the publication of “Developing Agroforestry Curricula: Practical Guide for Academic Institutions in Africa and Asia” in 2005, completion of the phase 1 of the Markets for Agroforestry Tree Products (MAFTP) Project in July 2006 and the launching of its Phase 2 activities in November of the same year, completion of 3 out of 6 SEANAFE MS Research Fellows between May and September 2007, launching of the Landscape Agroforestry Project (Phase 1) in March 2007, completion of the SEANAFE mid-term project evaluation in September 2007, and the conduct of the International Agroforestry Education Conference in October 2007.

The impact study results revealed improvements in the institutional capacity of SEANAFE member institutions to teach agroforestry education. The member institutions, however, differed in approaches and momentum. SEANAFE’s contributions were recognized mostly on development of curricula and teachinig materials, and capacity building of lecturers. The report recommended, among others, the need to provide more support for teaching materials development to member institutions, need-specific capacity building for younger faculty, more guidance on student thesis, and wider dissemination of SEANAFE activities to all its stakeholders.

Amendments on SEANAFE’s Charter were made on (a) membership definition and expansion, (b) general meeting participation, quorum and frequency, (3) board composition, term of office and electoral procedures, and (4) quorum for national network general meetings. SEANAFE membership now refers to institutions from its country networks and regional organizations in Southeast Asia that are actively involved in the formal and informal teaching, research, promotion, and dissemination of agroforestry both as a science and practice. This new membership definition also welcomed the inclusion of 2 non-academic members in SEANAFE Board. The Board will be electing its Chair and Vice Chair among themselves instead of being elected at large during general meetings. SEANAFE general meetings shall be held every two years in any of its member country with the Board plus at least one representative from the country networks as quorum. On the other hand, national network general meeting quorum shall be 50 plus 1.

As a result of the charter amendment, the SEANAFE Board elected Dr. Willie M. Carandang from the Philippines as its new chair from October 2007 to September 2009. Dr. Carandang served as SEANAFE Board Member since 2005 in his capacity as country coordinator of the Philippine Agroforestry Education and Research Network (PAFERN).

In addition to continuing it ongoing project activities on landscape agroforestry and forest policy education, SEANAFE will venture on the following activities in 2008:

Acquisition of a legal personality as an international NGO and/or affiliation with international bodies like the ASEAN;
Institutionalization of membership commitment.
Formulation and implementation of its institutional linkage map for resource mobilization;
More active engagement with the International Partnership for Forestry Education (IPFE) and other related networks e.g., South Asia Agroforestry Network (SAAN)
Development and implementation of joint projects and activities on emerging global concerns on environment and natural resource management (e.g., climate change) among its country networks to enhance regional impact and funding possibililties.
Provision of more financial and technical support for teaching materials development
Provision of more thesis support both at BS and MS levels

written by seanafe