Project News

F-REDD provides its counterpart personnel with various training opportunities, such as in-country trainings and On-the-Job Trainings (OJT) in Lao PDR, and also trainings in Japan. The 1st counterpart training in Japan was held from 13th to 24th June, and four stafffrom DFRM and DOF traveled to Japan to enhance their understanding, particularly on REL and NFMS.

For instance, REL and MRV are required to be consistent with national greenhouse gas inventory. As it is important for REDD+ officers to understand such issues, the training course started from general knowledge on REL and greenhouse gas inventory, and went on to the simulation exercise on developing REL. Such combination of ‘basics' and ‘practice' has proved to be effective for enhancing the learning of thetraining participants.

Then, the participants visited the Forestry Agency of Japan to learn from the experiences of Japan. This includes the methodology of forest carbon estimation in its national greenhouse gas inventory, UNFCCC's technical assessment of REL, and Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM; a bilateral mechanism advocated by Japan aimed at supporting low carbon development) guideline for REDD+ projects, which is under development.

They also had a chance to visit the forest of Nakayama Forest Limited Partnership Company in Tenryu, a renowned plantation forest area of Japan which has been managed well for generations. As sustainable management of forests is a challenge for Lao PDR, the counterparts listened carefully to the explanations of the aforementioned company, and raised questions on the use of GIS, supply-chain of harvested wood, and so forth. The fact that the forests have been certified as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) forests also seemed to draw their interest.

We are expecting the counterparts to further contribute to REDD+ and forest management back in their home country by using the knowledge and skills obtained through this training course.

REL simulation exercise

Visit to a forest in Tenryu