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Forestry Investments in Emerging Markets

External Reference/Copyright
Issue date: 
May 20, 2011
Publisher Name: 
Tropenbos
Publisher-Link: 
http://www.tropenbos.org
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Plantation Management

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nvestments in forestry have many desirable features. Under certain conditions, forestry investments yield attractive returns to investors and can contribute substantially to the economic, social and environmental development of countries. Environmentally and socially conscious investors are actively exploring the "ins and outs" of forestry opportunities, motivated by opportunities that are profitable, but also in line with their core values.


Between the 17th and 19th of May 2011, about 50 participants attended the meeting "Forestry Investments in Emerging Markets." About one third of the participants were socially and environmentally conscious investors and investment advisors. Another one third of the participants jointly represented 17 investment opportunities in the tropical hemisphere, together worth over 95 million of investments in responsible forestry. The meeting took place in the Netherlands, a country with significant expertise in tropical forestry and a history of public and private investment in forestry in developing countries. The meeting was organized by FAO, the NFP Facility and Tropenbos International with support of the Business in Development Network, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation of the Netherlands. The meeting was attended by institutional investors, investment advisors, timber funds, forest business developers, and forestry specialists. Selected NFP Facility partner countries attended the meeting. Participants from these countries included forest finance professionals that have worked domestically to identify promising business opportunities.

Objectives of the meetings were to:
  1. Share perspectives on challenges and opportunities regarding the greater involvement of investors in forestry (REDD+, biodiversity, forestry) in emerging markets
  2. Showcase and discuss a variety of forestry-based business cases and fund structures as a basis to better understand the requirements and potential of such business cases and for collaborative work between potential investors and promising forest business initiatives in emerging markets.
  3. Contribute to an action plan to narrow the gap between investors and forestry opportunities.
The interactive programme - consisting of plenary, panel and group sessions – provided and informal platform for exchange and engagement among participants. Seventeen businessfact sheets from seven countries provided the basis to discuss in concrete terms the risks and opportunities to invest in forestry in emerging and frontier markets. The cases included plantation forestry, natural forest management, processing and alternative businesses. In addition, several participants shared short notes on their work, which were contained in the information package.

Synthesis report

For more information contact: Herman Savenije ( herman.savenije@tropenbos.org) or Marco Boscolo ( Marco.Boscolo@fao.org)

Download the presentations:

Tuesday May 17 2011

 Welcome

Panel discussion: perspectives and challenges of forestry investments in emerging countries

Emerging trends and opportunities relevant to forestry investments.
Erik van Zadelhoff, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation/ Task Force on Biodiversity.

 Forestry investments from a development bank perspective
Huib-Jan de Ruijter, FMO Finance for Development

Emerging opportunities and challenges for forestry investments in Paraguay
Manuel Ferreira, Paraguay

 The value proposition and the “missing middle” of forestry investments
Dominic Elson, Trevaylor Consulting

 Limits and opportunities of financial markets in emerging countries: implications for forestry investments
Paulo de Leon, Central American Business Intelligence, Guatemala

Break out groups: discussing the business case for forestry

 KHJL TEAK PLANTATION
Dominic Elson

 Investing in Teak in its natural environment
Waka Forest Investment Services AG

 Investing in Forestry in Paraguay

 Forest Development Fund
Roland Urban, FONDEBOSQUE

 Investments in natural forest concessions
Paul Hol, FORM

 Senegal Mangrove Reforestation Project
Justin Whalen, Face the Future

 The Forestry Sector of Guatemala and the investment opportunities

 Natural rubber plantation on agroforestry systems in Madre de Dios region, Peru
Miguel Yonlo, Latex y Plasticos

 Forest Financing : Forestry as a Viable Business
Robert Nabanyumya

Wednesday May 18 2011

Plenary Presentations

 FORM International: Experiences from Ghana
Paul Hol, FORM International
 Sicirec: Experiences with financing plantation forestry business development with farmers in Bolivia
Popko van der Molen, Sicirec
 FAST International & TAA: what does it take to link Forestry Business to the Financial Sector in the Amazon
Petra Hamers, The Amazon Alternative
 Copernicus/Nyenrode/WWF: Best practices for Biodiversity Business Cases
Pita Verweij – Copernicus Institute

Thursday 19 may 2011

Expert meeting: key issues and experiences in developing a forest investment fund

 Ideas for a Forestry Fund
Manuel Ferreira, Paraguay

Download here additional information:

 

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Extpub | by Dr. Radut