Small-scale forest enterprises in Latin America: unlocking their potential for sustainable livelihoods

Book excerpt: During the last three decades many countries in the world improved forest tenure by offering greater recognition of indigenous and community rights to manage forests. In many Latin American countries, the community and smallholder forest enterprises are increasing in number, with some developing strong associations and alliances to promote and sustain their growth. Their potential, however, has yet to be fully realized as significant obstacles to their expansion and growth still exist in a number of countries. The publication aims to support forest policy decision makers in understanding the status and dynamics of small scale forest enterprises in Latin America, their needs and challenges in order to help them set up appropriated enabling environment (policy, legal, institutional) that are conducive to scale up the sustainable development of SSFE. This publication contributes to SO3 Reduce rural poverty and particularly to output 1.2 Governments and relevant stakeholders are empowered to promote and implement pro-poor approaches, policies, programmes improving access to and sustainable management of natural resources as well as to output 1.3 Governments and relevant stakeholders are empowered to provide poor rural producers and households with appropriate technologies and access to knowledge, inputs and markets.