This training was organized in response to the request by Liberia to ensure that the newly launched nfp process respects the principle of participation and partnership. The Forest Development Authority (FDA) organised the training in Robertsport city, Grand Cape mount county from 1st – 5th November, 2010. It was attended by 27 participants largely drawn from the FDA, NGOs, Community based organizations and County Forest Forums. Other representatives came from Ministries of Agriculture; and Ministry of Internal affairs.

Key outputs:

Trainees identified the following key areas for which they developed detailed activity plans:

1. Strengthen and empower CBOs and county forest forums to become strong local institutions
2. Deepen the capacities of forestry stakeholders to promote genuine participation and increase transparency in decision – making in the forestry sector
3. Support initiatives that enhancing sustainable forest management practices
4. Increase awareness on the concept and practice of national forest programme 

Recommendations

1. Structures for enhancing participation:

While the County forum structures have been developed to enable more stakeholders (especially those with less influence, but highly affected by decisions in the sector), they are only getting themselves better organised. Whereas steps to put up a national level forum are in advanced stages, there are no meso- and local- level structures to provide a foundation for the county forums. Efforts will be made to have the county and national structures well grounded and representative of lower levels, including the districts, chiefdoms and clans, in order to enhance sustainability.

2. Capacity strengthening:

• Training of trainers: This training successfully oriented and introduced to participants the key tools and methods that could be used to enhance participation. Since it was for only a handful of participants, largely practitioners, there is need in the country to roll out and deepen these capacities for increased collective involvement and ownership of the process. Participants asked to be supported with a training of trainers (ToT), with some participants drawn from this initial training, and identified candidates from county forest forums.
• Institutional strengthening and support to county forums: County forums offer plenty of opportunity for enhancing stakeholder participation as such it could be ideal for the Steering committee in the country to identify some active counties and further strengthen them as entities capable of engaging effectively with local and national level decision-making processes. This may require support to strengthen leadership issues, accountability and strategic planning.
• Action plans were made at the end of the training, and based on experience in other countries, it is essential for FDA to follow them up.