INDONESIA - AUSTRIA SPONSORING INTERNATIONAL CONSULTATION ON RESEARCH AND INFORMATION IN FORESTRY

Indonesia in cooperation with Austria, CIFOR and IUFRO is initiating an International Consultation on Research and Information System (ICRIS) in Forestry held on 7 - 10 September 1998 in Ort/Gmunden, Austria.

This consultation will discuss 5 main issues :

1. Increasing emphasis on environmental and biodiversity values of forests.
2. Diversification of stakeholders and increasing involvement of householders, communities and private enterpreneurs in tree growing.
3. International investment in forestry and its implications on forestry research.
4. Developments in frontier areas of science and their impact on forestry research.
5. Meeting the technology needs of the poor and marginalized people.

It is expected that about 150 participants from all over the world representing government institutions, international organizations and NGO will participate in this international consultation.

At the end of the ICRIS consultation, a consensus paper and a chairman's summary will be prepared for presentation to the IFF. The outcome of the consultation should be a signal both to the research community and to policy-makers. The objective of the consultation is not to come with an academic study, but with workable proposals for mechanism to strengthen forestry research that will get agreement and support from both communities.