Training Course Report: ASB Global Scenarios Training Course. ASB MA Training for facilitators Workshop, 17-23 November, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Abstract

This course is organized as an activity under the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)/SII project Advancing agroforestry research and development through training and education (2002-2007) coordinated by the Centre’s Training and Education Unit. This project’s developmental objective is that ‘agroforestry innovations developed by the Centre and its partners are implemented in developing countries throughout the tropics. The immediate objectives of the project are through short courses, transferring of the outcomes and results of recent advances in agroforestry research and development obtained by the Centre and its collaborating partners, and the development and widespread dissemination of agroforestry teaching resources for the benefit of training and education institutions in the tropics. These objectives are achieved through the assessment of partner strengths, weaknesses and training needs; the implementation of about 20 short, specialized training courses in the areas of competence of the Centre; the production of supporting agroforestry teaching and learning resources in various formats; and the strengthening of national institutions through a small-grants projects scheme. The ASB Global Scenarios course was created in partnership with the ICRAF/SII project and the Alternative to Slash-and-Burn Programme’s previous work the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA). The MA is a global initiative to assess the state of the world’s major ecosystems. It focuses on the links between ecosystem health and human well-being and on understanding underlying causes and trends . The Alternatives to Slash-and-Burn Programme is conducting a sub-global MA analysis that spans the humid tropics. The MA conducted a scenarios training course in Malaysia, in June, 2003, attended by Sandra J. Velarde, JPO on Pantropic Ecosystem Assessment and a member of ASB’s global coordination team. Building on this workshop and on further briefings with the MA Technical Support Unit for Scenarios, ASB launched a Scenarios Development Project as part of capacity building for their national partners. Scenarios is seen as a flexible, innovative decision-making tool with a potential for widespread use by ASB partners worldwide