104 STATE OF THE WORLD'S FORESTs 2003 Effectiveness of partnerships Public sector partnerships with communities Partnerships between the private and public and non-governmental organizations(NGOs) sectors. Partnerships between the private and Traditionally, most public sector forest research public sectors can strengthen research efforts by has responded to the needs of government making them more demand-driven, with a encies an nd has been related to large focus on well-defined outputs. They are also a scale forestry, especially plantations. The way of generating funds in times of declining narrow technical specialization this entails ha resources. However, pitfalls do exist. Public limited the ability to build up strong links institutions, under pressure to mobilize between public sector institutions and local resources, are often compelled to enter into communities. Although the recent focus on partnerships with the private sector on terms groforestry by the World Agroforestry Centre that compromise the purpose of their research. (ICRAF)and some NGOs, for example, has Most partnerships of this type increase the helped to improve the scientific basis of competitive advantage of the private sector, and traditional practices, there are nevertheless a substantial proportion of research tends to be serious gaps. The fragmented nature of product-and productivity-focused Other conventional research, coupled with limited limitations include: capacity in social science research, often a decrease in resources for more undermines the potential for a strong fundamental public goods research, which partnership between the public sector and local in due course negatively affects applied and communities daptive research; increased vulnerability to unforeseen Partnerships between the private sector and the problems, such as pest infestation and community. In several countries, private disease resulting from a narrow focus on a industries are increasing support to local limited number of species and clones communities and farmers for tree growing restricted access to outputs, limiting the Industries provide seeds, seedlings and generation and wider application of technical expertise, and invest substantially in efforts to identify appropriate species Center for International Forestry Research: adaptive responses to emerging concerns FOR, established a decade ago to strengthen forest policy assessing the sustainability of forest management-test- research at the global level, is helping to redefine the focus ing criteria and indicators; of such research. Through four research programmes and plantation forestry on degraded or low-potential site one programme for research support, CIFOR is responding to .conservation of biological diversity and genetic resources; evolving demand and emerging issues, for example in the livelihoods, community forests and devolution; following areas: Stainable use and development of the underlying causes of deforestation, forest degradation and poverty in forest margins; research impact, information and capacity building policies, technologies and global change multiple resource management of natural forests;2003 FORESTS S’WORLD THE OF STATE 104 partnerships of Effectiveness public and private the between Partnerships and private the between Partnerships. sectors by efforts research strengthen can sectors public a with, driven-demand more them making a also are They. outputs defined-well on focus declining of times in funds generating of way Public. exist do pitfalls, However. resources mobilize to pressure under, institutions into enter to compelled often are, resources terms on sector private the with partnerships .research their of purpose the compromise that the increase type this of partnerships Most and, sector private the of advantage competitive be to tends research of proportion substantial a Other. focused-productivity and- product :include limitations more for resources in decrease a• which, research goods public fundamental and applied affects negatively course due in ;research adaptive unforeseen to vulnerability increased• and infestation pest as such, problems a on focus narrow a from resulting disease ;clones and species of number limited the limiting, outputs to access restricted• of application wider and generation .knowledge communities with partnerships sector Public .(NGOs (organizations governmental-non and research forest sector public most, Traditionally government of needs the to responded has The. plantations especially, forestry scale￾large to related been has and agencies forest has entails this specialization technical narrow links strong up build to ability the limited local and institutions sector public between on focus recent the Although. communities Centre Agroforestry World the by agroforestry has, example for, NGOs some and) ICRAF( of basis scientific the improve to helped nevertheless are there, practices traditional of nature fragmented The. gaps serious limited with coupled, research conventional often, research science social in capacity strong a for potential the undermines local and sector public the between partnership .communities the and sector private the between Partnerships private, countries several In. community local to support increasing are industries .growing tree for farmers and communities and seedlings, seeds provide Industries in substantially invest and, expertise technical and species appropriate identify to efforts policy forest strengthen to ago decade a established, CIFOR focus the redefine to helping is, level global the at research and programmes research four Through. research such of to responding is CIFOR, support research for programme one the in example for, issues emerging and demand evolving :areas following degradation forest, deforestation of causes underlying the• ;margins forest in poverty and ;management ecosystem forest• ;forests natural of management resource multiple• ;indicators and criteria ing￾test – management forest of sustainability the assessing• ;sites potential-low or degraded on forestry plantation• ;resources genetic and diversity biological of conservation• ;devolution and forests community, livelihoods• forest wood-non of development and use sustainable• ;(NWFPs (products ;building capacity and information, impact research• .change global and technologies, policies• concerns emerging to responses adaptive: Research Forestry International for Center