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Seed to Tree

Seed to Tree - Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT

The Seed to Tree Project aims to improve the effectiveness, carbon sequestration potential, conservation value, and participation of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLC) in forest and landscape restoration efforts in Malaysia by improving the availability and quality of native tree seeds and seedlings needed to meet site-specific restoration objectives, and by supporting IPLC participation in seed value chains.

Project Name (full): Seed to Tree: Value Chains and Partnerships for Resilient Restored Forests

Start and end year: July 2024 to February 2027

Region and Countries: Asia, Malaysia

Funders: UK Mission to ASEAN

Partners: Lead partner: Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Center (TRCRC)

Support Partners: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), Forest Restoration Research Unit (FORRU) of the Chiang Mai University, and ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)

Brief Description

Indigenous communities in Malaysia have long maintained a deep connection between their cultural traditions and the rainforest ecosystem. By providing the right tools and platforms, indigenous communities can scale sustainable livelihoods in forest conservation and ecosystem restoration, contributing to long-term environmental sustainability. While initial efforts will begin in Malaysia, lessons and takeaways will be shared across ASEAN. The developed methods and tools are scalable and aligned with the Strategic Plan of Action for ASEAN Cooperation on Forestry.

Explore more about the project

The project has three main outcomes spread over three years:

  • Use of the project’s decision-support, and monitoring and verification tools by restoration actors and state agencies to plan and monitor their restoration initiatives.
  • The involvement of at least 20 IPLC members across three communities in three targeted regions (with at least 30% women representation) in supplying genetically diverse seedstock of native tree species for restoration to state agencies, civil society organisations and/or companies.
  • The adoption of recommendations to conserve and use critical seed sources for restoration and involve IPLCs in mapping, conservation and seed collection efforts by state agencies.

Key Activities

The project's outcomes will be delivered through five outputs:

  • The design and promotion of a restoration and conservation planning toolkit across three Malaysian states.
  • Adapting and deploying the MyFarmTrees monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) tool for quality seed collection and integration of restoration value chains.
  • The identification of partnership opportunities and leverage points within restoration value chains, fostering species diversity, ensuring seed availability and quality, and empowering IPLCs; which includes the establishment of a multi-stakeholder platform.
  • Synthesising and communicating the field-tested approaches for and benefits of developing restoration value chains and IPLC empowerment to restoration actors in Malaysia and ASEAN.
  • Project management, monitoring, evaluation and learning.

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