An online information resource, pooling articles, studies and a range of other materials on FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs), has been created by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). The open access FLEGT VPA Library targets researchers, government officials, civil society organizations and other actors involved in monitoring FLEGT VPA processes.
CIFOR says it launched the website, with the support of the FAO-EU FLEGT Programme, in response to the growing need ‘to measure the impact of VPAs to ensure lessons are learned and processes improved’. It is also a recognition of the fact that to date, due to the wide range of stakeholders involved in VPA implementation and forest governance, it has been challenging to access information.
Currently there are around 180 publications in the library, searchable by country and date. So far they cover VPA impacts in Indonesia, Cameroon and Ghana, but the aim is to expand coverage to all VPA partner countries. There is a facility on the site for contributors to submit further reports for inclusion.