NTFP - EP Asia

23/09/2026

| The ASEAN Heritage Parks Forum 2026 was held on 09 September 2026 at Seda Vertis North, Quezon City, Philippines. During Breakout Session B Harnessing Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge, Ms. Femy Pinto, Executive Director of NTFP-EP Asia and ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia Co-Lead, presented on ICCAs in the region. She highlighted how these Territories of Life, which are self-determined and conserved by Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IP&LCs), align directly with Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework ( ) and national biodiversity strategies.

Across ASEAN, many territories of life overlap with protected areas and heritage parks as sacred grounds, conserved commons, or recognized community areas. Traditional management systems, such as the Tana’ Ulen of the Dayak Kenyah in , demonstrate how local governance strengthens park management and biodiversity outcomes. The session reinforced that effective conservation depends on pairing scientific approaches with Indigenous knowledge through a rights-based framework that treats IP&LCs as true partners in governance.

Building synergy between formal park management and traditional custodianship requires concrete action: recognizing ICCAs, sharing governance authority, integrating indigenous conservation plans, and strengthening coordination with park authorities.

Together, the ICCA Consortium and its regional coordinator, the NTFP-EP Asia, continue advocating for the recognition and support of these vital community-governed territories.

22/09/2026

| Delegates across Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam representing ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia attended the inaugural Peoples’ Conservation Summit (PCS) on 1–3 September 2026 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The summit brought together over 500 participants, which included Indigenous Peoples, local communities, farmers, fishers, youth, academics, NGOs, and government figures, to address the decolonization of conservation, push for funding justice, and help shape the Indonesian Local Biodiversity Outlook ahead of *D .

The gathering created a vital cross-stakeholder space to discuss strategic biodiversity management with people at the center, affirming local sovereignty over knowledge and governance.

"This was my first encounter with complex issues in Indonesia, such as national park management, mining, and land ownership. It was a significant technical learning experience, and I was moved by the passion and determination of the people fighting for their rights," shared by a Dung Nguyen, representing from Vietnam.

This was hosted and organized by the Working Group ICCAs Indonesia (WGII) in collaboration with various partners. The ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia delegation was supported by NTFP-EP Asia, as the regional coordination hub host, and the .

Together, participants built collective recommendations to decolonize conservation paradigms and lay the foundation for the upcoming launch of the Peoples' Conservation Declaration.

16/09/2026

🍃 WE ARE HIRING 🍃

NTFP-EP Asia is looking for a Finance Assistant/Project Accountant. The position is available to Philippine-based applicants only.

We operate on a compressed work week from Mondays to Thursdays but with travel to project areas from time to time.

Kindly refer to the photo and website for further details. Thank you!

📅 Deadline: 23 September 2026 (5:00 PM Philippine Time)
🔗 Full Details: https://ntfp.org/jobs-opportunities/finance-assistant-project-accountant/

09/09/2026

Upholding the rights of Indigenous Peoples starts with the true recognition of their territories, and today we celebrate a major milestone with the official approval of 33 Kaw applications by the Kawthoolei Central Land Committee. 💚🎉✨️
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"We have received around 300 Kaw applications, and today we approved 33 of them. The remaining applications will require further information and review. The signed certificates will be sent to the relevant KNU districts for distribution to the certificate holders. By recognizing communities' rights to govern and manage their Kaw, we are strengthening their sense of ownership and supporting their efforts to protect their lands and natural resources," said Padoh Saw Lay Say, Joint Secretary of the Kawthoolei Central Land Committee (KCLC), Karen National Union (KNU).

The recognition of these 33 Kaw demonstrates that Indigenous Karen governance remains a living and practical system for caring for people, land, and nature across Kawthoolei."
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29/08/2026

“We support indigenous women who are contributing in protecting their traditional practices through Non Timber Forest Products. We help to connect the indigenous producers directly to the consumers, so that the women can benefit more directly, bringing them both economic and social support systems.”

At a recent Drynet side event at COP17 Mongolia, Lyra Puno - our long-standing partner NTFP-EP Asia - shared how they work alongside Indigenous women to strengthen their livelihoods and traditional practices through NTFPs.

Watch Lyra's interview to learn more about their amazing efforts 👉

26/08/2026

What happens when young Indigenous leaders are given space to decide what their community needs?

For Monitte Lantas and NKKN in Narra, Palawan, the answer led back to the mangroves and to a youth-led conservation vision rooted in memory, advocacy, and care.

Read the full story:
https://www.ntfpepphilippines.org/post/when-the-mangroves-ask-for-time-nkkn-palawan

Nature’s Heartbeat is a joint project of Armonía Bolivia, A Rocha Ghana, ECOTRUST, NTFP - EP Asia and IUCN Netherlands. The project is made possible by the Postcode Lottery.

22/08/2026

The Baram region in the heart of Sarawak, Malaysia, is an important...

20/08/2026

| The ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia gathered for its 7th Regional Assembly in Van Ho Commune, Son La Province, Vietnam, from 14–16 July 2026. Members and partners from across the region participated in the three-day knowledge and learning event. The assembly provided a space for strategic and thematic discussions, exchanges among country networks, and a deeper understanding of key international policies affecting the governance, sustaining, and defending of ICCAs. This year’s assembly is also particularly significant as the Consortium formally welcomed the new Regional Council for 2026–2029.

The 7th Regional Assembly of the ICCA Consortium SEA was organized by People and Nature Reconciliation ( ) with support from the Non-Timber Forest Products – Exchange Programme (NTFP-EP) Asia, the host organization for the regional coordination hub.

🔗 Read more here: https://ntfp.org/exchange_news/icca-consortium-southeast-asia-held-its-7th-regional-meeting-in-vietnam/

Photo credits to: People and Nature Reconciliation

20/08/2026

18/08/2026

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐓𝐅𝐏𝐬 🇻🇳🤝

“Farmers were no longer simply harvesting what the forest provided; they were learning how to understand markets, improving products, and collectively creating greater value from resources rooted in their landscapes.”

🔗 Read more: https://ntfp.org/exchange_news/from-forest-to-future-vietnam/
📽 Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOOqfRDJ-Zs

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Last but not the least, our Vietnam story is now up! 🌿

This series highlights the people, milestones, and lasting impacts of the project across the region. Stay tuned for the final story, coming in the next few days, as we continue exploring how community-led initiatives are contributing to sustainable and inclusive livelihoods across ASEAN.

To linking peoples and forests!

NTFP EP Vietnam - Lâm sản ngoài gỗ Việt Nam

From Forest to Future: The Journey of Community Forest Enterprises...