Understands the pathways in which forestry can contribute to sustainability

Understands the role of forest-dependent SMEs in development, employment, and their role in poverty alleviation

Recognises the overlapping and intersectional constraints and limitations faced by forest livelihood in operating smoothly and profitably

Aware of evidence based research on sustainability in forest sector

Understands linkages between forestry and sustainability using the policy framework at the national and state level, particularly focusing on targets under the sustainable development goals

Identifies different stakeholders in the ecosystem and aligns their policy focus with the sub-sectors within forestry

Adopts a “sector-neutral" approach to determine how to create jobs and growth in a sustainable manner

Understands opportunities for SMEs given emerging markets, new business models, competitiveness and know-how insights, financial instruments and opportunities for foreign investors

Aware of the “SME Development Approach”

Conducts needs assessment for broad challenges faced by SMES(access to capital, access to markets, regulations, etc.) needed by forest livelihood and the service delivery channels

Conducts a diagnostic test of the SME sub-sectors to assess those with actual or potential growth prospects

Analyses the internal and external demand and supply variations in the forest sector

Assesses the skill development needs of SMEs in forestry and the level of informalisation between sub-sectors within forestry

Prepares diagnostic framework of the importance of “livelihood vs competitiveness” approach

Plans awareness campaigns for forest livelihood about financial incentives, subsidies, innovations, environmental sustainability, water resource planning, etc.

Design policy interventions to support the development of business plans and financial reporting, and facilitate access to finance by acting as a link between SMEs and banks.

Incorporates policy interventions that help in the integration of value chains, better price information, and access to markets

Incorporates three objectives in policy designing: sustainability, growth through job creation, and climate resilience and balances the interventions with natural resource management

Incorporate informational interventions informing SMEs of the demand and supply needs of the market

Cater to elements of production development, sales, financial management and operations

Develop a set of progress indicators that encompass (i) internal project indicators (ii) chain analysis work etc for initial implementation stages for variations in short and long-term effects

Incorporates financial development aspects of modern moveable collateral registry systems and secured transaction frameworks, loan classification systems not reliant primarily on collateral, assess and quantify SME borrower risk, assist credit scoring on thin-file clients

Augment existing information on a sub-sector by conducting participatory value chain analyses with important stakeholder groups

Promotes advocacy and dissemination of successful interventions/models and contributes in building the capacity of the relevant stakeholders

Propose concrete actions for enhancing the competitiveness of SMES by lifting regulatory constraints, and improving access to financial services, technical support and markets

Promotes multi-sector solutions that support sustainable growth of SMEs in the forest sector and improve knowledge of these solutions among key stakeholders

Conduct country level analysis to estimate SME contribution to the national sustainable development agenda

Create market and policy environments that support competitive and sustainable SMEs in the forest sector

Promote long-term sustainability by providing resource rights to FDHs