The current international development co-operation aims to build sector wide approach programmes (SWAPs), programme based co-operation through budget support and joint financing arrangements with other donors in order to enhance recipient governments’ ownership. In this paper we aim to clarify the shift from project approach towards SWAPs in forestry sector. We argue that forestry SWAPs can take place in countries where there are clear sector policies and development strategies for forestry, government and donor’s commitment to support the forestry sector and willingness to harmonise the donor support. It is important to acknowledge that to develop SWAPs in the forestry sector is a long-term process that is related to other reforms and policy changes in each specific country. The whole process of developing a SWAP is complicated and highly dependent on the development of the quality of government systems and an adequate institutional capacity of forestry sector. Also, we have recognised that there is an emerging understanding among the stakeholders that the key factors influencing to the management of forests lay outside of the forest sector. The complexity of the forest sector, and rural development in general, need to be tackled and supported in different ways. The current paper gives examples of Finnish supported forestry development programmes and the purpose of the paper is to discuss the possibilities and barriers of the allocation of the support to forest sector under the partner countries’ own national development frameworks for forestry.