Kenya has a total surface area of 582 646 km², and a population total of just over 40 million with a growth rate of 2.7% (2009 census). The total state forest area is estimated at 2.35 million ha (...

La déforestation et la dégradation des forêts provoquent actuellement un déclin rapide du couvert forestier sur le continent africain. Entre 2010 et 2020, l’Afrique a enregistré un taux annuel de p...

Le Cadre de Varsovie adopté lors de la COP19 en 2013 fixe les lignes directrices de REED+. Le processus REDD+ comprend quatre (4) composantes qui doivent être toutes intégralement réalisées à savoi...

Comparative information on the composition and diversity in tree species associations in Miombo woodland is limited. This study assessed how tree species associations across forest reserves of Miom...

Public private partnership as a concept has gained ground over the last few decades as a virile approach to delivering goods and services. It is a contractual agreement between a public agency and ...

The African Forest Forum (AFF) commissioned this study in four of the ten countries in Central Africa (Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon and the Republic of Congo) as part of its activi...

Aims This study was conducted to assess the effects of shifting cultivation and its conversion to mono-cropping on soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (STN). Methods We compared soil pH, t...

Understanding the context: Forestry and PPPs in Ghana Forestry, a key sector of the Ghanaian economy, contributes 2-6% of the national GDP and provides livelihood support to 15%...

Forests and trees constitute a very important component of natural resources for countries in West and Central (W/C) Africa. The region also has one of the highest rates of deforestation and forest...

Comparative investigations were undertaken in five forest fragments (Chawia, Fururu, Mbololo, Ngangao and Vuria) of varying sizes in Taita Hills, Kenya to examine the effects of forest edge on soil...

The highest deforestation and forest degradation rates in Africa occur in the dry forests and woodlands where pressure for land is increasing, poverty is rampant, livelihood options are few and cli...

The study aimed to investigate the relative significance of effects of climatic variability and human disturbance on the population structure of the threatened species Afzelia africana Sm. ex Pers....

In most African countries, forest-based climate change intervention initiatives such as nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) and national adaptation programmes of action (NAPAs) a...

The scale of deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa underscores the need for forest restoration. Information is scarce for evidence-based restoration options. Sown Senna didymobotrya, planted Fic...

This study assessed ecological and socio-economic impacts of a participatory forest management project in the Republic of Benin. The study focused on the Wari-Maro Forest Reserve and the ‘Proj...

Forests in Africa support the livelihoods of millions of people through provision of timber and non-timber forest products, food and nutrition, energy and payment of environmental services. Ho...

This synthesis report is based on three recent forest health studies commissioned by the African Forest Forum (AFF) in Eastern, Southern, and West and Central Africa (Bosu, 2016; Gichora, 2016; Koj...

Message from the Executive Secretary I am pleased to share with you our AFF e-newsletter. Since our last newsletter, there have been several new and exciting stories to share with the African fore...

Key messages

Forests and planted trees provide sustenance to many millions of people in Africa, particularly the vulnerable, women and children. Balancing utilisation of forest resources and growth of forests a...

The highlights presented in this fact sheet on the current status of forest diseases in southern Africa are based on a review of literature and country visits to gather information and expert opini...

Context Forest resources and trees outside forests provide multiple benefits and have direct and measurable impacts on people’s lives. Forests, trees on farms, and agroforestry systems play import...

Introduction In 2003 African ministers signed a Ministerial Declaration on African Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (AFLEG) that galvanized their commitment to strengthening the forest...

Introduction The highlights presented in this fact sheet on the current status of forest pests in southern Africa are based on a review of literature and country visits to gather information and e...

A recent assessment by the African Forest Forum on the participation of African negotiators in international multilateral processes on forests and related issues revealed that a great majority of t...

Carbon sequestration has become a crucial service forests provide for regulation and mitigation of climate change through reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In Kenya, Cupressus lusitanica, Pinu...

Aims of the handbook and how it was compiled Commissioned by the African Forest Forum (AFF), the general aim of this study was to compile and document, in one publication, the information on FC re...

Forests and forestry continue to be very much profiled on the global agenda and their relevance to other sectors of national economies is increasingly been recognized and appreciated. This progress...

Newsletter Vol 6 Issue 1 English Newsletter Vol 6 Issue 1 French

This report highlights some findings from evaluation activities that have been undertaken on projects implemented by the African Forest Forum (AFF). Specifically, the evaluations were undertaken wi...

Summary Southern African woodlands support the livelihoods of millions of both the rural and urban dwellers through the provision of non-wood products including supply of energy and agricultural e...

The African Forest Forum (AFF) website serves as a knowledge and information hub on African forestry for its members and stakeholders. It avails knowledge on priority issues that are critical for t...

Land conversion and degradation in the Sahel have emerged as a primary concern. The process leading to land conversion is sometimes as a consequence of multiple economic, social, cultural and polit...

Cameroon's land area covers about 46 million ha with 16.8 million ha as dense tropical forests and 29.8 million ha as degraded humid forests. The almost double proportion of degraded forests to den...

The purposes of the report are to highlight and promote the great potential roles of forests and trees to contribute to Africa’s economic development, food security and environmental health and to ...

In many African countries, the private sector in forestry is almost non-existent as an organized entity that one can dialogue with. This is also true in Tanzania, the country this study reports on,...

This study provides information to support catalysing the emergence of organized private sector in forestry in Kenya, through promotion of promising public private partnership (PPP) approaches for ...

Summary This article synthesizes information on climate vulnerability of biophysical systems in forests, woodlands and coastal wetlands of Africa. Current knowledge indicates that forests and wood...

Summary The work of Public Forest Administrations (PFAs) has evolved from forest management, to sustainable forest management, to management of forests and woodlands for ecosystem goods and servic...

Summary Public Forest Administrations (PFAs) have been transformed from the ‘policing’ type agencies for forest protection and conservation into modern people-centred institutions applying partici...

Forests play a crucial role in climate change evolution and dynamics. The effects of climate change may also greatly impact forest ecosystems, which will reflect on the living conditions of local f...

Tropical moist forests (TMFs) occur in humid tropical areas, usually with 1,500 mm or more of precipitation and a dry season (or seasons) of three to four months or less. There is an interrupted be...

African countries have been facing several environmental challenges related to climate change and desertification. To cope with these challenges, several efforts have been made by individual countr...

The African continent remains the most vulnerable region in the world to the impact of climate change, mainly due to weak resilience and adaptive capacity. There is limited knowledge on the relatio...

The different agro-ecological zones of Sahelian countries have experienced continuous degradation for the last four decades due to the combined effects of drought, increasing anthropogenic pressure...

The paper reviews forest restoration and rehabilitation efforts as well as the contributing factors to up-scaling successful restoration practices in eastern Africa. It discusses the main forms of ...

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY It is with great pleasure that the African Forest Forum brings you this special edition of our October 2015 newsletter. This newsletter has a strong focus on t...

In Africa, nearly all issues in the forestry debate of today revolve, directly or indirectly, around deforestation and forest degradation. Although current information as reported by FAO indicates ...

Capacity building in forestry in all its forms is a central work area for the African Forest Forum (AFF). It was on this basis that AFF organized a workshop on capacity building and skills developm...

Summary Global warming has heightened the need to substitute fossil fuels with biomass-based energy sources. Some West African countries have recorded appreciable progress in this regard though wi...

Summary Non-wood forest products (NWFPs) are important sources of dietary supplement in all countries of the Sahel. The most valued forest products are gum Arabic (Acacia Senegal, Shea butter (Vit...

Summary The emerging scenario in intra-African trade in forest products is one characterised by very small volumes of recorded trade on one hand, and on the other one of unrecorded, and of potenti...

Summary The global initiative to manage forests in response to climate change emanated from the seventh and thirteenth Conference of the Parties (COP 7 and 13) under the aegis of the United Nation...

Summary This paper describes regional forestry and forestry-related policies of the Sub-Saharan Region of Africa, with a view to reveal and discuss their influence on both regionional cooperation,...

Summary Forests, woodlands and coastal wetlands of Africa serve important ecological functions and provide goods and services that contribute significantly to livelihoods at local, national and gl...

Climate change adversely affects the environment and human livelihoods. This is through alteration of rainfall patterns as well as water availability, sea level and ecosystem productivity, e.g. for...

This report examined the prospects of greenhouse gas mitigation in African tree Plantations, with a focus on the potential of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) in Planta...

Tropical forest of Africa represents 18% of the world total and covers over 3.6 million km2 in West, East and Central Africa. The bulk of tropical forests in Africa are found in West and Central Af...

Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, plus the role of conservation, SFM, and forest carbon stock enhancement (REDD+) is a policy initiative developed by the international community...

With the decision on the Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) in COP-16 in Cancun, the contribution of forests to climate change has been recognized as a corners...

Tropical woodlands and savannahs are associated with areas where there is an annual dry season of sufficient duration and intensity, and most of woody plants shed their leaves and grasses dry out. ...

The highest deforestation and forest degradation rates in Africa occur in the dry forests and woodlands where the pressure for land is continuously increasing, poverty is rampant, livelihood option...

The highest deforestation and forest degradation rates in Africa occur in the dry forests and woodlands where the pressure for land is continuously increasing, poverty is rampant, livelihood option...

National Plans and Programmes related to People, Forests and Climate Change in West Africa were reviewed in a desk study, in order to improve understanding of how forests and trees, and the people ...

The countries covered under the eastern African region are Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Issues pertaining to South Sudan being the yo...

Background Climate change is now known to be a key threat to achieving sustainable development and poverty reduction targets, as well as attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in Afric...

This report was commissioned as part of a larger study by the African Forest Forum (AFF), to review regional plans and programmes related to people, forests and climate change by partner states of ...

Given the potential impacts of climate change on the commercial forestry sector, and the fact that such impacts can already be detected in Africa, the development and implementation of adaptation p...

Forestry and rural development are on the cusp of major changes in West Africa with Forest Law Enforcement and Trade (FLEGT) measures already affecting the international timber trade, with knock-on...

Professional associations are needful for effective coordination of professional activities to enable them achieve the aims and objectives of setting the up. Such associations abound for most profe...

Climate change is a major threat to achieving the poverty reduction aspirations of many African countries as well as to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is affecting ra...

The Sahel is a semi-arid climate zone which stretches across Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Only sparsely covered with native shrubs and trees, the Sahel nonetheless sustains the livelihoods of...

The challenges facing countries and producers of forest products vary with each situation, but there are cconstraints common to many. These include lack of: politiccal will, national dialogue, nati...

Africa is home to the most diverse animal life on the planet. Although wildlife has economic significance, particularly in the tourism sector, it is also a key element of the ecosystems that underp...

Forest plantation development in the study countries of Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda was, in most cases, preceded by species and provenance trials, mainly of exotic ...

African moist forests are enduring ever more pressure from over-use and climate change. Interest is increasing in their contribution to global mitigation and adaptation strategies. The challenge no...

Despite great advances in recent years, sustainable management of Africa’s vast and diverse natural forests is still proving to be extremely challenging. This factsheet outlines problems and progre...

Carbon trading is promoted to encourage the planting of forests in Africa. But the continent still lags far behind other regions in using its large wealth in land and potential carbon stocks to the...

Internationally supported initiatives to mitigate climate change began in the early 1980s. Local people across Africa are also adapting to the changes they are experiencing directly. The vital role...

In Africa, over 270 million people depend on forests, woodlands and savannas for all or part of their livelihoods. The collection, use and sale of timber and other forest products provide a vital s...

Uganda is a landlocked country in the eastern region of Africa. It has a total land area of about 241,550 km2, most of which is covered by subsistence farmland and grasslands. The country had a pop...

This is a study on the current status of forest plantations and natural forests in Tanzania conducted from September 2010 to June 2011. The main focus is on analysing the local supply and market de...

The old unified Sudan was the largest country in Africa with a total area of 2.5 million km². It is bounded on the east by the Red Sea and is surrounded on the other sides by nine African nations. ...

Rwanda is a small, landlocked country in Central Eastern Africa. It is located between latitudes 104' and 2051' South and longitudes 28045' and 31015' East. The territory of Rwanda covers a surface...

Kenya has a total surface area of 582 646 km², and a population total of just over 40 million with a growth rate of 2.7% (2009 census). The total state forest area is estimated at 2.35 million ha (...

Ethiopia is a landlocked country situated in East Africa between 3-15° N latitude and 33-48° E longitude covering an area of about 1.2 million square kilometres. With an estimated population of 80....

Environmental and economic sustainability and human well being are dependent on large, widespread and healthy forests. But current economic policies and conditions mean that forest capital assets a...

Burundi is a small landlocked country covering 27 834 km² of which 25 200 km² are terrestrial. It is located in the Great Lakes region of Africa between 29°00' and 30°54' East and 2°20' and 4°28' S...

Africa’s economic dependence on its natural resource base makes it particularly vulnerable to climate change. The rural poor, whose livelihoods rely on natural resources, have been among the first ...

With 28 shared river basins covering 71% of the region, sub-humid West Africa would appear to have considerable water resources. This also makes the countries in the region very much water interdep...

The African Forest Forum (AFF) in a study on professional forestry associations in southern Africa found out that a majority of formerly active professional forestry associations have gone moribund...

Over 65% of the original wildlife habitat in Africa has been lost (Kiss, 1990) as a result of agricultural expansion, deforestation, and overgrazing, which have been fuelled by rapid human populati...

Even though mature woodlands are considered to be in a steady state with respect to carbon balance, many of these woodlands have been disturbed in the past by man. Under good management, such relat...

In the SADC region both forests and water are highly valued resources and yet there is no clear strategy on how to manage them in an integrated manner. Conceptual clarity on the effect of forest co...

In the first phase of the project “Lessons learnt on Sustainable Forest Management in Africa” (SFM I, 2002–2005) – funded by Sida and carried out jointly by the African Forest Research Network (AFO...

This report contains the outcomes of the planning phase of a joint project between the African Forest Forum and the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry. The project started in early 2...

In its broadest meaning, a forestry association is a group of people who are interested in forestry or forest industries. Their activities are concerned with the forest and its products, or the gro...

Associations of people sharing a common interest have been around for as long as human beings have tended to socially interact outside the realms of their immediate families or clans. All manner of...

Central Africa sub-region is much endowed with natural water resources. The region is watered by the four largest watersheds of the continent. These include the Congo River basin, the Nile River ba...

There is a significant proportion of timber that is harvested, transported, processed and traded illegally throughout the world. This is often associated with detrimental environmental, social and ...