African Forest Forum creates roadmap for biodiversity management

Senior African policymakers and scientists have agreed on a new roadmap to promote the sustainable management of forests and other biodiversity hotspots to advance the green transition, climate resilience and inclusive development.

At the conclusion of a virtual forum convened on Friday by the African Forest Forum (AFF), a Nairobi-based non-profit conservation organization, participants underscored the role of healthy forests, peatlands, mangroves and drylands in sustaining livelihoods for local communities.

The forum, which ran from June 8 to 12, brought together policymakers, scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators from across the continent.

Labode Popoola, executive secretary of AFF, said the five-day conference provided a platform to raise the visibility of Africa's tropical forests and dry landscapes in shaping a future characterized by resilience, food, water and energy security, and improved rural incomes through trade in tree-based products.

Popoola emphasized that improved governance, policy coherence, research and knowledge sharing, as well as the harnessing of technology and innovation, are key to enabling African countries to maximize benefits from indigenous forests, savanna grasslands, and coastal mangroves.

According to AFF, African forests cover nearly 23% of the continent's landmass, equivalent to 624 million hectares, while supporting the livelihoods of about 245 million people through the provision of food, medicine, clean water, biomass and carbon storage.

Participants in the five-day forum agreed that strong policy and legislative frameworks, predictable financing, public awareness and collaborative research are essential to promoting the sustainable utilization of forests and supporting the timber industry, ecotourism and carbon markets.

In addition, delegates noted that emerging challenges facing Africa's tropical forests include climate change, urbanization, unsustainable land-use practices, illegal logging and forest clearance for mechanized farming.