The contribution of Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs) and services in livelihood support has been reviewed. Quite a number of NWFPs are also important articles of commerce and contribute significantly to the economies of various African countries. The non-consumptive role of forests has been examined in terms of eco-tourism while the social and economic viability of the production of NWFPs and services have been reviewed from subsistence and commercial perspectives. Conditions that enable long-term viability in the management of forests for NWFPs and services have been reviewed. Need for sound ecological data in relation to resource stock and yield were noted as important in determining ecological sustainability. A number of institutional issues important to SFM were noted, including setting up of strong producer organizations, enabling policies and legislative frameworks, and relevant institutions within the government that provide supportive roles. Multiple use management was noted as an important concept towards sustainable forestry and clearly demonstrates how forests can be managed for both wood and NWFPs. From an analysis of lessons learnt from the above, various recommendations were made.

Summary Public Forest Administrations (PFAs) have been transformed from the ‘policing’ type agencies for forest protection and conservation into modern people-centred institutions applying participatory approaches of forest management. This paper presents an overview of the status of capacity of PFAs and their scope of activities on climate change including stakeholder involvement, access and equitable benefit sharing. Findings indicate that there is a critical shortage of trained personnel to handle the new mandates in order to respond effectively to climate change. Furthermore, PFAs are under-funded and, despite recent shifts in their mandate and scope, they are not prioritized highly in national budgets. In addition, lack of sustainable financing for climate change activities from local and national sources has resulted in most of the funding for forest related climate change activities being funded by external agencies. Consequently, national government PFAs budget increases are imperative. Furthermore, there is an urgent need for local, national and regional initiatives on training and capacity building for PFAs and countries need to elevate the national profiles of their PFAs to be commensurate with the crucial roles forests play in national development. Keywords: adaptation, climate change, Mitigation, REDD+, sustainable forest management Brève vue d’ensemble des capacités des administrations des forêts publiques dans les travaux liés au changement climatique dans les pays à forêts humides de l’Afrique sub-saharienne C. DLAMINI, M. Larwanou et P.W. CHIRWA Le travail des Administrations des forêts publiques (PFAs) a évolué de gestion forestière en gestion forestière durable, puis en gestion des forêts et des terres forestières pour les services et les produits de l’écosystème et enfin en atténuation du changement climatique et à une adaptation à ce dernier. L’objectif de cette étude et d’offrir une vue d’ensemble des capacités des PFAs dans les travaux liés au changement climatique. Les résultats montrent que, bien que les PFAs existent encore sous une protection nationale comme du temps de l’ère coloniale, la majorité des pays à forêts humides les ont vu se transformer, passant de la simple mise en exécution d’une protection et d’une conservation forestière à des approches participatives centrées sur le facteur humain. Plusieurs facteurs ont contribués à cette évolution, le principal étant le fait que le secteur forestier actuel inclut un développement durable qui souligne un mouvement vers une utilisation des ressource durable plutôt qu’une conservation »à l’ancienne ». Plus important encore est le fait que les PFAs ne sont pas seulement chargées de s’occuper de la foresterie traditionnelle, mais aussi du travail lié au changement climatique au niveau forestier, en réponse à de nouveaux et à d’émergeants défis environnementaux. Cependant, les PFAs manquent de capacités physiques, humaines et financières pour mettre leur travail en exécution, et ce, dû à un manque de fonds, car ils ne sont pas une priorité importante dans les budgets nationaux, en dépit du changement de vision. De plus, on observe un manque dans la participation des parties prenantes, un accès et un partage équitable des bénéfices vague, une capacité inadéquate d’estimer et de faire des rapports sur les inventaires des gaz de l’effet-serre ( GHG), et une carence d’application du Guide de bonne pratique (GPG) du Panel inter-gouvernemental sur le changement climatique (IPCC). Una revisión de las capacidades de las administraciones forestales públicas para la intervención en actividades sobre el cambio climático en los países con bosque seco del África subsahariana C. DLAMINI, M. Larwanou y P.W. CHIRWA Las Administraciones Forestales Públicas (AFP) han pasado de ser agencias forestales de tipo ‘policial’, con miras a la protección y la conservación, a ser instituciones modernas centradas en las personas, que aplican enfoques participativos de ordenación forestal. Este artículopresenta una visión general del estado de la capacidad de las AFP y el alcance de sus actividades en relación con el cambio climático, como la participación, el acceso y la distribución equitativa de beneficios para las partes interesadas. Los resultados indican que hay una grave escasez de personal capacitado para gestionar los nuevos mandatos con los que dar respuesta de manera efectiva al cambio climático. Por otra parte, las AFP carecen de financiamiento y, a pesar de los cambios recientes en su mandato y su alcance, apenas se priorizan en los presupuestos nacionales. Además, la falta de financiación sostenible para las actividades relacionadas con el cambio climático a partir de fuentes locales y nacionales ha hecho que la mayoría de la financiación de las actividades referentes al cambio climático relacionadas con los bosques estén siendo financiadas por agencias externas. En consecuencia, es imprescindible que los gobiernos nacionales aumenten el presupuesto de las AFP. Asimismo, existe una necesidad urgente de iniciativas locales, nacionales y regionales en materia de formación y desarrollo de capacidades para las AFP y los países deben elevar los perfiles nacionales de sus AFP para que estén en consonancia con las funciones cruciales que desempeñan los bosques en el desarrollo nacional.

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 professions in Europe, America and Asia. They are gradually finding relevance in Africa. The prevalence of professional forestry associations in West Africa was investigated. The study covered Benin, Cameroon, the Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Indices examined include mission, governance, effectiveness, efficiency relevance, financial viability, leadership, strategic and programme planning, programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation as well as networking/partnership/linkages. Of the eight countries studied, Benin and the Gambia did not have professional forestry associations. By far, the most established and active of the six associations examined in the sub-region is the Forestry Association of Nigeria (FAN) founded in October, 1970, followed by Forestry Association of Ghana (FAG) and The National Forestry and Wildlife Association (NFWA) of Sierra Leone. Though all the associations have governance structures, the relative strength of each of them determines their effectiveness, efficiency and financial viability. All the associations are resource-poor and need to be strengthened in terms of administration and funding to enable them accomplish their missions better. An umbrella forestry association is recommended for Africa, with nodes in sub-regions. The African Forest Forum is most suited to facilitate this.

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 who depend on them, respond to climate change and variability. The study focused on National Adaptation Plans/Programmes of Action (NAPAs), National Climate Change Strategies, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) and National Communications to the UNFCCC, and sought to identify gaps and factors influencing their implementation, and how these could be filled through forestry and forestry-related interventions. The study also examined the profiles and capacities of public forest administrations in the studied West African countries, in terms of human, financial and physical capacities for effective monitoring, reporting and verification in the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements related to forestry and climate change, as well as the extent of participation of women, youth and vulnerable groups in forest based climate change response actions and how these could be enhanced. All countries in West Africa are parties to the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol. All, except Liberia, have submitted their Initial/First National Communication and 11 of them have submitted the Second National Communication. All 15 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in the sub-region have submitted NAPAs and two of the non-LDCs have elaborated national adaptation strategies with implementation plans. Only six of the countries have responded to the Copenhagen Accord requirement for submission of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs). Common constraints to implementation of the plans are shortage of funds and human resources, poor knowledge base and institutional bottlenecks. For many countries the involvement of forestry is not explicitly highlighted in their climate change response plans. Along with harnessing external support to improve financial and technical capacity, and applying the funds gained to building human (by education and training), research and institutional capacities, recognition of the role of forestry, and investment to strengthen this role will have a widespread positive influence in achieving the goals of many of the listed climate change response measures in the sub-region. Only Burkina Faso and Senegal have good forest inventory capacity. Niger has some, but the rest of the countries have limited or very low forest inventory capacities Also, the majority (12 out of 18) of the countries studied have very low forest area monitoring capacities, as judged by shortcomings in consistency, transparency, comparability, completeness and accuracy of reports they have returned to bodies such as FAO, UNFCCC and the World Bank. Most (11) of the countries with low forest area monitoring capacity are among the LDCs. It is suggested that the low capacities observed partly reflect a long tradition of neglect of inventory, monitoring and reporting in forest practice in most African countries, including the West African countries studied. The capacity building required to overcome this is not just in terms of skills, tools and facilities, but also in terms of national re-orientation, and particularly of the forestry services. Except in countries where cultural norms restrict women from taking part in field activities, women, youth and the poor traditionally participate actively in forestry activities, including those done in response to climate change, e.g. nursery work, planting tree seedlings, watering and tending seedlings as well as monitoring agroforestry practices and protecting naturally regenerated seedlings. Women and youth also dominate in collecting, processing and marketing non-timber forest products (NTFPs). To increase the roles and benefits to women, youth and vulnerable groups in forest-based climate change response programmes, emphasis should be given to developing NTFP-based enterprises into a viable commercial industry sector that can take advantage of international market opportunities. Designing the emerging REDD+ mechanism to accommodate such a development, accompanied with policy reforms to address constraints to women's participation in forestry, such as restricted land and tree tenure rights, poor representation of women in important decision-making structures and poor access to information, will help to sustain the increase in participation and benefits to women from forest-based responses to climate change. Arising from the findings of this study, critical areas for further attention by AFF would be: to conduct a more detailed assessment than was feasible in the present study, to identify specific forestry interventions, and how to implement them, in the priority NAPA projects and climate change response strategies and actions developed by West African countries, with a view to recommending such interventions to the relevant countries; to organise a programme of sensitisation, re-orientation and training of West African countries on the importance of forest inventory, monitoring, reporting and verification of forest cover changes in implementing sustainable forest management and forest-based responses to climate change; and, to initiate and promote research into the development of NTFP-based enterprises into a viable commercial industry sector dominated by women and youth and linked with the implementation of forest-based climate change responses such as the REDD mechanism or in NAMAs in West Africa countries.

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 forestry community. The adoption of the first-ever UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030 (UNSPF) and related four-year work programme by the UN General Assembly on 27 April 2017 was a historic move to provide a global framework for action at all levels to sustainably manage all types of forests and trees outside forests and contain deforestation and degradation. The signing of the Paris Climate Agreement by 195 countries raised the profile of forests in ways unparalleled. The 2030 Agenda, complemented by the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, contains a goal and various targets on forests to guide investments and a review process that will allow all partners to assess the impact of their actions. All these agendas have established a good framework for international cooperation and action on forests at all levels that is crucial for enhancing sustainable forest management (SFM) practices. While collaborative partnerships are the way forward for lasting progress on SFM, information exchange on the strengths of and lessons learned by countries on the continent can accelerate replication of results and practices to benefit more people and also secure the protection of our environment. AFF has accumulated a reasonable body of knowledge and experience in forestry and related issues. In the last few months AFF has facilitated knowledge exchange and collaboration among countries on various aspects related to forests and trees on the continent. At the regional level, we have partnered with various institutions and forestry experts to share findings from studies on priority issues affecting the forestry sector. These are related to climate change in forestry, forestry in green economy, provision of quality tree germplasm on the continent, state of forest pests and diseases in Africa, state of forest certification in Africa, and public private partnerships in the sector. For the most part, these exchanges have been peer-to-peer, practical and cost-effective. Beyond the African region, AFF has collaborated with other stakeholders, and more specifically in providing back up to African delegates in the process that culminated in development and adoption of the  UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030 (UNSPF) and related four-year work programme.  It is very gratifying that Africa participated very actively in this process and owns the outputs of the process.  AFF continues to strengthen the capacity of individuals and institutions and is currently  supporting 22 postgraduate students who are  undertaking their research work within the framework of the work implemented by the institution, in addition to another four students on a masters’ degree programme implemented jointly between AFF and Bern University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland. AFF successfully organized the Second Meeting of the Members Forum that was held electronically from 27 February-3 March 2017. I wish to congratulate the newly elected Chair, Prof. Demel Teketay and Vice Chair, Mr. Ibro Adamou of the Members’ Forum to office for the next five years. I also take this opportunity to thank Prof. Fredrick Owino and Dr. Abdelazim Mirghan Ibrahim, now our Past Chair and Vice Chair respectively. We are indebted to them for their contributions to the growth of the Members’ Forum. I hope you enjoy reading this newsletter. Prof. Godwin Kowero Executive Secretary, AFF

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 relationship between forests and climate change in Africa; and especially on adaptation and mitigation to the adverse effects of climate change, as well as capitalizing on the opportunities that climate change and variability offer the continent.  Understanding, strengthening and further developing the relationship between forest and climate is therefore key issue to Africa’s future development. This is because of the key roles forests and trees outside forests play in the lives of people and animals on the continent, as well as on the economies of African countries and the environment in which the people, livestock and wildlife live in.  However, the nature of this relationship and its impact is greatly influenced by how international forest and climate change and related agreements are incorporated into national policies and practices. With respect to the Africa, it is important to understand how individual African countries are  implementing ideas and recommendations that come from international conventions, agreements, protocols, and other initiatives (all of them are in this text referred to as international agreements) that have a bearing on how climate change and variation could affect forests and vice versa. This could facilitate positioning the forest sector better to contain the adverse effects of climate change as well as take advantage of opportunities that come with the same. It would also make it easier to profile Africa and its sub-regions both at regional and international levels. This could lead to enhanced collaboration and support from institutions and other players that support the implementation of these international agreements, and especially during this era when forests are increasingly seen as contributing not only to international public goods but to international services like carbon sequestration that has global implications. The study whose results are reported in this document was commissioned by the African Forest Forum with the  several objectives, namely: to assess how individual African countries are implementing the forest, climate change and related international conventions; how these international conventions are adding value to their national forestry sector policies and programmes; and to develop an approach on how Africa can to monitor and report on compliance to international processes related to forests and climate. The study was conducted in eight African countries, namely: Cameroon, Rwanda, Gabon, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Niger and Tanzania.

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 important roles in the livelihoods of rural people by providing employment, energy, nutritious foods and a wide range of goods and ecosystem services in most regions of the world (FAO, 2014). Over 90% of the 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty depend on forests for some part of their livelihoods.  They have also fulfilled and continue to fulfil critical economic, environmental, social and cultural functions (FAO, 2003; Barklund and Teketay, 2004).In addition, well managed forests have tremendous potential to contribute to sustainable development and a greener economy. Despite their critical importance, forest resources have been faced with different problems, which continue to prevent them from realizing their full potential contribution to economic and social development as well as environmental conservation. Deforestation has continued unabated in Africa as a result of destruction, clearing or incineration of forest and woodland resources for the expansion of crop cultivation spurred by an ever-increasing human population. Further, fuelwood harvesting, human settlement, mining, road construction, among others, also contribute to deforestation. Illegal logging and unsustainable forest resources utilization caused by improper and unplanned harvesting practices have resulted in wastage of wood, owing to very low recovery rates and damage to the residual trees/plants and stands. The consequences of these and other  problems include the reduction of the forest and tree cover, leading to serious wood deficits in some countries (which in turn leads to further “mining” of the remaining forest resources). Further, the reduction of forest quality through environmental degradation  results into the decline/loss of biodiversity, the degradation/loss of water resources, the loss of cultural assets and knowledge, the loss of livelihoods of forest-dependent peoples, and not least enhanced global warming/climate change (Teketay, 2004-2005; Kowero et al., 2009; Chidumayo et al., 2011). Hence, stakeholders at various levels of the value chain of the forest sector are confronted with a range of challenging questions related to the current and future state of forest resources and their ability to contribute to sustainable development.

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 best advantage. Why is this, and how can more rapid progress be made?

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 2009 as one of seven activities under Sida’s three-year grant to AFF’s initial operations. The project is described more in detail in section 1.2.