Investing in Africa’s Forest Future: High-Level Business and Philanthropic Leaders Roundtable

Contemporary development trajectories over the years have continued to advance human well-being through phenomenal growth and wealth, never witnessed before in human history. With these advances have emerged environmental impacts that continuously threaten the planet earth. Forests have suffered the most in the course of human development through deforestation for raw material, shelter, infrastructure and food to feed the ever-increasing human population. From all indications, the planet is gradually moving toward exceeding its boundaries. Several initiatives have emerged to address the challenges that have emanated from the global development trajectories. For example, the last two decades have witnessed such initiatives as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and several international forestry and climate processes. Agreements on the post 2015-development agenda, also known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been adopted. In all of these, the concept of green economy continues to feature as an approach that can result in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. The forest sector remains crucial to the attainment of the objectives of green economy. This study investigates the forest sector potential for green economy growth, as well as some aspects of Land Use Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) in Anglophone West African countries of Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone using a combination of desk work and field studies. Observed drivers of LULUCF in the study area include population growth, agriculture, infrastructure development, uncontrolled and illegal logging. The study also identified some key elements within the forestry sector that contribute to green economy and LULUCF that leave minimal negative impacts on the ecological and social systems, as well as pathways that can enhance green economic growth. They include intensification of crop and livestock agriculture, adoption and strengthening of agroforestry practices, improvements in energy efficiency, improving efficiency in wood harvesting and processing, sustainable harvesting of other forest products, domestication of the supply of non-wood forest products, diversification of livelihood options, reforestation and afforestation initiatives and activities, as well as improved regulation of allocation of land for settlements and infrastructure. Innovative approaches proffered to manage forests for contribution to green economy include: adoption and strengthening of community based forest management, advancing the practice of agroforestry, promotion of sustainable biotrade, promotion of carbon offset markets, adoption of payment for forest environmental services, as well as promotion of forest-based tourism, landscaping and beautification, in addition to adoption of reduced impact logging, and forest certification. Recommendations are made for improving institutional and regulatory frameworks to facilitate forestry sector contribution to green growth. The key elements of these are improving forest governance and policy re-orientation, reviewing of extant forest laws, adoption of new forestry technologies and training, proper staffing of forestry institutions and agencies, building networks and collaborations with stakeholders, and cross-sectoral engagement. There is also the need to ensure forestry input into national planning. Practicing sustainable forest management in order to secure the full range of forests’ economic, social and environmental contributions is germane to success.

Current training needs and emerging trends in the forestry sector have prompted a number of forestry educational institutions to review their traditional curricula in order to produce well equipped graduates. Traditional forestry curricula, as evidenced by the competence profiles of most forestry graduates, comprise gaps between acquired knowledge and skills, on one hand and market needs, on the other hand. A training needs assessment was undertaken in Sub Sahara African (SSA) Anglophone countries, with the aim of assessing the content of the forestry curricula in professional and technical training institutions in comparison with current market needs and emerging forestry related issues. Primary data and information were collected from employers, research and training institutions through questionnaires. Secondary data and information on historical and existing identified training needs were obtained from literature. Follow up telephone and face-to-face interviews with selected organisations were conducted to ascertain facts as well as filling information gaps. Institution visits were done for were Bindura University of Science Education (Zimbabwe), National University of Science and Technology (Zimbabwe), Makerere University (Uganda), Sokoine University of Agriculture (Tanzania) and University of Energy and Natural Resources (Ghana). Also, information was obtained from other professional and technical institutions, including University of Stellenbosch (South Africa), University of Ibadan (Nigeria), Malawi College of Forestry and Wildlife (Malawi), Nyabyeya Forestry College (Uganda) and Zimbabwe College of Forestry (Zimbabwe). The target group of forest graduate employers was determined through internet web searches. Employing organisations were categorised as, research institutions, NGOs as well as public/private forestry companies. The survey was conducted on 56 training institutions: comprising 41 universities and 15 colleges, 15 research institutions, 26 forestry public/private organisations and 12 non-governmental organizations. It was observed that societal expectations of the forest graduate are increasing; demanding that forestry becomes generalist than specialist discipline. It was observed that there is variation in curricula on the same subject area across countries; however, the core forestry courses were covered. Emerging issues found to be deficient in recent forest graduates are on climate change, forest certification, fibre-food-fuels (FFF) nexus, integration of forestry with NRM, and agroforestry. Training institutions have acute shortage of teaching materials especially equipment, current literature and field facilities; some institutions do not have specialised forestry laboratories; there is negligible government and donor support; and ICT facilities are not reliable. It was also observed that earlier established institutions which were supported by FAO/UNDP and donor communities have well developed infrastructure. Unfortunately, the institutions struggle to sustain themselves and the donated equipment at inception is obsolete. Collaborative relations established are still running but are dictated by the donor community or project proponent who may not address local needs. On the other hand, the institutions established by African governments after their independence were never fully equipped and capacitated right from inception and are ill equipped and insufficiently funded. It is recommended that universities set up common interest region-specific satellite campuses as centres of excellence to address research and programmes that address challenges within that particular eco-region given that there are many issues which are of trans-boundary nature, as well as facilitate regional/sub regional economic integration that is fast taking place in Africa whilst the forestry sector lags behind. Training institutions are recommended to collaborate with relevant stakeholders for joint development and review of curricula. Countries may also adopt specialised curricula for women in social and/or community forestry to cover livelihoods and improvement of equal opportunities so as to expand societal potential.

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 a private company or consortia of companies whereby the skills and assets of the public and private sectors are shared in delivering a service or facility. This concept has been successfully applied, particularly in infrastructure, as medium to long term arrangements between the public and private sectors in the provision of some service obligations of the public sector by the private sector, with clear agreement on shared objectives for delivery of public infrastructure and/ or public services, as well as benefit sharing. The forest sector had for a long time operated as a public sector concern, with sporadic private involvements. However, in recent years, public-private sector forestry development has emerged as a new world-wide practice for forestry development. The issuance of the World Bank Forest Sector Policy Paper in 1978 also propelled major changes in direction away from support for industrial forestry to forestry that meets local needs. This approach further opened the vistas for private participation in different parts of the world. However, in most cases, there have not been clear arrangements in terms of shared vision and objectives, co-delivery of goods and services as well as cost and benefit sharing. While some advances have been made in Europe, America and parts of Asia in this regard, same may not be said of most of Sub-Saharan Africa, and in particular, Nigeria. The study whose results are shared in this report examined the idea and concept of publicprivate sector partnerships in the forest sector by identifying promising PPP models/approaches for forest compatible sustainable livelihoods development that strengthens the capacity of the industry to address both social and environmental concerns, and therefore contributing to more sustainable, equitable and effective private sector development.This study was undertaken in the High/Moist Forest, Savanna and Sahel zones of Nigeria, and more specifically it was carried out in the selected states of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Edo, Abia, Rivers, Cross Rivers, Niger, Kaduna, Kano and Kwara. The states were further stratified by agro-ecological as well as geo-political settings. Within these settings, study localities were selected across primary forest production, secondary forest production, (wood processing, marketing and trade) including SMEs based on all forest types in the country. 

Climate change is one of the greatest global challenges of the contemporary times. Its prominence in global discourse arises from the impact it has on nearly all sectors of the economy. Records show increase across Africa of climate related environmental problems in Agriculture and Forestry sectors as floods, drought, crop failure, loss of biodiversity and decline in forest ecosystem services among others.

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 a private company or consortia of companies whereby the skills and assets of the public and private sectors are shared in delivering a service or facility. This concept has been successfully applied, particularly in infrastructure, as medium to long term arrangements between the public and private sectors in the provision of some service obligations of the public sector by the private sector, with clear agreement on shared objectives for delivery of public infrastructure and/ or public services, as well as benefit sharing. The forest sector had for a long time operated as a public sector concern, with sporadic private involvements. However, in recent years, public-private sector forestry development has emerged as a new world-wide practice for forestry development. The issuance of the World Bank Forest Sector Policy Paper in 1978 also propelled major changes in direction away from support for industrial forestry to forestry that meets local needs. This approach further opened the vistas for private participation in different parts of the world. However, in most cases, there have not been clear arrangements in terms of shared vision and objectives, co-delivery of goods and services as well as cost and benefit sharing. While some advances have been made in Europe, America and parts of Asia in this regard, same may not be said of most of Sub-Saharan Africa, and in particular, Nigeria. The study whose results are shared in this report examined the idea and concept of publicprivate sector partnerships in the forest sector by identifying promising PPP models/approaches for forest compatible sustainable livelihoods development that strengthens the capacity of the industry to address both social and environmental concerns, and therefore contributing to more sustainable, equitable and effective private sector development.This study was undertaken in the High/Moist Forest, Savanna and Sahel zones of Nigeria, and more specifically it was carried out in the selected states of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Edo, Abia, Rivers, Cross Rivers, Niger, Kaduna, Kano and Kwara. The states were further stratified by agro-ecological as well as geo-political settings. Within these settings, study localities were selected across primary forest production, secondary forest production, (wood processing, marketing and trade) including SMEs based on all forest types in the country. 

This report presents the harmonized and expanded results of studies carried out in 2016 by two teams of researchers on the potential of forests for green economy development in West Africa: the Anglophone study in three sample countries namely: Nigeria, Ghana and The Gambia, and the Francophone study in another three West and Central African countries namely: Niger, Benin and Gabon. The current study also benefits from information obtained from grey sources and the researcher’s experience in West African societies. Although variously defined, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) describes green economy as low carbon (C), resource-efficient and socially inclusive economy. Forests meanwhile were placed at the center of green economy development in 2009 during the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe /Food and Agriculture Organization (UNECE/FAO) Conference in Geneva, titled “Forest sector in the green economy”. The conference consensually concluded that there was a key role for forests in the transition towards green economy and a more sustainable society. The current study upholds the preceding assertion and proposes to generate verifiable information necessary to increase awareness of policy makers and other actors in West Africa on the role and contribution of forests to the development of a green economy in the sub-region. The study focuses on forests as biological capital for wealth creation, elimination of poverty and stimulation of economic activity. The study identified key elements and proposed how they may be explored to ensure forests’ contribution to green economy development without risking sustainable forest management SFM). With respect to food security and development: rational exploitation of edible forest commodities; systematic reforestation and rational exploitation of floodplains for enhanced fisheries; planned greening and sustainable use of agricultural production schemes including agroforestry; and planned enrichment of pastures with fodder tree species for enhanced livestock husbandry. With respect to forest assets for economic and social development: planned expansion and intensification of forest biomass stock; sustainable bio-trade in forest foods, bio-medicines and cottage industry products; sustainable development of industrial wood markets, biomass-based energy, and improved energy efficiency; and sustainable exploitation of ecological tourism and intangible heritage assets. As regards forests for environmental stability and security: conservative management of biodiversity; sustainable management of watersheds; rational exploitation of climate related development processes; and the greening and sustainable use of urban spaces for recreation, leisure and development.

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 effects for wider patterns of forest exploitation. New opportunities for carbon conservation and bio-energy and new streams of carbon finance may greatly enhance the value of land, with significant impacts on the natural landscape and the place of forests within it. At the same time, the drivers of deforestation and degradation, many of which lie outside the forest sector, are intensifying in their effects, under the hydra-headed pressures of population growth, urbanisation, unemployment and political conflicts as well as consequent anthropogenic activities in and around the forests in the West African sub-region. In the majority of countries with considerable potential for REDD, illegal activities (extraction of timber and NTFPs) have been significant drivers of deforestation. These call for careful examination. Although there are forest policies in virtually all countries in the sub-region, their implementation is too weak to address contemporary challenges in the forestry sector. Also, the extent to which policies and laws are implemented, the level of understanding of the issues surrounding forest law compliance, the use of emerging and appropriate technologies, and the participation of local communities in monitoring forest law compliance vary among countries in the sub-region; comparing and the sharing of knowledge and experiences, therefore, is of great importance. On the other hand, there are excessive restrictions on legal access of local communities to forest resources. Such restrictions have promoted and encouraged the surreptitious and illegal extraction of forest resources and the encroachment on forest lands in much of the West African sub-region. Illegal logging and trade, both on a large scale, are negatively affecting the profitability and competitiveness of the forest industry, in addition to the predicted impact on global warming. Timber trade in the West African sub-region is influenced by local, regional and overseas demands, with Europe being an important market for the major producing countries in the region, though increasingly trade among the countries is also becoming manifest. Much of the demands in the local and national markets are now being satisfied with cheap rough-sawn and low-grade timber used in construction and joinery. Trade in timber and non-timber products in the sub-region is characterised by limited availability of statistics and a high volume of trade based on unrecorded or illegal forest product movements. Foreign markets and other important destinations for timber exports from West Africa are Europe, USA, China and India, with buyers from the latter two nations becoming increasingly active in the sub-region. While the European countries and USA are supporting initiatives to eradicate illegal logging, limited concern is being shown by either Indian or Chinese buyers, who are allegedly complicit in some of the illegal trade. Failure to curtail such activity will undermine efforts being made under the FLEGT and other initiatives. Comparative analysis of the export and customs procedures throughout West Africa shows a strong similarity among systems and the roles of the government forestry and customs authorities. The former is responsible for verification of exports and contract conformity and issuing of certificates of origin, and the latter for final inspection against export and loading statements. However, in many West African countries, implementation demonstrates weaknesses and widespread opportunity to circumvent requirements. The trends show booming local demand for low-grade and low-cost timber and plywood, due mainly to increased demands for housing arising from relatively significant growths in the economies of the sub-region. Not surprisingly, in view of the informal nature of this trade, it has not translated into significant increases in GDP per capita. The informal sector is important in wood processing across the sub-region, supplying significant quantities of sawn-wood, furniture and joinery to urban, peri-urban and rural markets. Together, these markets are much larger in volume than the exports leaving the formal sector. Generally, with low rates of conversion, the informal sector is a bigger consumer of wood fibre than the formal sector. However, there is potential for broadening opportunities for improved efficiency across the sector. In Ghana, for example, this has contributed significantly to the economy and sometimes adds real value, whereas the formal sector detracts from value. There is thus need for the encouragement of Small and Medium Forest Enterprises (SMFEs) to overcome financial distress and improve efficiency to enable them contribute significantly to employment, poverty reduction and sustainable livelihoods. Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are of considerable significance in the economies of the sub-region, and underpin the livelihoods and coping strategies of the poor. However, their use and management is frequently constrained by forestry laws developed to promote conservation and sustainable management of timber species, but inappropriate for the rational management of the resources in question. This underscores the need to move from the old sustained timber yield view of forest management towards a multiple-use approach. Forest trade and value chain analyses in West Africa should ordinarily be simple; however, such analyses present a complex scenario. The complexity arises from administrative processes to the technical aspects of the trade. Obsolete industry equipment as well as inadequate and unreliable data also makes its application a daunting task. Forest governance remains a huge challenge in most West African countries. Policy and market failures underpin the poor forest governance in the sub-region and are evident in badly functioning and distorted markets with poor and perverse incentives to manage and conserve the resource. The impacts of the scenarios on climate change are far-reaching and need to be frontally addressed. Capacity building and strengthening, commitment to international processes and ordinances are keys to addressing observed institutional and policy weaknesses in the sector.