Kebba Ansu Kabbeh
Prof. Godwin Kowero, Executive Secretary -CEO African Forest Forum (AFF) has called for a sustainable and judicious use and management of forest and trees outside forests, adding that these are resources that can be utilized to address the needs of the people as well as improve the environment in which they live in.
AFF Executive Secretary made this remarks on Monday 28th March, 2022, at the official opening of a five (5) days regional workshop on sharing of information and experiences on challenges and opportunities in forest management for Sustainable development in Africa in the context of climate change currently under way in Mombasa, Kenya.
According to him, since the establishment of institution 2017, it has spearheaded series of pan-African initiatives related to how forest and trees outside forests supports livelihoods, national incomes and the environment we live in, adding that Africa Forest Forum main focus has always been centering on people and the environment they live in.
“The forests and trees outside the forests are resources that must be managed sustainably and used judicially to address the needs of the people and improve the environment they live in,” Prof. Godwin Kowero, Executive Secretary -CEO African Forest Forum (AFF) highlighted in his opening statement.
According to him, striking the balance between human survival and protecting the environment has lead the AFF to critically examine how societal needs based on forest resources could be met, while simultaneously stabilizing the environment.
He disclosed that several studies and related initiatives have been conducted by AFF and partners whose findings have been shared for public consumption, adding that findings on the status and future of forest certification in Africa; the way tree germplasm is been handled in the continent; climate change in African forestry; trans-boundary forestry issues; the state and future of the private sector in African forestry among others have been shared at different workshops organised by AFF.
AFF Chief Executive Officer, disclosed that his institution have looked at the following key areas on climate change: How African countries are integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation options in the forestry sector and how and uptake of this process is progressing; how national forest governance is responding to the Paris Agreement and related global climate change policies and initiatives; how the capacity for implementing REDD+ activities sub-Sahara African countries can be improved; exploring the use of dryland resources and commodities to promote nature-based entrepreneurship opportunities that could enhance livelihoods, national incomes, and employment; specifically focusing on natural gums and resins; among others. Prof.
Godwin Kowero, continued to disclosed that Africa Forest Forum has also conducted studies in the sustainable land management and forest resources in the African continent, noting that participants of this technical workshop will have the opportunity to have access to these studies documents with the view to charting a way out for a more sustainable and Judicious management of resources of forest and trees outside the forests.
“The expectation is that at the end of the workshop we will all have shared views on how to move forward on these and other issues that come from discussions and group work,” AFF Executive Secretary summed.
The five days regional conference that draws together forty (40) participants across the continent seeks to generate and share knowledge and information through partnerships in ways that will provide inputs into policy options and capacity building efforts for improved forest management that will in turn better address climate change impacts, as well as contribute to poverty alleviation and environmental protection in Africa.
It is also hope to provide a forum for dialogue to enhance collaboration and mechanisms of sharing experiences in the African continent on sustainable management of land, forest and tree resources, provide an opportunity to deliberate on the findings from the studies, and in doing so strengthen the basis for policy formulation and implementation; this could eventually cultivate interest in, and better inform investors to the sector.
