Context
Côte d’Ivoire has had the highest rates of deforestation in Africa. Deforestation is driven primarily by the increasing need for agricultural land and a growing population. However, an unprofitable timber and forestry sector and inadequate incentives for sustainable forestry combined with legal uncertainty regarding the ownership of trees and land all also play a role. For the private sector to invest in forestry, it requires financial incentives as well as support services such as nurseries, training and advice.
Objective
State and non-state stakeholder groups have implemented measures for forest restoration in rural areas.
Approach
The project improves the frameworks for sustainable, private sector forestry.
It addresses the following areas:
- Promoting gender equality in forestry supply chains that generate profit for the local population, for example, by training women and cooperatives in the production and marketing of saplings.
- Improving conditions for a sustainable and private forestry and timber industry by creating incentive systems, for instance through new regulations and reforestation agreements between companies and local actors such as land owners, farms and cooperatives.
- Training the staff of local agencies in the Ministry of Water and Forests (MINEF), enabling them to expand and improve their advisory services for forestry. Local and regional administrations as well as civil society groups are also supported in reconciling agriculture with forest conservation.
The project adopts a cross-regional approach and works in Nawa, Gôh, Moronou, Indénié-Djuablin and la Mé.