| FO:AFWC/2000/3
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| FO:AFWC/2000/3
|
AFRICAN FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION |
Item 4 of the Provisional Agenda |
TWELFTH SESSION |
Lusaka, Zambia, 27-30 March 2000 |
REVIEW OF FAO REGULAR AND FIELD PROGRAMMES, INCLUDING FOLLOW-UP TO THE REQUESTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ELEVENTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION |
Secretariat Note |
1. This note informs the Commission about FAO forestry activities of interest to the region, funded under the Regular Programme budget and FAO-executed projects funded through UNDP and donor trust funds in 1998-99. Annex A provides references to specific requests and recommendations of the eleventh session of the Commission.
Activities 1998-1999
2. FAO continued to provide support to the Dry-Zone Africa Process on Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management Initiative, in which have collaborated 28 African countries, members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). Activities focused on support in the development and harmonization of concepts and terms, and action aimed at testing and implementation. In December 1998, UNEP and FAO organized a Sub-regional Meeting of National Coordinators from Dry-Zone SADC countries (Lilongwe, Malawi), to further action. A second UNEP/FAO Sub-regional Meeting of National Coordinators from CILSS member countries was held in Dakar, Senegal (December 1999). Following a recommendation of these workshops, UNEP and FAO have commissioned a document, "Practical Guidelines for the Development and Implementation of Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management in Dry-Zone Africa Process Member Countries".
3. In 1998, FAO published the document, "Guidelines for the Management of Tropical Forests. Vol. 1. The production of wood" (FAO Forestry Paper 135). A companion volume to these guidelines is being produced focusing on the management of tropical forests for the provision of non-wood goods and services.
Activities Planned for 2000-2001
4. Support will continue to on-going international initiatives on criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management, through assistance in the streamlining of terms and definitions, and the implementation of concepts based on regionally accepted implementation and assessment guidelines. A model and demonstration forest programme will be further developed and implemented in collaboration with relevant international and regional organizations and institutions.
Activities 1998-1999
5. Following recommendations of the 13th Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO), action has been taken action towards the development of a coherent, global framework for action in forest genetic resources. As a first step in this process FAO, in collaboration with the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), and other partners, organized a workshop on the management of forest genetic resources in dry-zone sub-Saharan Africa, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (September 1998). A report and a sub-regional plan of action, prepared during the workshop, are being finalized.
6. The 11th Session of the FAO Panel of Experts (Rome, September 1999), up-dated lists of priority tree species for Africa, for the attention of FAO, the international community and national governments. A Forest Tree Seed Suppliers Directory, published in collaboration with ICRAF and continually up-dated, was placed on Internet for use to support tree planting activities in the Region.
7. FAO in collaboration with countries and the assistance of the DANIDA Forest Seed Centre (DFSC, Denmark), continued to provide assistance to national institutions in the assessment and evaluation of in situ and ex situ conservation stands. A number of African countries collaborated in this programme. FAO continued to act as global coordinator for activities of the International Neem Network, with the collaboration of Governments and institutions in 24 countries, including a number of countries in dry-zone Africa. "Description of Neem Seed Sources" and "International Provenance Trials of Neem" were prepared by network collaborators and published with the assistance of DFSC.
Activities Planned for 2000-2001
8. A meeting on the management of forest genetic resources (including their conservation and sustainable utilization) will be held, in collaboration with countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, together with the Forestry Sector Technical Coordination Unit of the SADC. A similar workshop for the Central African Region is envisaged, pending identification of additional funding and partnerships.
9. Collaboration with national institutes will be continued to help strengthen action and national capacities in the genetic resources field. Focus will be on the dissemination of information and know-how, and support to the exchange of genetic materials, on mutually agreed terms, for research and conservation purposes. The 12th Session of the FAO Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources will be held in 2001; the Panel will inter alia review progress in the implementation of regional forest genetic action plans in dry-Zone Africa and in Eastern and Southern Africa, prepared in corresponding workshops in 1998 and 2000; and update the lists of priority species for Africa.
10. Findings of an FAO-supported process of consultation on mountain related networking stressed the important activities being developed in Southern and Eastern Africa, but not placed under the thematic approach of mountain development. In August 1999 the second component of this support provided by FAO, in cooperation with UNEP, ICRAF and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), launched an African Network on mountain issues, affiliated with the Mountain Forum and represented at the first meeting of the international Mountain Forum Council in September 1999 in Urubamba, Peru.
11. Contacts have been made in connection with development and conservation issues of West African mountains. Proposals are being developed aimed at the conservation of biological diversity in these ranges and at reviving the programme of watershed management in the pilot watersheds which have been identified for priority action but are not yet covered by any donor. Other developments in watershed management and sustainable mountain development have been supported in Morocco, Uganda and Burundi.
12. The issue of protected area management and sustainable rural development, discussed during the last session of this Commission, has been the focus of activities during the period. An international technical consultation was organized in Zimbabwe (Harare, October 1999). This meeting examined issues relevant to the African interface between the management of protected areas and sustainable rural development, as well as issues of collaborative resource management, the development of ecotourism, institutional and legal aspects. It issued a set of recommendations and a strong communiqu� that stressed the need for a new paradigm for conservation in which needs of neighbouring populations should be clearly addressed.
13. Activities planned for 2000-2001 involve the documentation of constraints on effective biodiversity conservation and the promotion of the sustainable use of forest and wildland animal resources. Special reference will be made to the situation in Africa. A proposal to survey the status of protected areas in Africa will be developed and submitted in partnership with the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), with the objective of presenting the results of the survey at the 5th World Parks Congress in Durban, South Africa, in 2002.
Activities 1998-1999
14. Activities concentrated on assistance to countries in the assembly of information on plantation areas and yields in Africa aggregation of information at global level. This work particularly focused on the preparation and provision of inputs to the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2000 (FRA 2000) programme, and as part of a Hardwood Plantations in the Tropics and Subtropics project, with major focus on Africa, funded by the United Kingdom. Direct advice in plantation establishment and management was also provided.
15. Direct support to member countries in integrated pest management was given to counteract insect and disease infestations in natural forests and plantations. A TCP was successfully completed in the Seychelles in 1998 on the dieback of Takamaka (Colophyllum inophyllum var. takamaka), a socially-economically important tree species.
16. A Meeting on Public Policies Affecting Forest Fires was held in Rome in October 1998. Five regional studies were presented, including a Study on Africa. The recommendations from the meeting were endorsed by COFO in 1999 and received considerable attention at the Ministerial Meeting on Forestry in March 1999. Case studies on community involvement in forest fire prevention and management, applicable also to the African countries, have been initiated.
Activities Planned for 2000-2001
17. Work of direct concern to African countries will concentrate on finalization of inputs to FRA 2000 and, particularly, the documenting of current plantation statistics and key issues and trends relating to tree planting activities. A study on environmental impacts of forest plantations will be prepared, including case studies for Africa.
Activities 1998-1999
18. Progress continues to be achieved on the management of natural dry forest resources in the region and along with support to the definition and application of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management. Countries are being assisted in the effective management of dry forests, in particular in West Africa, where FAO has continued to follow progresses in participatory forest management (e.g. Burkina Faso). The conservation guide on the management of natural dry forests, which was particularly articulate on these issues in Africa south of the Sahara has been actively distributed directly to countries and in relevant meetings organized during the period and supported by FAO concurrently with other co-operating agencies.
19. Tree resources outside forests have attracted much interest from FAO and other development and research agencies. A number of studies were undertaken in many countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, C�te d'Ivoire, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. These studies are helping to assess the situation of the resource, document the relation between populations and the resource in what concerns use, development and conservation including cultural aspects. They are done in partnership with other projects such as GCP/INT/679/EC (Data Collection and Analysis for Sustainable Forest Management in ACP Countries) and FRA 2000. The English version of the publication on "Agroforestry Parklands in Sub-Saharan Africa" is in press and will be available in French in early 2000.
20. Great interest continued to be devoted to urban forests (assessment of the situation, planning activities and management), especially in Mauritania, Senegal and Uganda. It is expected that the continuation in such work in coming years will contribute good documentation of these interesting issues. Case studies documenting urban forestry issues have been prepared and the result is under press. This compendium includes cities of the Sahel and Northern Africa (e.g. Egypt) and will be useful to those dealing with urban and peri-urban forestry and plantation in Africa.
Activities planned for 2000-2001
21. The English version of the "Management of Natural Dry Forests" will be published in early 2000. Activities in dryland forestry will essentially focus on support to the implementation of the CCD in Africa and stimulating active new development for Silva Mediterranea.
22. An international workshop for the development of practical methodologies for "tree outside forests" (TOF) assessment will be held in Rome in 2000. Documentation of multipurpose tree species will continue, including inter alia acacia species, palm tree species (Borassus, Hyphaena and Combretacae in particular), and agroforestry systems in food security programmes. Other pilot studies for the development of methodologies for assessment will be undertaken in Burkina Faso and Cameroon. Support to urban forest management in coastal cities (e.g. Senegal, Mauritania) and small islands of Africa (e.g. Cape Verde) will be undertaken.
Activities 1998-1999
23. Workshops were held in Kenya, Tunisia, C�te d'Ivoire and Ethiopia, to help strengthen the network of countries in the region, to discuss data collection procedures and timetable, and to support country capacity building. Revised FRA 2000 guidelines were sent to all FAO Member countries. Draft write-ups for FRA 2000 were completed by about one half of the African countries. The remote sensing survey for FRA 2000 acquired all of the satellite imagery for the required units in Africa and completed the interpretation of approximately one third of the samples. The regional forest map of Africa using low-resolution satellite imagery was completed, as was the up-dated ecological map of Africa. A FRA 2000 website was developed, in which FRA 2000 results have been placed.
Activities Planned for 2000-2001
24. Work on the FRA 2000 will be finalized and published. Country capacity-building activities for training in assessment and inventory methods will be carried out, including collaboration with a number of African countries. An Expert Consultation on Forest Change will be conducted in Rome, which will include African experts in the field. A second expert consultation will be organized to formulate needs and priorities for assessments into the next biennium. Updates of country information will be made continuously on the web, as information is released to FAO from countries.
25. Volumes 8 and 9 of the Forest Harvesting Bulletin were published and distributed. "Road infrastructure in tropical forests - Road to development or road to destruction?" was published in cooperation with the Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux (ATIBT) and was widely distributed by FAO in English and French in 1999.
26. Preparatory work has been carried out for a Case study on environmentally-sound harvesting in natural forests in the Central African Republic, and a study was published in 1998 on Forest harvesting in natural forests in the Republic of the Congo in English and French, under the FAO Forest Harvesting Case Studies series. Preparatory work has been initiated for the development of a Regional code on improved forest harvesting practices for natural forests in Africa.
27. Information on timber harvesting operations in the tropical forests of Africa has been collected and analysed to draw conclusions on the impact of timber harvesting activities on the natural forests in selected tropical countries. A database for tropical Africa has been established for 19 tropical African countries.
28. A number of issues dealing with forest products trade were addressed. The Forestry Trade Programme has continued to provide information and guidance on trade policy issues, in particular with issues concerning the relationship between trade and sustainable forest development, including aspects of the environment and trade, and with trade restrictions and future trade negotiations. Two major publications have been published, Trade restrictions and their impact on international trade in forest products (1998) and the Chapter on Trade restrictions and their future in the ECE/FAO Timber Bulletin Forest products annual market review, 1998-1999, June 1999. In Africa a paper Certification of timber and timber products was presented to a World Bank Workshop on Sustainable Forest Management: Forest Concession and Certification, in Yaound�, Cameroon. A course on Uruguay Round Agreements - sponsored by FAO and the Swiss Agency for International Trade, Information and Cooperation (AITIC), was held in Geneva for Geneva-based representatives from the Less Advantaged Developing Countries and some African countries were represented.
29. The Forestry Department has been closely involved with an FAO series of training workshops for developing countries - Training Course on the Uruguay Round and Future Multilateral Trade Negotiations in Agriculture. In Africa, regional courses have been completed in Cairo (Egypt), and Dakar (Senegal). Others are planned for Harare (Zimbabwe) and Yaound� (Cameroon).
30. FAO has completed a Compendium of forest products marketing databases which contains over 900 individual databases. Technical support has been provided to Project TCP/SUD/7821 "Development of Gum Arabic Production and Marketing in Sudan". A case study on Marketing of indigenous medicinal plants in South Africa was published in 1998 and distributed.
31. Representatives from Ghana and Morocco participated in the fortieth session of the Advisory Committee on Paper and Wood Products (ACPWP).
32. In the framework of the EU/FAO Partnership Programme "Data collection for sustainable forest management", country briefs on NWFPs for all African countries participating in the project were prepared. Another upcoming EU/FAO partnership programme, entitled "Sustainable forest management in ACP countries" has a NWFP component, which will focus on aspects related to the assessment of key NWFP in representative African countries.
33. In collaboration with the USDA Forest Service and the CARPE Programme, the proceedings of an International Expert Meeting on NWFP (held in Cameroon in May 1998 and co-sponsored by FAO), entitled Non-wood forest products of Central Africa: Current research issues and prospects for conservation and development, were published in 1999.
34. The preparation of a regional study on the The role of wood energy in Africa was finalized. It presents the most relevant woodfuel statistics available in 54 African countries and recommends action to fill data gaps and improve wood energy information systems.
35. Efforts in developing the Forestry Research network in Sub-Saharan Africa continued, through support to strengthening existing forestry research networks. Assistance, was provided to the Forestry Network of the West and Central Africa Council for Agricultural Research and Development, WECARD, in organizing its Second General Assembly, in Yaound�, Cameroon, in December 1998. Priority areas for support were also identified with the SADC-FSTCU (Sub-Committee on Research). A meeting of Heads of forestry research institutions in Eastern Africa was organized in December 1999 by the Kenyan Forestry Research Institute, with the support of FAO. Participants decided to establish the Association of Forestry Research Institutions in Eastern Africa (AFREA), which will be linked to the sub-regional institutional networks mentioned above hopefully through FORNESSA. Activities will continue to be undertaken in collaboration with concerned institutions and networks such as IUFRO-SPDC, CIFOR, ICRAF, IPGRI and the African Forestry Research Network (AFORNET), network of individual scientists supported by the African Academy of Science. More collaboration on effective research programmes will be developed in the coming biennium. An adapted version of the Trouble Shooter for Forestry Extension has been produced, which was obtained through intensive collaborative work. Case studies of forestry extension institutions and approaches were effected in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal. These constitute a representative sample to evolve forestry extension in French speaking countries of West Africa. A synthesis is being made of this set of studies for publication.
Activities 1998-1999
36. Two major and closely related activities focused on improving country capacity in forestry policy and planning in Africa in 1998-1999: the Data Collection and Analysis for Sustainable Forest Management Programme and the Forestry Outlook Study for Africa (FOSA).
37. The first activity aims to improve the forestry information base necessary for sound policy formulation and sector planning and to help strengthen data collection methodologies. This effort, which involved the participation of all sub-Saharan countries, was co-ordinated by FAO and received financial support from the European Commission. Data collection and analysis were carried out on five key topics: forest resources, forest plantations, trees outside forests, wood products and non-wood forest products. Pilot studies to improve methodologies for data collection in these subjects were launched in Uganda and Zimbabwe. The programme will be completed in June 2000.
38. FOSA was launched following its endorsement at the 11th Session of the the Commission. It is designed to strengthen the policy and planning efforts of all countries in Africa (sub-Saharan and North Africa included) by providing a long-term and regional vision of the sector, placing the sector in a wider social and economic perspective, and encouraging inter-departmental dialogue and integrated sectoral planning. Detailed plans for FOSA were developed and agreements reached with FOSA collaborators (i.e., African Development Bank, the World Bank), FOSA National Focal Points have been nominated, sub-regional planning meetings have been held, and the drafting of the background studies has begun. More details are provided in the Secretariat Note FO: AFWC/2000/4.
Activities Planned for 2000-2001
39. The implementation of FOSA will continue through the period. The final draft reports will be presented to the Commission at its 13th Session in 2002.
40. In parallel with FOSA, specific studies will be undertaken to identify the prospects and potential for reform of fiscal policies in member countries in order to underpin sustainable forest management. Efforts will be made to assist countries in developing pragmatic programmes of fiscal reform.
Activities 1998-1999
41. Continued support to participatory forestry development was provided through the Forests, Trees and People Programme (FTPP). Leadership was provided for regional activities through the Forest Action Network (FAN) for East and South Africa and the Panafrican Institute for the Development (PID) in West and Central Africa.
42. FTPP activities are focused on strengthening the capacities of organizations at different levels (projects, grassroots organizations, NGOs and decision-makers). Activities undertaken produced workshops, publications and tools kits on topics central to broadening the base of support for sustainable forest management. Two workshops held to underscore these topics included:
Activities Planned for 2000-2001
43. As a follow-up to these workshops, a meeting of senior decision-makers in the West African region is planned for the year 2000. An international Pan African workshop is being planned for 2001, to be held in Tanzania. The focus of these meetings will be in identifying mechanisms and processes that will enable communities to have a voice in forest management.
Activities 1998-1999
44. The State of the World's Forests 1999 was released, in the five languages of FAO, at the Committee on Forestry meeting in March 1999. This was the third edition of the Forestry Department's flagship publication, which is published every two years. It presents the latest information on forests and the forestry sector world-wide in a way that is relevant and useful for policy makers and helps put national and regional developments into a global context.
Activities Planned for 2000-2001
45. The next edition of the State of the World's Forests will be prepared for publication in 2001.
46. This subject is dealt with in connection with Item 8 of the Provisional Agenda, and a document will be issued (FO:AFWC/2000/6).
47. The FAO Forestry website has been substantially improved in layout, content and linkages. Forest Resources Assessment data were placed on the Internet, reflecting data on FRA 2000. Major efforts were made to improve dissemination of FAO Forestry Papers, Conservation Guides and Miscellaneous Documents to member nations in Africa. New periodicals such as Non-wood News and Wood Energy Forum were launched and the regional magazine Wildlife and Nature was continued.
48. FAO provided inputs to the Secretariat for IFF in terms of documentation and research and in the intersessional meetings under various Government-led initiatives. Under the partnership for the implementation of the IPF proposals for action, FAO chairs the informal, high level Inter-Agency Task Force on Forests (ITFF) and is the leading agency in four areas: national forest programmes, assessment of multiple benefits of all types of forests, criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management and fragile ecosystems affected by desertification and drought, and impact of airborne pollution on forests.
Introduction
49. During the 1980s, the Forestry field programme was FAO's most substantive and well distributed in Africa, with UNDP as the major funding partner along with many bilateral agencies. There was a drastic decrease in the 1990s in the number of projects, funding partners and beneficiary countries. An illustration can be given by Senegal, which hosted in the mid-1990s nearly 70 percent of the Forestry field programme in Africa, with UNDP, UNSO, Finland, The Netherlands and Sweden as funding partners. During the second half of the decade, only The Netherlands remained, and 45 percent of the programme that they were supporting ended on 31 December 1999.
FAO Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP)
50. During the last five years, FAO's Technical Cooperation Programme has become more active in the Forestry sector, particularly in areas such as Forestry Legislation (Congo); Restructuration of Forest Industries (Congo); Capacity building for nfp planning and/or implementation (Gabon, Senegal); Communications and Forestry Extension (Senegal); Forestry Plantation Development (Ghana); pre-investment study (Eritrea); and Forest Revenue Collection (Zambia). Currently, a total of seven TCP proposals have been submitted by various countries and are being revised by FAO.
Collaboration with TCI
51. Regarding Investment Programmes, some projects have been identified and formulated by the FAO's Investment Centre on behalf of the African Development Bank and the World Bank (Mozambique, Cameroon, Tanzania, Ghana, Zambia, Senegal, Eritrea, Uganda).
Programme development
52. As regards field programme development, the Regional Forestry Group has participated in the formulation of, or directly prepared project/programme proposals (on a regional basis, Ghana, Zambia, Malawi, Senegal, Liberia, Burundi, Cameroon, Eritrea, etc.). The Sub-Regional Office for Africa (SAFR) has also participated in developing programmes in Namibia, Mauritius, for SADC/FSTCU in Malawi, South Africa and The Seychelles. FAO regional forestry staff have participated in missions of other agencies (World Bank, World Food Programme).
Technical backstopping
53. The Forestry Group is currently responsible for technical backstopping for a number of field projects in Burundi, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Zambia, Senegal and Mozambique. Some projects requiring specific technical expertise not available in the Regional/Sub-Regional Office are still relying on Headquarters' staff for technical backstopping.
Looking forward
54. The field programme is crucial to feed FAO normative activities and continues to be developed. Within countries, the emphasis on national ownership has necessitated a more mature partnership with Technical Assistance (TA) personnel. In general, Africa looks to the increasing involvement of its own expertise in TA. FAO's Partnership Programme offers a relative advantage.
ANNEX A
FOLLOW-UP TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ELEVENTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION
The following table summarises the recommendations of the Eleventh Session of the Commission and the action taken or proposed.
RECOMMENDATION |
ACTION TAKEN OR PROPOSED |
(1) State of forestry and wildlife in the region |
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| (i) The Commission recommended that FAO promote cross-sector dialogue in member States, and that countries favour harmonization of policies and of sectoral approaches (para. 11). | (i) Following workshop in September 1998, a sub-regional strategy on the
conservation, management, enhancement and sustainable utilization of forest genetic
resources in dry-zone sub-Saharan Africa under preparation. Substantial progress made following completion of the Network Regional Support to nfps in Africa, and establishment of Partnership Agreement between FAO and the AAS for the Regional nfp Capacity building project. Harmonization of cross-sector policies received special attention on all country exercises oriented to data collection and activities to formulate or update national forestry policies and strategies. |
| (ii) The Commission recommended that FAO intensify its assistance in the valuation of forest products and services, in order to provide better economic guidance for decision-makers and investors in the forestry sector (para. 12). | (ii) Case studies and papers on the economic role of the Forestry sector
commissioned, which will be incorporated in outlook analyses and recommendations currently
underway (FOSA). A report was prepared on the status and current efforts in economic and environmental accounting for forestry. |
(2) Follow-up to UNCED in Forestry: Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) Proposals for Action and the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF) Process |
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| (i) In view of the great diversity of socio-economic, political and forestry issues in member countries, the Commission recognized the need for a coordinated regional approach in order for member countries to become actively involved in the CSD, IPF and IFF processes. It recommended that the Forestry Department of FAO be urged to facilitate the participation of AFWC member countries in all these and similar processes in future (para. 19). | (i) During the intersessional meeting (October 1998), the Sub-Committee of the Commission was created, with the mandate to promote coordination among Sub-regional Organizations dealing with Forestry, to facilitate better participation of African Countries in the international debate on Forestry. |
(3) Review of FAO Regular and Field Programmes, Including Follow-Up to Requests and Recommendations of the 10th Session of the Commission |
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| (i) Recognizing the difficulties of many member governments to interact effectively and continuously in the various international fora, the Commission recommended that FAO cooperate closely with the various sub-regional organizations in assisting member governments to present common viewpoints on international processes. To this end, FAO should be more active in facilitating the flow of existing information about these processes to member governments through newsletters and, where applicable, the Internet (para. 24). | (i) Forest Resources Assessment data placed on Internet, reflecting data
for FRA 2000. FAO strengthened collaboration with most Sub-regional Organizations active in Forestry, through the AFWC-Sub-Committee and through organization of joint meetings on forestry issues currently being debated at international level. FAO has improved its forestry web page and launched new periodics such as Non-Wood News and Wood Energy Forum, which supplement the Regional Magazine Wildlife and Nature. |
| (ii) The Commission recognized the high quality and relevance of many of FAO's technical publications on forestry and wildlife and recommended that FAO take steps to improve their dissemination through FAO Representations and by organizing workshops to ensure their relevance and their use at national level (para. 25). | (ii) See reference to forest genetic resources workshop in 1(i) above. A
second workshop on the subject will be organized in collaboration with SADC and countries
in Southern and Eastern Africa in early 2000. Major efforts to disseminate all FAO forestry papers. A document on wildlife and food security in Africa was widely disseminated as well as the Trouble Shooter's Guide to Forestry extension. The relevance of the TSG to forestry conservation, was enhanced through sub-regional adaptation (not only translating) in francophone West Africa and the Near East sub-region. FONP has developed a training module on Policy Formulation and Implementation that will be used to improve country capacity in these fields. The module will be tested in Africa during the next biennium. |
| (iii) The Commission recognized the importance of up-to-date information on all aspects of forest resources and recommended that FAO increase its assistance to member governments in improving the coverage and quality of their national forest inventories, both through fresh initiatives and by taking full advantage of existing initiatives and project activities, such as the regional AFRICOVER project (para. 26). | (iii) The Global Forest Resources Assessment 2000 is developing a
comprehensive database on a wide range of forestry information to be released in the year
2000 and engaging countries in data collection. Gaps and assistance needs will be
identified. This platform of information will be invaluable as a planning tool for future
country and regional efforts. (iii and iv) In collaboration with African member countries, more than 60 national consultancies were conducted under the auspices of the programme on Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries. The purpose of these consultancies was to improve national knowledge and capacity related to forest resources, plantations, trees outside forests, non-wood forest products and forest industries. Four training workshops were held. |
| (iv) As the effective implementation of sustainable forest management placed new demands on member governments, the Commission recommended that FAO's field programme provide support to training institutions in the region in order to address these needs (para. 27). | (iv) Workshops/meetings on criteria and indicators for sustainable forest
management held for SADC countries in December 1998, for CILSS countries in December 1999.
Guidelines for implementation of criteria and indicators in dry-zone Africa under
preparation with full involvement of countries concerned. The Regular Programme has provided support for research and extension. Support to and cooperation with the forestry branch of AFORNET will be heightened with European Union support to FORNESSA operational. |
| (v) The Commission recommended that FAO place greater emphasis on technical deliberations in meetings of the regional forestry commissions and COFO and ensure the full participation of heads of forestry from member countries (para. 29). | (v) Further action was taken to strengthen the Regional Forestry Commissions. |
(4) FAO Forestry Strategy and Implications for Future Programme of Work and Budget |
|
| (i) The Commission recommended that FAO should reword the strategy to reflect more fully the particular importance of wildlife in the forest ecosystems of Africa (para. 32). | (i) The FO Forestry Strategy was further revised in the light of comments from the last Regional Forestry Commissions, from COFO and from the FAO Conference. |
(5) Report of the Twelfth Session of the Working Party on Wildlife Management and National Parks and Future of the Working Party |
|
| (i) The Commission recommended, in addition to the decisions
already taken in this regard by the 12th session of the Working Party: - to modify the meeting schedule in order to hold Working Party meetings in the recess of Commission sessions; - to strengthen the capacity for action of FAO wildlife management in Africa by posting a Wildlife Officer to the Regional Office in Accra (para. 37). |
(i) Working Party on Wildlife Management and National Parks has not
finally been abolished, which satisfies the wish expressed by the last session of the
Commission. It has not been possible to establish a new Wildlife post, due to budgetary constraints. However, it has been agreed to recruit an Assistant Professional Officer specialized in Wildlife Resources. |
(6) In-Session Seminar: Key Facts for Sustainable Forest Development in Africa |
|
| (i) The Commission welcomed the preparation by the FAO Regional Office for Africa of draft Methodological Guidelines for Improving Forestry Statistics in Africa and recommended that FAO arrange a series of workshops at sub-regional level to reach consensus on these draft guidelines and also on criteria and nomenclature already established for the Forest Resources Assessment (para. 42). | (i) The FRA nomenclature is comprehensive and has been adopted for
reporting at global levels for all countries - English, French, Spanish and Portuguese
versions are available. FRA guidelines are available in these language and were sent to
all regional countries. Workshops and capacity building activities for FRA 2000 underway
in Africa. The document on Forestry Statistics was reviewed at the intersessional meeting in October 1998. This meeting recommended that additional case study be carried out since the report focussed mainly on West Africa experiences. This recommendation was addressed by the paper recently prepared for SADC countries. Four sub-regional workshops held to examine the information requirements and data collection needs of African countries. These workshops evaluated the range of information requirements outlined in the draft methodological guidelines. |
| (ii) The Commission recommended that FAO and its partners ensure a practical orientation in carrying out the Forestry Sector Outlook Study for Africa (FOSA), and place forestry in the context of macro-level social and economic developments and of changes in other sectors linked to forestry (para 46). | (ii) FOSA is well on course, and sub-regional planning meetings have
taken place so far in Gabon, C�te d'Ivoire and Tunisia, respectively for Central, Western
and Northern Africa. To review scope and content and proposed modalities for the national
and sub-regional outlook analyses. They will be supported by FAO's Partnership programme and will extensively involve institutions and experts at national and regional level. |
| (iii) The Commission recommended that maximum use be made of Africa's institutions and experts in carrying out the FOSA and that close collaboration be ensured with existing sub-regional institutions active in forestry. In order to ensure that this study benefits from other on-going or existing information and initiatives, the Commission recommended that FAO arrange for adequate consultation with all partners and organize workshops as appropriate for this purpose (para 47). | iii) The FOSA National Focal Points will help ensure the active participation of national institutions and experts. Sub-regional planning meetings, involving the FOSA focal points and subregional and regional organizations, have been convened (see above). Meetings for East Africa and Southern Africa planned for April 2000. The study will culminate in the preparation of five sub-regional outlook reports (which will be reviewed by FOSA partners in another round of sub-regional meetings in 2001) and the regional overview report. |
| (iv) In order to better address the diverse needs of the region it recommended that Expert Advisory Groups be set up at sub-regional level, and that member governments be encouraged to propose possible experts to participate in these groups (para. 49). | (iv) FOSA Task Forces have been set up within FAO Headquarters and Regional Office for Africa, as well as in the African Development Bank. Nominations are being compiled for the selection of Members of the Regional Expert Advisory Group. An Expert Advisory Group for FOSA has been established, consisting of Africans recognized as outstanding experts in forestry. |
(7) Matters to be Referred to the Committee on Forestry |
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| (i) The Commission recommended that COFO study suitable ways and means of providing methodological, technical and financial support for African countries in their efforts to internalize the proposals and decisions for action in the context of the revision and updating of their national forestry programmes (para. 50e). | (i) An EC/FAO programme for sustainable forest management in Africa has been initiated. One component of this programme is to review the progress of implementing nfps and to provide necessary technical support to strengthen the process. A closely related effort on strengthening national capacity for data collection and analysis has already made considerable progress. |
