Swaziland is richly endowed with a wide range of forest genetic resources. Unfortunately, these resources face many threats: exotic species, agriculture and effects of development. This presents the country with an excellent opportunity to improve the utilization of forest products so that the forestry sector, in particular natural forests, can make more of a contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The country’s environmental management practices are in a transition stage. With many policies still undergoing a reviewing process, there is hope that the security of forest genetic resources will better be guaranteed in the future, through a coherent legal framework.
Currently, there is very little documented quantitative statistical data on the status of wood and non-wood forest genetic resources in the country. It is therefore recommended that, through a SADC initiative, a research project to improve this situation be established soon.
