14 countries (see below for the list of participants) out of 15 from the West Africa Sub-region presented their country outlook paper (Burkina Faso was absent). According to the framework elaborated by FAO the FOSA Focal Points had to (i) explain the methodology of their study, (ii) settle all the details on the present situation, (iii) bring out the factors that will likely influence the forestry sector (the strong engines of change that will influence the development of the forestry sector) and (iv) try to detect the weak signals which may bring notable changes in the perspective of the sector by the year 2020. From these tendencies and signals, it is possible to project a scenario of what may happen in twenty years from now.
For the country presentations, the approach per eco-zone was adopted, starting with the representatives from countries from the humid-zone, followed by those from the sub-humid zone, and ending with the countries of the dry zone.
1) NIGERIA - Dr ARUOFOR
Dr Aruofor's report is based on an econometric analysis of the Nigerian economy which is closely tied to the forestry sector and dynamism relating to the use of lands. The combination of these different parameters will feed the pertinent information needed to determine the impact on the system. After the presentation of the methodology which was the result of several years' experience, he underlined the constraints related to the creation of the multidisciplinary team and the process' financing. He also noted some effects of desertification and the decrease in the production of timber.
2) BENIN - D. DJOHOSSOU
First of all, P. Djohossou explained that the FOSA activities could not be started on time due to the difficulties encountered when setting up the national working group which had to reflect over the study methodology and the writing of the national report. Yet, some thematic studies on the external and internal elements tied to the forestry sector were taken into account.
He also mentioned the difficulties encountered to get the basic data and documents, to raise the colleagues' awareness and get them fully involved in the process. The necessary means for the organisation of a workshop to validate the findings of the study were requested.
3) GHANA - T.AGYARKO
The report was written by a multidisciplinary group that have regularly met and hence the document results from the participative writing of the different forestry sector stakeholders. The engines of change and the burdensome uncertainties weighing on the sector could be identified. From these two elements, two scenarios were defined for the year 2020: a) the continuing situation with the foreseeable consequences: overexploitation of timber, unemployment etc...; b) the other one is a more favourable " viable Ghana ", since it results from a good management of forestry resources, to meet the present and future demand and restore biodiversity.
4) IVORY COAST - K. NZORE
Mr K. Nzore mentioned the difficulties encountered in the FOSA process in his country. These problems were mainly related to the definition of an appropriate methodology, to the country's credibility as regards the other partners of the study because of its weakness and lack of financial and human resources, and to the confusion related to the absence of a harmonised policy for the different planning phases of FOSA. Mr Kadja also raised some pertinent questions on the methodology, the credibility and the harmonisation of the FOSA study with other initiatives such as the TFAP.
5) LIBERIA - A. TAPLAH
The work was carried out by a multidisciplinary group who defined the themes such as the condition of the forests, the use of their resources, reforestation, conservation and planning. Uncertainties such as the repatriation and the re-settlement of refugees, the frontier instability, the production of timber, among others, were brought out. Some scenarios were proposed to correct these negative tendencies as well as proposals for new directives concerning forest management by the year 2020.
6) SIERRA LEONE - HASSAN R.S. MOHAMED
At the methodological level, the representative of SL mentioned the difficulties encountered in data collection and the creation of an available and a motivated multidisciplinary team. Then he defined the engines of changes (demography, civil war, internal migrations, industrial saw-mills, illegal exportations of logs, diamond industry, road infrastructures, etc...). From these elements, a strategy and some measures to be applied were elaborated.
7) TOGO - KOFFI SESSI
The methodological approach is set out according to the type of industry: timber on the one hand and non-wood forest product on the other. In the constitution of the working groups, there is one large reflective group (8 to 12 persons by type of industry), one cross-disciplinary group (1 person per type of industry and per sector tied to the type of industry) and finally a limited group for the elaboration of the document. He presented the forestry overview of Togo and the engines of change (energy, agriculture development, forestry policies, institutional aspects, industries, etc...). Three scenarios were brought out and actions to be undertaken to resolve problems were evoked during this presentation.
8) GUINEA - DJIRAMBA DIAWARA
The national report was elaborated and given depth by a multidisciplinary working group. The final document was validated during a workshop attended by the different partners. After determining the present situation of the forest degradation, hopeful and alarming scenarios were described. The Focal Point mentioned changes and their accompanying measures to obtain them (involvement of rural population and collectivities, forests management plan, increased role played by NWFP, creation of new parks etc...).
9) BISSAU GUINEA - CASIMIRO DIAS
The focal point started his presentation with elements of methodology and mentioned some reference points such as the rate and the speed of forest degradation, the rural populations' strong dependence on the forest resources, the increase of poverty, etc. The situation could improve with political-institutional changes if some uncertainties were take away.
10) Cap Verde - LUISA MORAIS
The representative from Cap Verde underlined the problems encountered to set up a working group and to convince the stakeholders of the relevance of the study. Yet, despite the lack of appropriate framework, a reflection effort was started and major and important elements were brought out (demographic growth, considerable increase of the literary rate, rural exodus and weak contribution of the forestry sector to the BNP, important reforestation programmes and role of the diaspora immigrants).
11) GAMBIA - LAMIN BOJANG
The focal point described the work methodology, used within the framework of a multi-disciplinary team, benefiting from of a favourable situation to advance the FOSA progress. He mentioned the problems encountered by the forestry sector (use of lands for agriculture to the detriment of forests, ever increasing population, structural adjustment plans aggravating forest degradations, inappropriate energy policy etc... ). He underlined the main factors of changes, for example, a percentage - still to be defined - of BNP that should go to forestry, a good industrial and energy policy, etc ..
12) SENEGAL - ABABACAR BOYE
The report of Senegal was written by a multidisciplinary team, mainly composed by some people from the coordination unit of the National Forestry Department. After identifying the main factors of changes (demography, economic policies, interface between agriculture and forest sector, energy demand etc ...) and a diagnosis of the forest in its different components, the conditions of changes and the measures facilitating these changes were underlined.
13) MALI - GAOUSSOU KONATE
Concerning the definition of the methodology used by Mali, the focal point coordinator identified 38 representatives from the multidisciplinary group, who effectively took part in elaborating the final document and validating it. He mentioned some reference points (demographic growth, internal migrations, land conflicts, development of urbanisation, energy etc ...) and .developed two scenarios: the first one, based upon an ecological view and the other one on an economic view. The report elaborated strategies as a consequence.
14) NIGER - HAMISSOU GARBA
The Niger report was elaborated by a multidisciplinary group. There are some quantitative indicators of change, with a forecast of the year 2020. The influencing factors were described (environmental and land policies, drought, inappropriate agricultural practices, energy, legislative and statutory framework etc ..). Two scenarios were explained: the change which will lead to improve the sector, and the more pessimistic one with the exacerbation and the continuation of the present tendencies.
The focal point coordinator from Burkina Faso could not attend the workshop due to administrative reasons.
