Opening ceremony
6. The meeting was officially opened by Mr. J.H. Masinja, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of Zambia, who welcomed the participants to Zambia and to the meeting, emphasised the importance of collaboration in forestry within the sub-region, and ensured Zambia's support to FOSA. Mr. Frank Kufakwandi, Senior Forestry Officer of the African Development Bank (AfDB), emphasised the critical role of FOSA in developing an action-oriented strategy in forestry in Africa to the year 2020. He indicated that the AfDB was repositioning itself to be more active in the forestry sector and expected the FOSA sub-regional reports to identify areas of priority for possible future interventions in the forestry sector for donors. Mr. Hosny El-Lakany, Assistant Director-General of the FAO Forestry Department, thanked the Government of Zambia and the AfDB, indicated the importance FAO places on FOSA, stressed the critical role the member countries play in the FOSA process, and welcomed the participants to the meeting.
7. Chairpersons were elected for day 1 (Ms. Anna Chileshe, Zambia) and day 2 (Mr. Kenneth Nyasulu, Malawi/Southern African Development Community, Forestry Sector Technical Coordination Unit [SADC-FSTCU]). Dr. Harrison Kojwang, Namibia, was nominated rapporteur.
8. FAO presented the Forestry Outlook Study for Africa, outlining the nature of the study, its objectives, ways in which countries may benefit from it, the activities and final outputs of FOSA, partners involved, and co-ordination arrangements. It was stressed that the study was launched at the request of African countries made through the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission, and that strong efforts were being made to ensure that the study would be country-led, reinforce country planning efforts, and meet country expectations. FOSA would involve multi-sectoral analyses, looking beyond the forestry sector to outline forces of change likely to have an impact on the sector in the future. Thus, interdisciplinary discussion at the country level would be an essential element of the FOSA process. While the main final products of FOSA would be sub-regional outlook studies, the country outlook papers would add the necessary texture and country vision to the study, and the thematic studies would provide the sub-regional and regional context.
9. FAO outlined the expected outputs of the planning meeting, which included:
- achievement of a shared vision of FOSA
- identification of priority issues
- selection of thematic studies
- endorsement of country studies
- agreement on the implementation plan
- affirmation of SADC-FSTCU as a partner in FOSA
10. Points stressed included intended synergies - not duplication - between FOSA and other planning processes (including national forest programmes). As for operational and co-ordination aspects of the study, substantial efforts would be made to mobilise the considerable talent and knowledge of forestry in the region in the implementation of the study.
11. Mr. Frank Kufakwandi added that the approach adopted by FOSA was consistent with the AfDB's policies and mandate to promote sub-regional integration, and indicated an expectation that sub-regional organisations would be actively involved in the preparation of FOSA. He anticipated that AfDB and other donors would use FOSA outputs in the consideration of future investments in the forestry sector.
12. Mr. Kenneth Nyasulu, representing the SADC Forestry Sector Technical Coordination Unit, presented a paper on the key forestry issues facing the Southern African sub-region. He outlined the social and economic context and potential and constraints to forestry development in the sub-region. He noted that the majority of the population in the sub-region was living below the poverty line, the economic growth rate was lagging behind the population growth rate, and the countries were suffering from their debt burden. He indicated that 31% of the land area of the sub-region was under forest cover, and stressed the importance of forest resources in human survival strategies. He noted that governments derive much revenue from the forestry sector, but were reluctant to invest. Their emphasis had been on utilisation rather than regeneration. He also noted the relatively low timber production potential of the natural woodlands and the relatively limited role of the private sector in the sub-region. In addressing the question of the way forward in forestry in the sub-region, he made note of potential areas of enhanced co-operation in forestry as outlined in the SADC Forestry Policy and Development Strategy of 1997, the recent establishment of the SADC Timber Association, current efforts to draft a SADC Forestry Protocol, and SADC's work on a forestry database for the SADC region.
13. Dr. Harrison Kojwang noted recent trends in forestry policies in the sub-region, which reflected a more expansive view of the role of the sector. Within the last five years many countries had adopted policies to encourage public participation to ensure more equitable sharing of benefits through joint forest management arrangements and community-based forest management. Countries had also given more prominence to non-wood forest products (NWFPs) and wildlife conservation. Additional trends noted were institutional restructuring and increased networking between countries. Several countries had drafted new forestry legislation. Substantial involvement in international initiatives were noted, including development of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management, certification of forest products, ratification of the post-UNCED international conventions related to forests (i.e., on biological diversity, combating desertification and climate change). He noted that the issue was not in having inadequate policies or legislation, but in implementation and enforcement.
14. Additional trends noted by the participants included: increased use of lesser known species, increased value-adding processing, increased illegal harvesting and trade of timber and wildlife, and efforts to domesticate wild tree species, particularly for production of fruits and other non-wood forest products.
15. In the ensuing discussion on key issues facing the forestry sector in the sub-region, the participants grouped the major issues into four broad areas: institutional framework; forest resource management; production, trade and marketing; and cross-cutting issues. The following issues were identified in these categories:
Institutional Issues:
_ Policy and legal framework: the evolution of a sub-regional policy; need to harmonise policies related to forestry and wildlife; opportunities and constraints arising from international debate and agreements;
_ Governance: the changing roles of and relationships between forest administrations, NGOs, the private sector and communities; strengthening research, education and training institutions; forest information requirements; capacity-building and retaining of qualified African human resources, decentralisation, de-concentration and devolution; implications of dispersion of responsibilities for forestry and wildlife between several government departments and ministries;
_ Forest Financing: innovative pricing and charging mechanisms, financing government functions; distribution of forest benefits and forest replacement funds.
Forest management issues:
_ Strategy: need for an holistic ecosystem approach to forest and wildlife; trans-boundary management of fire and poaching;
_ Information collection and management: need to improve the information base on forest management practices (e.g. fire and regeneration); role of research data in forest sector information; developing and harmonising sub-national information systems with national information systems, and harmonising national systems with sub-regional information systems; need to integrate criteria and indicators for SFM into national data systems.
Production, marketing and trade (wood, non-wood, woodfuel, etc)
_ Enabling Environment: role of public sector in providing an enabling environment (e.g., adequate transportation infrastructure and incentives) to attract private sector investment;
_ Efficiency: role of private sector in processing capacity and efficiency;
_ Trade facilitation: removal of trade barriers; marketing improvements; promotion of intra and inter-regional trade;
Cross-cutting issues:
_ Environmental concerns, gender, urbanisation, poverty alleviation, structural adjustment, land and tree tenure, full accounting of forest goods and services.
16. The draft list of thematic studies for FOSA was discussed (see appendix 3). The following major recommendations were made:
Cluster A: External Impacts on Forests and Tree Resources in Africa
_ Paper A2 on impacts of urbanisation on forest resources should be deleted since it is already addressed in a baseline study;
Cluster B: Conservation and Management of Forest Ecosystems and Tree Resources in Africa
_ An additional paper on forest-based information and resource monitoring for SFM (collection, harmonisation, and sub-regional opportunities for data sharing, etc.) should be added;
_ An additional paper on forest fires (sharing of information and experiences of significance, impact, management, etc) should be added;
Cluster C: Social And Environmental Roles of Forests and Trees in Africa
_ An additional paper on all aspects of the role of forests in watershed management (not just uplands) should be added;
_ Paper C12 (Role in Income Generation and Poverty Alleviation) should focus on the role of forests in rural development;
Cluster D: Economic Roles of Forests; Forest Products Sector
_ It was noted that Paper D15 (Wood production, consumption and trade) should include the impact of certification and log bans, whilst Paper D16 (Woodfuel prospects) should incorporate an existing study already commissioned by SADC;
Cluster E: Enabling Environment: Institutional and Financial Conditions for Forestry
_ It was noted that Papers E19 (Policy and Legislation) and E23 (Training and Education) should incorporate existing studies already commissioned by SADC;
_ An additional paper on the valuation of forest goods and services should be added;
_ An additional paper on innovative funding mechanisms be added or given more emphasis in E24;
_ An additional paper on the visions, expectations, capabilities, and changing roles of non-governmental organisations should be added;
_ An additional paper on the role of international conventions and agreements and impact at the national level on sustainable forest management should be added;
17. A number of recommendations were given on the contents of several of the thematic studies (the changes are indicated in italics on the list - see appendix 3). Participants noted where studies have already been done and recommended that efforts be made to draw upon existing sources of information so as to avoid duplication of effort.
18. FAO presented a paper on the contents and preparation of the country outlook studies. The ensuing discussion centred on the purpose of the country papers in the FOSA process, and on the adequacy of FAO funding for the effort. Many participants felt that the burden of preparing country papers would require additional resources. It was explained to participants that their government had endorsed country participation in FOSA during the 11th Session of AFWC, and thus, in principle, the paper should be supported from internal funding. FAO's financial contribution to the effort was intended to complement internal resources.
19. In regard to the structure of country papers, it was emphasised that the terms of reference should not be regarded as strict guidelines, but more as a checklist. Furthermore, the country papers were not intended as an exhaustive compendium of the countries' present situation. Maximum use should be made of existing data (in the form of previous reports, studies, etc.), and, where they exist, country strategic plans should form an essential input into the FOSA vision for 2020. It was also proposed to add non-wood forest products and wildlife were important issues to cover in the terms of reference. After discussion, the terms of reference were agreed upon as a guide for writing the country papers.
20. In regard to the purpose of the country papers, the AfDB emphasised their potential contribution to the production of sub-regional reports, which could serve as a basis for priority setting for financial assistance in the forestry sector by donor agencies.
21. FAO indicated that it would prepare a list and distribute to Focal Points all pertinent FAO reports to assist countries.
22. FAO presented the Terms of Reference for the FOSA National Focal Points. In preamble, the need for each FOSA Focal Point to co-ordinate and harmonise with focal points for related initiatives (e.g., national forest programmes, biological diversity conservation strategies, etc.) in the country was acknowledged. The Terms of Reference were approved, with advice to countries to ensure smooth hand-overs if the incumbent changes.
23. FAO introduced the role and Terms of Reference of the FOSA Expert Advisory Group. It recalled the purpose and composition of an expert group, and summarised their proposed duties and qualifications for membership. Participants were asked to comment on a proposal by FAO that the African Forestry Expert Group (AFEG) should fulfil the functions of the Expert Advisory Group in relation to FOSA. The response was generally positive, but caution was expressed concerning the composition and terms of reference of AFEG. In conclusion it was felt that selected members of AFEG could form part of the Advisory Group, and that FAO should propose additional experts to include more representation from academia, civil society, the private sector, as well as from North Africa.
24. FAO and the Director of Forestry, Malawi/FSTCU initiated a discussion on the role of sub-regional organisations and other potential partners in the FOSA process. FAO emphasised its commitment to work through sub-regional organisations, and FSTCU confirmed its willingness to work closely with FAO on FOSA. FSTCU confirmed that it would place FOSA on the agenda of the next meeting of the Technical Committee on Forests, to be held in Lesotho in early May, and that the FSTCU would make available its technical documentation for use in FOSA.
25. It was noted that FSTCU was in need of capacity strengthening in data collection and information, and the participants were gratified to learn that the Government of Malawi had assigned more staff to the unit.
26. The meeting recommended that FOSA identify areas for future investment in capacity building in FSTCU. FAO was advised to seek further involvement of national and international NGOs in order that their vision of forestry in 2020 would be captured in FOSA.
27. On the question of use of national, regional, and international expertise, the participants were informed that the maximum use would be made of African experts within the conditions attached to the funds provided by AfDB and FAO.
