Defining a new research agenda for Africa's dry forests
Southern Sun Elangeni Hotel, Durban
 

The symposium provided a global platform for representatives from the research and development sector to openly discuss the challenges and opportunities faced in the sustainable use of dry forests, within broader agricultural landscapes. PROFOR's Peter Dewees spoke in Sub Plenary 6 on Policies and institutional support for sustainable management of dry forests and launched the publication Managing the Miombo Woodlands of Southern Africa: Policies, Incentives and Options for the Rural Poor.  

ABSTRACT
The dry forests and woodlands of Africa cover 54% of the continent’s land area and support some 64% of its population through the provision of a wide range of environmental goods and services. These multifunctional and dynamic landscapes are not just rich in biodiversity. Research has shown that they are inextricably linked to people’s broader livelihood portfolio, playing an especially important role in supporting vulnerable households, including those headed by women, those affected by HIV/AIDS and those increasingly affected by climate variability.

Despite the ecological and livelihood importance of dry forests, these forests have to date received far less attention from research and development interventions than humid forest systems. This research gap is incongruous with the alarming rate at which these forests are disappearing. Furthermore, changes in the drivers of deforestation and in the political, environmental and socio-economic contexts across the region call for the need to reconsider and underscore Africa’s dry forests and the role they play in providing a range of environmental goods and services. This is especially necessary within the context of climate change, increasing food insecurity and the growing demand on these forests for energy sources.