II.1. BACKGROUND
II.2. IDENTIFICATION OF SUB-REGIONAL PRIORITY SPECIES
II.3. OBJECTIVE 1: IMPROVING THE MANAGEMENT (UTILIZATION AND CONSERVATION) OF FOREST GENETIC RESOURCES
II.4. OBJECTIVE 2: STRENGTHENING AVAILABILITY OF QUALITY REPRODUCTION MATERIAL
II.5. OBJECTIVE 3: STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY
II.6. IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING
II.7. FAO/IPGRI/ICRAF SUB-REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON THE CONSERVATION, MANAGEMENT, SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF FOREST GENETIC RESOURCES IN DRY ZONE SUB-SAHARIAN AFRICA. OUAGADOUGOU, BURKINA FASO, 22 - 24 SEPTEMBER 1998 - FINAL STATEMENT
II.1.1. Justification for a sub-regional action plan on forest genetic resources
II.1.2. Objectives and strategy of the sub-regional action plan
II.1.3. Structure and organization of the sub-regional action plan
Dryland zones are among the most fragile ecosystems on the planet and become more so during periods of drought and desertification. As a result of their vulnerability and ecological limitations, these zones tend to be marginalized economically to such an extent that their inhabitants rely closely on local forests in order to obtain many goods and services. Sahelian and North-Sudanian Africa is no exception.
Despite their crucial importance, the forest resources are constantly being diminished in quality and quantity. Uncontrolled deforestation (mainly for land conversion to agriculture) and the overexploitation of wood and forests (by excessive harvesting of fuelwood and overgrazing) are the main sources of degradation for trees, forests, soils and the environment.
Forest goods and services closely depend on the quality of their genetic base, but genetic diversity is rarely taken into account in decisions regarding land use, forest planning and management or in resource utilization. It is however subject to growing attention in discussions concerning sustainable forestry and in the development of concepts related to biological diversity, of which it is an essential component.
Nevertheless, forest resources face very real, topical and immediate pressures. The State of Forest Genetic Resources in the Sahelian and North-Sudanian zone mention several species and populations facing threats from clearly identified causes. These threats are sometimes worrying enough to justify urgent action even in the absence of the scientific knowledge necessary for programmed conservation and management.
In a certain number of countries, there has been strategic consideration concerning the conservation of biological diversity, forest seed supplies, or with respect to prioritization in conservation or genetic breeding programmes. The formulation of national strategies for forest genetic resources is a way of integrating action proposals at national level, and of identifying the appropriate institutional mechanisms for implementing them.
National initiatives, strategies, action plans and programmes should remain the foundation of all efforts. The preamble to the Convention on Biological Diversity affirms that while the conservation of biological diversity is a concern for all of humanity, states have sovereign rights and obligations for the conservation and sustainable utilization of their own living resources.
Although necessary, national strategies do not always suffice. Many forest species are characterized by high genetic diversity and a vast distribution range, which often spills over national borders. Issues regarding ownership, access to resources and the rights and knowledge of local people, are raised more and more frequently in international discussions, as well as the equitable distribution of benefits drawn from the use of genetic resources. Regional and international cooperation have become an essential complement to national efforts.
The appropriateness of preparing a sub-regional action plan on forest genetic resources, as well as its objectives and contents, were discussed by participants at the sub-regional workshop on forest genetic resources in Ouagadougou from 22 to 26 September, 1998. The participants agreed that a sub-regional action plan on genetic resources for Sahelian and North-Sudanian Africa would constitute an invaluable tool. They also agreed that the plan should initially be based on the scientific and technical information contained in the national reports, and on the ideas and proposals put forward at the workshop.
Participants unanimously stressed that the plan should be action-oriented, thereby confirming the recommendations of the Committee on Forestry. Since the plan would be used to guide inter-country cooperation in future years, the document should be founded on clear goals and principles, but stated succinctly in order to be flexible enough for the implementation and update of recommendations.
The format of the action plan was discussed at length. It was finally decided to articulate the plan in two parts: a part tackling priority species surveyed at sub-regional level on a hierarchical basis; and a second part describing the actions necessary to reduce the major constraints to these species. A list of priority species was drawn up from national reports, discussed during the workshop, and complemented with information from participants. National reports were also submitted after the workshop, such as the one from Ethiopia. Participants identified the main constraints during the workshop based on similar operations previously carried out nationally by forest tree seed centres in Burkina Faso and Senegal.
Three major constraints were identified by national experts. These constraints are not specific to one forest species or to a given category of trees, but encompass genetic resources of woody species in their broadest sense:
- knowledge of forest genetic resources in the sub-region is inadequate, both in terms of genetic variability as well as population numbers and risk evaluation;- production of goods from forests cannot meet current and projected human requirements;
- forest resources in general and their genetic heritage in particular are not sufficiently taken into account at national level, despite information on their deteriorating status.
The long-term objectives assigned to the action plan are the following:
- ensuring the conservation of forest genetic resources of regional significance as a basis for sustainable forest management and the maintenance of forest biological diversity;- promoting the sustainable utilization of forest genetic resources in order to encourage local and national development and contribute to poverty alleviation;
- promoting a fair and equitable distribution of the benefits from using forest genetic resources, while acknowledging that it is equally as desirable to share knowledge, innovations and traditional practices regarding the conservation of forest genetic resources and their sustainable utilization;
- developing, strengthening and harmonizing national policies and regulatory and legislative measures in line with circumstances, and promoting the incorporation of forest genetic resources in management schemes for territorial and rural management;
- promoting or strengthening national programmes for management, research and development, and the capacity of institutions in charge of developing and implementing such programmes. Particular attention should be given to the execution and follow up of national forest action plans and programmes, management plans for woodlands and trees outside forests, plans for conserving biological diversity, afforestation and desertification control plans, and programmes for the provision of improved forest tree seed.
Immediate objectives to be reached are summarized as:
- managing (using and conserving) forest genetic resources more efficiently;- improving the performance of forest genetic resources;
- strengthening national capacities concerning forest genetic resources.
The following priority topics were identified as best suited to concerted and voluntary regional cooperation efforts:
- resource conservation and protection;- more efficient resource utilization;
- better availability and diffusion of quality forest seeds;
- selection and improvement of priority species;
- awareness raising among actors and rightsholders;
- strengthening of institutional resources and capacity, especially for research and training;
- implementation or utilization of regional cooperation mechanisms.
The sub-regional action plan is based on the recognition that countries in Sahelian and North-Sudanian Africa enjoy sovereign rights over their forest genetic resources and are responsible for the conservation and sustainable utilization of these resources; and that well targeted sub-regional cooperation can be instrumental in strengthening national programmes.
The first chapter describes the methodology used for hierarchizing important species and defining the lists of species considered priority by countries at sub-regional level, which could be the object of coordinated efforts. Mention is also made of identified activities related to conservation, sustainable utilization, new knowledge acquisition and the dissemination of this information.
The following chapters will follow the thematic divisions fixed by participants:
- Improving the management and utilization of forest genetic resources
- Strengthening the availability of quality reproduction material
- Strengthening institutional capacity
The last part regards plan implementation, and the identification of the structures, mechanisms and instruments which may promote its implementation.
Finally the recommendations made by participants at the Ouagadougou workshop (22 - 24 September 1998) are recalled.
The plan only mentions those actions recognized as important at sub-regional level, i.e., for which participating countries at the Ouagadougou workshop reached agreement. The points raised are common to most Sahelian and North-Sudanian countries, but not necessarily to all of them. The priority subjects complement the list of priority species.
The plan is action oriented and promotes the initiation of operational activities. It was not judged feasible to consider activities in greater detail nor to identify potential actors. This work should be carried out during the identification, formulation and finalization stages of the programmes and projects by appropriate mechanisms participating in plan implementation.
II.2.1. Rationale and issues
II.2.2. Methodology
II.2.3. List of species requiring absolute priority
II.2.4. Utilization of priority species
II.2.5. Operational activities for priority species
Taking into account the naturally limited financial and human resources allocated to activities addressing forest genetic resources, economic and political decision makers need to make choices to optimize resource utilization. Drafting a hierarchy of actions considered to be the most urgent and essential is naturally subjective, and mostly determined according to the main beneficiaries and where possible by them. It is obvious that all interested parties should be associated with the process and that the maintenance and development of forest genetic resources is of general interest.
Beyond the purely technical questions regarding genetic resources management, much greater reflection is required as to the value of these resources to the different actors, and thus on the contribution of the same actors; such reflection should take stock of the short, medium and long term, with a view to programme continuity, bearing in mind that this continuity will be better guaranteed if everybody’s needs are taken into account in analysis and the final choices.
The main object of the process described here is to assist decisions on those forest species likely to be considered in collaboration initiatives at sub-regional level. The result is a list of species considered priority by most countries, and hence with potential for targeted cooperation efforts.
Lists should answer the following question: “When necessarily limited material, financial and human resources are available at sub-regional level for forest genetic resources, where could they be allocated with a view to optimal effectiveness?”
Country priorities were set by weighing up the socio-economic, ecological, cultural or other value of the species vis-à-vis the potential risks of reduction or indeed extinction of their genetic components. Two types of data were thus required: data linked to species status (value, usage, distribution, current management and potential risks) and those linked to recommended actions for a restricted group (priority species).
Information, based on expert’s opinion, was supplied from countries through the reports prepared for the Ouagadougou workshop and then synthesized by Dr O. Eyog Matig within the framework of a consultancy for the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI). During the hierarchization process, a certain number of assumptions were formulated (outlined below) to help understanding of the process’s scope and limits:
- The higher level of biological complexity considered is the forest species. It is the best known level from a technical and scientific point of view, the easiest to learn in practice, and the level of most direct interest to rural people. Other levels of biological diversity, such as ecosystems, landscapes or molecular genetics, are thus not considered directly in the plan objectives.- Sub-regional data are provided by information gathered at national level. In each country, a list of priority species was established by the person drafting the national report in line with a methodology developed by countries in the sub-region in collaboration with FAO. The writer was chosen by his/her country. The approach was deliberately empirical and used existing information without resorting to uniform quantitative data or to statistical analyses28.
28 For examples of scientific analyses and hierarchization, see Oldfield et al., 1998. The World List of Threatened Trees, and comments in the Commonwealth Forestry Review 77 (4), 1998, p 291-293.- The approach is openly utilitarian and strongly action-oriented; only species with proven value (whatever the type of value) were considered. The process tried to be holistic (all types of value attached to the species were considered) and neutral (there was no pre-set hierarchy among different types of value).
- Countries decided priorities regarding forest species in line with their own scale of values and preferences. In order to have a broad range of preferences represented, the consultants Mrs A. Nikiéma and B. Kigomo, during their visits to 13 countries before the national reports were drafted, underlined the importance of consultations with all sectoral actors, particularly with representatives of local communities, professional organizations, agricultural, pastoral and forestry services, NGOs, private and public nurseries, nature conservation associations, as well as with scientists and researchers, rural development agents, etc. Similarly, the writer of the national report was recommended to take into account the opinions of various actors concerned by forest genetic resources.
- Species of interest to only one country were not considered despite considerable national or local interest.
The most obvious limitations of the applied methodology include the following:
- The number of species ranked as top priority at sub-regional level is naturally limited. Other initiatives exist that may, at least partly, cover those species which are not considered as most important (see box 2). Such initiatives include the development of national Biodiversity Status and Action Plans under the framework of the Convention of Biological Diversity; the establishment and maintenance of networks of protected areas and natural reserves; the updating of global lists of threatened or endangered trees species by IUCN and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC); the maintenance of lists of important and priority tree species by the FAO Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources29; and the development of the FAO World-Wide Information System on Forest Genetic Resources (REFORGEN)30.29 See FAO, 1997c30 For details, see FAO, 2000 or http://www.fao.org/forestry/FOR/FORM/FOGENRES/homepage/fogene-e.stm.
- The most important species at sub-regional level may not have the same priority level for a given social group, or a village, or a particular rural community. Extensive experience has been gained on studies of rural social groups at different levels of social organization by ICRAF and ISNAR31 in the Semi-Arid Lowlands of West Africa (SALWA)32.
31 International Service for National Agricultural Research, The Hague32 See Franzel et al., 1996, and SALWA’s presentation at: http://www.cgiar.org/icraf/regional/region3/region3.htm
- Priority lists are not universal or definitive in nature. They will need to be revised and updated at regular periods. Nevertheless, they represent present options for decision makers and donors to focus their efforts on if they so wish.
BOX 2: PRACTICAL APPROACH TO PRIORITY-SETTING PROCESSES FOR FOREST TREES
|
As a preliminary approach to selecting priority species, Namkoong33 recommends classifying species into three groups: 33 Namkoong, G. 1986 The first group includes species which are already the object or will soon be the object of selection or breeding programmes, irregardless of the programme’s stage. The second group features species with as yet poorly known genetic diversity, but which hold actual or perceived potential according to current status of research and utilization. Finally, most forest species are gathered in the third group. Given the current state of knowledge and projections, the utilization value attributed to these species cannot justify establishing specific strategies for their conservation and genetic improvement in order to meet human needs. The only management goal could be to conserve representative samples from the populations for future use. In this case, an in situ approach could be useful34. 34 for more references, see FAO, 1989 |
Sahelian and North-Sudanian African countries have numerous woody species that are of various degrees of importance to human communities. Von Maydell35 lists 114 multipurpose trees and mention is made of a total of 310 tree and shrub species in national reports. Of the species quoted as priority in country reports, the final selection only retained those species (i) quoted as priority by at least 9 countries out of the 18 which supplied national reports, and (ii) species acknowledged by countries as having high current or potential value. There are 16 of these species (see Table 11).
35 Von Maydell, 1986
By way of comparison, of the 26 forest fruit trees listed by the programme SALWA in four Sahelian countries (Burkina-Faso, Mali, Niger and Senegal) based on farmer preferences for fruit tree domestication, only 3 species do not figure in the list below: Acacia senegal, Anogeissus leiocarpus and Eucalyptus camaldulensis, which are not fruit trees.
TABLE 11: RESULTS OF TREE SPECIES HIERARCHY ANALYSIS IN 18 COUNTRIES36 - LIST OF 16 TOP PRIORITY SPECIES
36 As a reminder this process concerns the following countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, and Togo.
|
Relative Ranking of priority species |
Priority species |
Total number of countries listing the species |
Countries listing the species as a percentage of total
countries |
Main uses |
|
1st |
Faidherbia albida |
15 |
83% |
Fodder, shade, soil and water conservation, agroforestry,
fuelwood |
|
1st |
Tamarindus indica |
15 |
83% |
Food, NWFP*, shade |
|
3rd |
Khaya senegalensis |
14 |
78% |
Timber, fuelwood, NWFP |
|
4th |
Acacia nilotica |
12 |
67% |
Fuelwood, NWFP |
|
4th |
Adansonia digitata |
12 |
67% |
Food, shade, NWFP |
|
4th |
Anogeissus leiocarpus |
12 |
67% |
Fuelwood, roundwood (poles etc) |
|
4th |
Parkia biglobosa |
12 |
67% |
Food, agroforestry |
|
8th |
Acacia senegal |
11 |
61% |
NWFP, fodder |
|
8th |
Azadirachta indica |
11 |
61% |
Roundwood, fuelwood, NWFP |
|
8th |
Borassus aethiopum |
11 |
61% |
Roundwood, food, timber |
|
8th |
Diospyros mespiliformis |
11 |
61% |
Food, timber, fuelwood |
|
8th |
Pterocarpus erinaceus |
11 |
61% |
Timber, fuelwood, NWFP |
|
13th |
Balanites aegyptiaca |
10 |
56% |
Food, NWFP |
|
13th |
Eucalyptus camaldulensis |
10 |
56% |
Roundwood (poles etc), fuelwood |
|
13th |
Vitellaria paradoxa |
10 |
56% |
Food, fuelwood, NWFP |
|
13th |
Ziziphus mauritiana |
10 |
56% |
Food, fodder |
* NWFP: Non wood forest products
Data on tree uses mentioned in national reports for each of the 16 priority species have been compiled and Figure 4 shows the distribution of these different uses. The main uses relate to (i) the production of non wood forest goods; (ii) provision of fuelwood; (iii) the provision of foodstuffs; and (iv) the production of small poles. Although the relative importance of each of these four main categories is not exactly the same as a similar ranking using 310 species (see paragraph I.2.4.), results do not appear significantly different at a level of reliability of 95%.
Tree uses have been recorded at national level first then compiled into regional level
Based on indications provided by national experts, technical activities relating to priority tree species have been compiled and harmonized. The result of this analysis is given in table 12. The table represents an average outline of the status of each species, and does not necessary represent any particular situation in individual countries.
TABLE 12: OPERATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPECIES REQUIRING ABSOLUTE PRIORITY AT REGIONAL LEVEL
|
Species
|
Operation |
|||||||
|
Exploration & collection |
Evaluation |
Conservation |
use of germplasm |
|||||
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
|
|
Acacia nilotica |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Acacia senegal |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Adansonia digitata |
3 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
|
Anogeissus leiocarpus |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
|
Azadirachta indica |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Balanites aegyptiaca |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Borassus aethiopum |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Diospyros mespiliformis |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
Eucalyptus camaldulensis |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
|
Faidherbia albida |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
Khaya senegalensis |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Parkia biglobosa |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
Pterocarpus erinaceus |
1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
|
Tamarindus indica |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
Vitellaria paradoxa |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
Ziziphus mauritiana |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
Legend:1: high priority
2: prompt action recommended
3: action is important but less urgent than for 1) and 2)Exploration:
1. Biological information (natural distribution, taxonomy, genocology, phenology, etc.)
2. Harvesting of genetic material for assessmentEvaluation:
3. In situ (population study)
4. Ex situ (provenance and progeny trials)Conservation:
5. In situ
6. Ex situUtilization of genetic material:
7. Seed production for plantations, reproductive material
8. Selection and breeding
II.3.1. Inventorying resources
II.3.2. Protecting and conserving resources
II.3.3. Utilizing resources sustainably
The overall methodology for managing forest genetic can be summed up as a multi-stage programme depending on the chosen objectives and the degree of sophistication (see box 3). From a strategic point of view, activities will have a greater chance of being implemented effectively if they are formulated and decided under the impulse of, or with the active participation of, land owners, local decision makers and rightsholders.
BOX 3: TECHNICAL ACTIONS RELATING TO FOREST GENETIC RESOURCES
|
Actions related to the management (including conservation and utilization) of forest genetic resources generally cover one or several of the following technical stages: - (a) botanical and taxonomic prospecting; Whatever deviations may occur in the above list in line with
the desired objective - conservation or improvement -, the process is cumulative
and some stages have to be crossed before others can be initiated. This is why
knowledge on a species geographical and ecological distribution has to be
gathered before its intraspecific variability can be studied. |
Justification: In theory, any rational conservation or improvement programme begins by studying and inventorying existing resources. In order to develop policies and strategies related to the conservation and sustainable utilization of forest genetic resources, national programmes require information on country resources.
Countries that have ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity recognize certain requirements and responsibilities in this area. The report State of forest genetic resources in the Sahelian and North-Sudanian zone shows that, given the importance of woody plants in local and national economies, fairly few systematic activities have been carried out, even for highly important trees and shrubs. Out of 16 top priority species listed in Table 12, ten require urgent information gathering on biological features (natural distribution, taxonomy, genocology, phenology, etc.).
Concerning the subject of surveying and inventorying species distribution, and the delineation of possibly distinct populations by genecological zoning, the lack of a common forest ecological typology in regional countries impedes both comparisons between countries and standardized assessments. This constraint represents a considerable brake to regional studies on the scale and spatial distribution of intraspecific variability.
The study and inventory of genetic resources of priority species should be viewed as stages in a process for the better management of genetic diversity, and not as aims per se. That is why it is advisable to link them to specific action-oriented objectives, for example within a regional programme for the conservation or sustainable utilization of a given species. In this way, it will be easier to make decisions on the relevance of various methods for studying genetic diversity (provenance trials, biochemical analyses, genetic markers) according to the information sought and the projected cost.
Long-term objective: To identify, localize, survey and where possible assess the diversity of local priority species, sub-species, populations, varieties, ecotypes and breeds. To assess the importance of populations in intraspecific units, as well as the precise nature and degree of risk each may be facing.
Intermediate objectives: To develop common, useful and simple methodologies in order to study and survey tree and shrub resources as well as the extent and manner of their genetic diversity. To define the distribution of genetic resources by priority species.
Recommended activities:
- Proposing a series of common typological parameters to be used by different countries in inventories, descriptions and studies of the genetic diversity of species considered.- Gathering available information on the distribution, biology, patterns and physiology of reproduction, and the modality and known extent of intraspecific variation among priority species.
- Identifying gaps in the above information and proposing studies or additional investigations by broad ecological zone.
- Updating the maps of distribution areas of priority species by country and ecological zone.
- Contributing to the inventory of pools of forest genetic resources such as natural reserves and national parks for priority species.
Technical options: Studies aimed at improving knowledge of a given specie’s genetic diversity within a geographical region or between regions, can employ several methods, including morphological and biometrical studies in comparative tests; biochemical and molecular marker analyses in laboratory conditions; or the simple presumption of genetic diversity in view of the specie’s geographical and ecological distribution. There is ample documentation on the choice of each of these methods, none of which is absolute and each contributing essential clarification37.
37 Graudal, L. et al, 1997
While protection denotes a series of measures aimed at sheltering certain resources from real or perceived threats (with the result of physical or regulatory protection, for example), conservation aims at maintaining these resources in “good condition”, i.e., as far as possible at ensuring their evolution potential in order to meet the needs of future generations. Protection (preservation) is only one aspect of conservation in the broad sense.
|
The conservation of forest genetic resources denotes all policies and acts «guiding human utilization of genetic resources in such a way that they may sustainably procure maximum benefits to current generations, while maintaining their capacity to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations». 38 38 FAO, 1989 |
The State of forest genetic resources in the Sahelian and North-Sudanian zone shows that many species and populations are subject to strong pressures. Levels of security and nature of threats recorded for 159 populations of 16 priority species in 18 countries are compiled in appendix 11.
The document also confirms that legislative or regulatory efforts to protect forest resources have generally had a mediocre impact unless accompanied by broader reflection that took into account the needs, rights and responsibilities of local people and the need for a balance between conservation and utilization through forest management.
Protection in the strict sense seems more and more to be a transitory measure, which should be used temporarily as a complement to other options. In general it can be observed that conservation efforts are to be preferred to protection, which is more limited in scope.
Before carrying out any action in this area, it is absolutely vital to define and identify the target elements of projected conservation measures. These elements may consist of: ecosystems, species, populations (variation between populations) or individuals (variation within populations). Genetic resource conservation can be carried out on site (in situ) or offsite (ex situ), in the case of seed orchards for example.
Finally, species and levels of intraspecific diversity can be found in several types of deposit (pools):
· forest (classified, managed or unmanaged);· reserves, natural parks, protected areas (whatever the protection is effective or not);
· trees outside forests, agroforestry plantations, recreational parks, botanical gardens;
· breeding trials, seed orchards, agricultural or forest seed centres.
Experience shows that the conservation and regeneration of genetic heritage is best ensured when a combination of various pools is established. The recommended approach is to combine various places and different types of pool. A good start could be made by surveying the possibilities of in situ conservation in managed forest, then continue by inventorying the resources found in natural reserves and other protected areas, and finish if not successful by projecting the ex situ stocking of a representative sampling of variability. This process has the advantage of reconciling within a single approach conservation and sustainable utilization of resources in one place (managed forest).
The interest of a regional approach to preparing and implementing conservation strategies springs from the fact that large scale economies could be made while reducing the global risks of species or provenance extinction. If the goal is to conserve the main genetic pools, a reasonable number of stands should be conserved.
Long-term objectives: To ensure forest species capacity to adapt to environmental changes and to thus maintain the necessary genetic information for natural evolution and for future tree breeding programmes.
Intermediate objectives: For each priority species at sub-regional level, to define and implement a conservation strategy over its distribution range, taking into account the eco-geographical features of the specie’s genetic diversity, the distribution and effectiveness of existing genetic pools, possible protection constraints and the complementary actions required.
Recommended activities:
- inventorying genetic resources of priority species which benefit from a protection system (natural reserve, protected area, classified forest)- assessing the effectiveness of conservation of priority species/populations in the above systems;
- inventorying the seed-bearing stands used for each priority species;
- inventorying the pools of genetically distinct populations for each species;
- identifying the main centres (“hot spots”) of genetic diversity as well as the marginal and peripheral populations;
- surveying particularly important stands of priority species (seed harvesting stands) which should be the priority objective of protection and conservation measures;
- inventorying genetic resources found in ex situ pools of the sub-region, (including domestication trials and trees conserved in non-forestry systems) for each priority species;
- surveying populations subject to severe pressures and possible options for vegetative propagation and ex situ conservation;
- promoting, with relevant authorities, information and extension campaigns for local people and villagers regarding brush fire control and prevention;
- researching and documenting management experiences and models for agroforestry parks taking account of in situ considerations for forest genetic resources;
- documenting traditional and current experiences concerning in situ conservation of forest genetic resources.
Technical options: The choice of available technical options should depend first and foremost on the nature of the material to be conserved and should be done case by case. The two main technical options regarding conservation of genetic resources, i.e., in and ex situ conservation, complement each other. In situ conservation foresees the ongoing maintenance of a stand within its community and in its original environment. Ex situ conservation includes both the conservation of seeds, pollen and tissue and the conservation of genetic materials in living collections, for example in arboreta and clone deposits, or in specially established ex situ conservation stands (see Table 13).
For forest species that are currently little exploited, it would be enough to delineate or set up a network of in situ conservation areas, including production forests and protected reserves subjected to varying degrees of management. These genetic conservation areas have to be extensive enough to avoid the negative effects of self pollination and genetic drift, and should encompass central and peripheral stands. For species subject to intensive exploitation, in situ conservation can be complemented by management of genetic diversity from forest stands and selection programmes.
TABLE 13: SUMMARY OF TECHNICAL OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR GENETIC CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES IN CONNECTION WITH TYPES OF REPOSITORIES AVAILABLE
* Adapted from Palmberg, 1999.
|
Type of repository |
Main utilization for conservation
activities |
|
Protected areas, nature reserves |
In situ Conservation |
|
Managed natural forests, natural stands managed for seed
production |
In situ Conservation |
|
Plantations, planted trees, botanical gardens |
Ex situ conservation |
|
Experimental stands, comparative tests, seed orchards, tree
seed centre |
Ex situ conservation |
Justification:
Degradation of forest genetic resources in the Sahelian and North-Sudanian zone is mainly due to uncontrolled and unsustainable utilization. In many cases, both for forest resources and tree and shrub genetic resources, forest management for the supply of goods and services is compatible with the conservation of a given species if certain simple management and genetic principles are applied in silviculture.
In the search for a balance between resource conservation and utilization, management concepts occupy a central place. There is probably no universal solution to the problem, but a certain number of concepts, methodologies and case studies taking account of technical, socio-economic and cultural aspects, have been developed by several rural development actors in the Sahel. In particular, given that rural people in Sahelian and North-Sudanian Africa are, and will be for a long time yet, strongly dependent on forest goods and services, it is essential that they become involved in sustainable management efforts and processes. The limited effectiveness of existing forest reserves works in favour of systematic integration of current human constraints and needs in conservation strategies.
An analysis of constraints (utilization of forest genetic resources by product and service) could constitute an entry point to identifying actions to be undertaken at local level. The importance of fuelwood justifies alone developing energy strategies where all forms of production (natural forest and plantations) will be investigated. The development of better performing plantations near consumption areas is likely to relieve pressure on native resources considerably.
As regards the production of food products, various national and international institutions support domestication efforts for forest trees by farmers and support the conservation of genetic heritage in cropping systems.
Long-term objectives: To increase and improve sustainable and rational utilization of genetic resources of natural and introduced trees and shrubs. To promote innovations in the genetic improvement of trees and wild populations by domestication and conservation. To promote the diversification of goods and services by associating natural forests and plantations in a complementary way. To actively prevent desertification in the most vulnerable ecological zones.
Intermediate objectives: To encourage awareness raising among local people who use goods and services provided by trees and shrubs through targeted and localized programmes. To contribute to desertification control programmes.
Recommended activities:
- promoting productivity studies of natural formations and developing managing options for sustainable harvesting intensity;- developing case studies to support experience and memory of traditional utilization and knowledge (taboos, bans,...). Identifying new concerns and new cultural behaviour which could accompany sustainable management efforts;
- contributing to information and extension campaigns for local people and villagers with respect to economical resource utilization.
Technical options: promotion of forest management plans and land planning; strengthening community and individual planting programmes; stepping up improvement and domestication programmes for targeted species; underlining the importance of seed-bearing stands (see the following chapter).
II.4.1. Managing seed supply and demand
II.4.2. Selecting and improving priority species
In recent years, forest plantations have attracted both positive attention and criticism, especially when they had resorted to introduced species whose adaptation to site conditions had not been properly established. In the future, plantations and planted trees are expected to play an increasingly important role in supplying vital goods and services.
This diversification assumes the availability of quality reproduction material in sufficient volumes for users. Seeds and plants must meet a triple quality requirement: (i) for genetic quality (species and provenances that are adapted and which perform well); (ii) phytosanitary quality (absence of insects and plant pests, and harmful diseases), and (iii) physiological quality (seeds and plants that meet standard criteria for size, state of conservation, moisture content, and germinative capacity).
The State of Forest Genetic Resources in Sahelian and North Sudanian Africa confirms the diversity of current and potential users of forest plants and seeds: public administrations, the cooperative sector, village communities, private actors. As these actors have different experiences regarding plantations and wood growing, considerable awareness raising and training efforts should be undertaken alongside the identification of local priority species and their utilization aims, the sources of seeds and plants, silvicultural requirements, and in order to set up protection and maintenance after planting. Too often in the past, dubious technical options were dictated by the limited number of seeds available and inadequate knowledge of the silviculture of local species.
A global and comprehensive Tree Seed Suppliers Directory is available from ICRAF in hard copy and in CD Rom forms39. In addition, updated information is also available on the Internet at ICRAF’s homepage40
39 Kindt et al., 199740 http://198.93.235.8/cfdocs/examples/treessd/treessd.htm
Justification:
Changes in forestry policy have revealed a growing portion of plantations carried out by village communities with local species. All the same, the use of local materials can pose a certain number of technical questions, which are not all solved yet.
The irregular flowering of some species and stands still hinders regular supplies in both quality and quantity, all the more so since many seeds cannot be dried or partially dehydrated for conservation (intermediate and recalcitrant seeds). Sometimes considerable losses are incurred in nurseries as a result of cultivation practices for little known and documented plants. Public or private forest seed distribution companies sometimes find it difficult to supply provenances that are specifically suited to defined local conditions. Often, they cannot supply all species or seeds of secondary interest, requested in small quantities.
Special attention should be paid when material is issued from vegetal multiplication, which may be necessary when some species/populations are too few in number to ensure reproduction or when it is desirable to multiply exceptional phenotypes. It is also important in domestication programmes to have a strategy for utilizing these materials and sound knowledge of the technical propagation protocols.
The importance of quality reproductive material, which will determine the value of tomorrow’s goods and services, has led some countries to develop national policies for forest seed production. Specialized national seed centres for dryland forest species exist in Burkina Faso, Senegal and in Togo. The degree of state intervention and regulation will vary according to whether certification or monitoring systems are established or not. Seed production for reforestation may in addition compete with other uses (derived products, medicines, cosmetics or food).
Long-term objectives: To improve the availability and utilization of quality forest tree seed (in terms of genetics, physiology, biosecurity), especially native species. To establish national forest seed policies, which should be articulated at sub-regional level if possible. To help maintain and develop biological diversity in forests and tree plantations outside of forests.
Intermediate objectives: To improve the structuring of activities and actors throughout the forest seed sector. To set out the objectives of reforestation and forest seed policies. To promote complementarity among the actions of public, cooperative, small-scale or commercial companies in seed production, stocking and distribution and plant breeding. To promote a regional approach in delineating seed stands, harvesting and seed supplies. To disseminate knowledge regarding species and provenances and publicizing techniques for seed harvesting, maintenance and stocking. To design and develop viable mechanisms for rural communities to participate in the management of seed stands, including the collection, treatment, stocking and marketing, according to circumstances. To contribute to awareness raising and training for users as to the importance of species adaptation to the site and to silvicultural maintenance techniques after planting. Finally raising awareness among actors as to the added value of selected and improved seed and among political decision makers with respect to the importance of selection and improvement programmes in national sustainable development initiatives.
Recommended activities:
- assessing local and national seed supply and demand in economic, technical and institutional terms;- inventorying, delineating and carrying out activities to protect, conserve and utilize seed stands of priority species sustainably;
- registering, synthesizing, publicizing and disseminating acquired knowledge on the collection, temporary storage, transport, extraction and drying of priority species;
- developing methodologies for conserving the seeds of important species, promoting the development of simple handling protocols and methods;
- developing coordinated research on the seeds of recalcitrant or intermediate priority species;
- promoting the establishment of seed storage centres in user zones and regions;
- strengthening links with agricultural seed storage centres, with a view to facilitate local or national storage of orthodox forest seeds of priority species;
- contributing to the production and publication of technical guides to seed transfer and exchange: it could be useful to take account of technical, legal and commercial aspects;- raising awareness among national and provincial decision makers in countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea (with dryland forests in their northern area) as to the specific requirements of these dryland zones in national reforestation and forest seed programmes - generally poor, these dry zones are easily neglected.
Technical options:
The strategy on forest seed supply can be implemented in the sub-region (exchanges and trade between countries), at national level (seed centres, seed supply and trade legislation) or at local level (collection by and for village communities). It is recommended to structure these three levels wisely.
Justification:
Improving the productivity of forest stands in Sahelian and North-Sudanian Africa is essential to the development of both rural areas and national economies. Growing competition among actors for land and resource access will decide the future of many forests. As dryland forests are considered relatively unproductive, their conservation is not always considered an urgent requirement.
Through simple improvements in selecting seed trees, culling and raising nursery plants, and monitoring and maintaining plantations, it is easy to increase forest land productivity, i.e., obtain more products from the same surface area. These potential gains are all the more realistic since little effort has gone into improving local species. In fact, the diversity of ecological conditions in the natural range of many priority tree species, in addition to the magnitude of this range and the variety of traditional uses by different rural communities, means there could be important intraspecific variation and hence opportunities for genetic gains. Provenance and progeny trials underway for certain species tend to confirm this assumption.
The advantage of regional cooperation in setting up such programmes is obvious through the economies of scale gained in areas such as exploitation of the whole range of a species, the coherence of conservation areas systems based on existing pools of variability in countries, coordinated programmes of multi-site provenance trials, access to knowledge on a wide range of product and services.
The aims and intensity of selection and improvement programmes should be adapted to projected national plantation and domestication programmes, taking local and regional demands into consideration. These programmes should not systematically resort to sophisticated improvement strategies nor to latest technology. Very often, exceptional results can be obtained at low cost and in a decentralized way by paying attention to the quality of seed trees, seed handling techniques, and to plant raising practices. In all instances, selection and improvement programmes promote the conservation (in situ or ex situ) of representative samples of the variability of the species under consideration. In the long run, the success of an improvement programme is effectively determined by the magnitude and diversity of its basic collections.
Finally, attention should be paid to the genetic foundation of established plantations, particularly if introduced material has been used locally: accidental genetic pollution can lead to irreparable loss among surrounding natural stands, which can be important for local adaptation. Similarly, the long-term sustainability of clonal plantations or those from vegetal multiplication is determined by thorough monitoring of genetic material and its origin.
During domestication processes, especially on fruit trees (which are also subject to many other uses), it is important to maintain a broad range of diversity in those characteristics not submitted to selection. The very objectives of such a programme may be significantly different from breeding programmes for agricultural crops, where improved species are requested to be fixed, homogenous and homozygotic. In order to keep open the widest possible range of options regarding the future use of the final products, flexible and adaptable domestication programmes should be established.
Long-term objectives: To ensure ongoing availability of improved reproduction material adapted to local conditions for priority species. To observe and take account of changes in the end use of products by users.
Intermediate objectives: To assess the genetic diversity of priority tree species’ reproductive materials. To initiate coordinated actions to conserve the specie’s diversity. To finalize the degree of desirable selection and breeding for each priority species.
Recommended activities for priority species:
- identifying, delineating, and protecting seed sources (seed-bearing stands, plantations, isolated groups of trees);- setting up networks for germplasm exchange with the aim of starting provenance trials;
- defining the legal conditions for the exchange of material in view of its use in experiment (putting forward conditions for access to genetic resources and if not possible forecasting the implications of their use);
- developing technical protocols for vegetative propagation techniques: rooting of green shoots, rejuvenalization of adult sections, grafts, hormone treatments;
- maintaining collections, experimental sites, elimination trials, provenance and progeny tests, seed orchards, even if priorities and end-users requirements change suddenly.
Technical options:
- making decisions on (i) selection and improvement programmes or (ii) short-term strategies of vegetative propagation;- domestication of fruit trees;
- finalizing analytical methods for genetic variability, with due consideration to the added value of additional information, and the cost necessary to obtain it;
- maintaining a balance between efforts devoted to local species and those afforded to introduced species.
II.5.1. Raising awareness of partners involved
II.5.2. Strengthening national institutions
II.5.3. Carrying out training activity
II.5.4. Exchanging experiences, know-how and information
The sub-regional action plan aims at facilitating decision making and the implementation or development of national activities which can be coordinated at regional level. The plan will associate national actors and operators in its implementation. Its success thus closely depends on country institutional capacity to initiate and pursue commonly decided upon goals and actions. Strengthening institutional and country capacity is therefore a major topic for the implementation of the technical activities described previously and should accompany technical considerations regarding priority species, the management of forest genetic resources and seed supply.
Justification:
Activities regarding forest genetic resources are carried out by public and private institutions and companies, NGOs, communities, cooperatives and individuals from the agricultural, forestry, environmental and development sectors. Communication is not always an established fact between rights holders and local or national actors working in and using the same geographical area. Partner coexistence is sometimes made difficult by the wide variety of interests at stake coupled with each actor’s fragmented knowledge of global problems. Public sector redefinition is resulting in the active or de facto transfer of responsibility and authority to private sector entities, NGOs and local authorities and organizations. While some of these trends may present challenges for sustainable management of forest genetic resources, they also present opportunities for improved management through capitalizing on the comparative strengths of these new structures.
Whatever form the process of setting priorities takes, and whatever the scientific importance of actions to promote forest genetic resources, results will only be successful if there is strong consensus among partners to make these actions succeed. The success of any conservation programme rests on its capacity to sensibilize the target public as to the impact of human activities on resources. To reach common objectives and to speak the same language, partners should benefit from information, training and sensibilization initiatives concerning the importance and fragility of forest genetic resources.
Foresters aside, awareness raising and training of focal points in rural communities on forest genetic resources issues is also a critical element for the success of resource conservation and protection measures.
Since the late 1970s, community forestry has been developing various tools and methods for involving communities more actively in planning and managing forest resources. When the effectiveness of those tools has been proven, they could be adapted and utilized to facilitate the management of genetic resources of native trees and shrubs.
Long-term objective: To fully integrate awareness raising of public opinion and interested partners in all programme activities at local, national and even international levels.
Intermediate objective: To support coordination mechanisms for awareness raising activities at all levels.
Recommended activities:
- identifying national awareness raising objectives and strategies, defining the target public, partners and mobilization tools;- governments should recognize and promote the activities of NGOs and related sectors regarding awareness raising among farmer populations and village communities;
- allocating sufficient space to the production of awareness raising material in appropriate languages in order to promote wide scale use in countries;
- promoting the participation of villagers and women in decisions regarding the management of forest genetic resources;
- joning a wider campaign on forest resources and their conservation and rehabilitation when this is useful. Heightening awareness among rural people as to the dangers of brush fires and the consequences of uncontrolled resource exploitation.
Technical options:
- Integrating questions related to forest genetic resources in national and local activities and programmes on rural development and forest management;- integration by forestry and rural development agents of notions related to forest genetic resources in their routine management work;
- maintaining a balance between awareness raising for decision-makers, foresters and rural communities.
Justification:
Since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, countries in Sahelian and North Sudanian Africa have attempted to make national forestry policy more consistent with the concepts of sustainability and environmental soundness. Workshop participants at Ouagadougou underlined the importance of national programmes and policies for sustainable resource management, fuelwood supply, forest seeds procurement, and more generally the importance of a holistic approach to issues related to forest genetic rescues. The preparation of national reports has catalysed a process for the gathering of information, discussions, prioritization and identification of needs and requirements.
|
If countries so wish, the Plan in its current form could be
used to formulate national forest genetic resources strategies compatible with
strategies of neighbouring countries which often have similar ecological and
socio-economic conditions. The sub-regional plan could thus be utilized both as
a starting point and framework for national consideration. National action could
either be holistic (all aspects related to forest genetic resources could be
considered), or more targeted (action could focus on resource conservation or
protection, seed supply and procurement, etc.). |
Intermediate objective: to identify requirements at sub-regional level and to strengthen the effectiveness of information exchanges and multiple decision making between political, administrative, scientific and technical institutions. To promote dialogue and collaboration between national institutions concerned with forest genetic resources.
Recommended activities:
- identifying national capacities, inventorying facilities and research and management programmes regarding priority forestry species for each country, and collating the information at sub-regional level;- with this information, establishing a list of potential partners for specialized actions;
- drafting a list of experts and resource persons on forest genetic resources in countries of the sub-region;
- proposing the incorporation of issues linked to dryland forest genetic resources into forestry programmes, laws and regulations, including in countries with both moist and dry forest areas.
Justification:
Participants at the Ouagadougou workshop recognized the important role of training in the outcome of actions for the sustainable conservation and utilization of forest genetic resources. The importance of continuing professional training is also recognized by regional, bilateral and international institutions active in cooperation and development. A training workshop on the conservation and sustainable utilization of forest genetic resources in West Africa, Central Africa and Madagascar was organized by IPGRI in collaboration with FAO, ICRAF and many other partners, from 16 to 27 March in Ouagadougou, for forestry technicians and managers from 15 French-speaking countries.
At schools and universities, and even in forestry education, issues linked to forest genetic resources are not always properly taken into consideration. Moreover the structural adjustment programmes and financial doubts hanging over many programmes have reduced money allocated to training. Governments still do not monitor whether the few people who have received this kind of training are utilized and remunerated properly. Furthermore, there appears to be a lack of programmes which combine technical training in forest genetic resources with exposure to many related disciplines, including administrative, political and legal fields.
Long-term objectives: To make available to every country according to their capacity, needs and priorities, training in all the relevant functions of conservation, utilization, management and development of forest genetic resources, in addition to policies and management of these resources.
Intermediate objective: To develop sub-regional capacity for advanced training and to establish effective collaborative arrangements among relevant institutions in regional countries, and between the institutions of regional and developed countries.
Recommended activities:
- Identifying institutions capable of providing training programmes. Report on the provincial, national and sub-regional state of available capacity in line with the declared objectives of forest genetic resources programmes. Disseminating this information to potentially interested parties in the sub-region.- Identifying research or management institutions likely to provide complementary and targeted professional training and to define operational details.
- Establish a hierarchy of sub-regional training priorities on a yearly basis, by balancing resources allocated to further training and those destined for basic training.
- Planning the training of trainers and extension staff with the aim of heightening awareness raising among the various rural partners. Evaluating the impact of these efforts.
- Preparing suitable short and long-term courses, and education modules on subjects which are annually identified as priority in the sub-region.
- Promoting the incorporation into university programmes of modules and sessions on the importance of the genetic heritage of trees and forests.
- Encouraging institutions to incorporate aspects related to dryland forest genetic resources into their courses and advanced training programmes.
The information technological revolution and the advent of new ways of transmitting knowledge represent a vast area of challenges but also relatively unexplored opportunities for countries in Sahelian and North-Sudanian Africa. Participants at the Ouagadougou workshop emphasized the importance of communication exchange among partners concerned by forest genetic resources, but also noted that the content and the support of information should be relevant to each country and its institutional capacity.
Justification:
There are substantial cross-sectoral links between forest genetic resources and other activity sectors. Some countries have already revised their legislative, regulatory and operational apparatus, or are doing so, with the aim of reconciling diverse interests, including resource conservation and socio-economic equilibria, meeting requirements for forest products and making local people responsible for managing forest resources. Politicians and managers are now asking themselves how to make integrated planning operational.
The restricted number of skilled experts, foresters, professionals and individuals in the field of forest genetic resources in Sahelian and North-Sudanian Africa and the magnitude of the task make it necessary to circulate and obtain more information both within and outside of the community of technical professionals. It is well known that most rural people obtain information from neighbours and farmers and not necessarily from extension services, and that the private sector is also playing a greater role by supplying advice and reproduction material in many countries. Thus different communication media can be used according to the targeted public and the message. The most sophisticated technical media are not necessarily the most desirable nor the most efficient.
The Ouagadougou workshop also underlined the importance of information content. The establishment of a communication driving force (network or similar instrument) cannot be effective without appropriate participation from actors and the programmes of national institutions, complemented by the inputs and programmes of international institutions. Without a leading role from national institutions in Sahelian and North Sudanian African countries, forest genetic resources programmes of bilateral or international organizations will be limited in impact. Nearly without exception, countries in the zone do not possess the necessary capacity to take part in international research or conservation projects, nor to transfer research results or national decisions to local level. For a long time yet, it will be essential to strengthen national systems prior to and parallel with the development of types of international cooperation.
The sub-regional background presents clear benefits to the circulation and exchange of information and experiences:
(a) the global nature of problems can be considered since the distribution of woody species rarely conforms to political borders and multiple use trees are often employed differently from one genecological zone to another;(b) cooperation efforts between professionals from neighbouring countries can be facilitated, leading to better joint knowledge;
(c) sub-regional cooperation on precise subjects and towards targeted goals should provide added value to overall programmes, enable economies of scale and a more efficient utilization of resources;
(d) coordinated concentration of priority initiatives should reduce duplication and cover unexplored zones better;
(e) international cooperation brings prestige to national institutions and can help to obtain extra resources;
(f) cooperation can offer national institutions the chance to guide and/or coordinate sub-regional programmes;
(g) the importance of reasonably priced publications for the general public as a technical and strategic information vehicle.
Long-term objectives: To ensure ongoing dissemination of appropriate, neutral, updated and targeted information among people concerned by forest genetic resources issues.
Intermediate objectives: To strengthen the capacity of national institutions in such a way that these institutions fully fill their role as both national actors and messengers between the international community and local users of knowledge and information. To heighten awareness among partners at all levels regarding the importance of forest genetic resources in local and national development and also concerning the necessity of balanced and agreed upon solutions between conservation on one hand and sustainable utilization on the other.
Recommended activities:
- Promoting systematic integration of forest genetic resources considerations into inventories of, programmes and action plans on biological diversity;- Surveying the mechanisms, instruments and networks that exist in the sub-region and assessing their area of action, impact, and possibilities for cooperation and collaboration;
- Facilitating the publication of simple and low-cost technical manuals for the general rural public;
- Assessing the impact of information campaigns.
Traditionally forest funding comes from three sources: allocation of national public resources, public development aid, and the private commercial sector. Sources of non-profit funding are also developed, mainly in support of environmental and conservation activities or community group activities.
The forest genetic resources sector is traditionally under-funded and heavily dependent on investments and public programmes. The action plan identifies important requirements but without giving figures. The initiative for this now falls to national and sub-regional actors who should identify a useful institution or mechanism to have a driving role in applying and implementing final action plan elements in the form of working programmes or projects. Participants at the Ouagadougou workshop recognized the difficulty of obtaining greater public funding due to the global structural adjustment policies implemented in many countries.
Considerations regarding forest genetic resources are still relatively poorly known in the public opinion of developed countries while the understanding of certain major concepts, such as genetic improvement or species or provenance selection, is sometimes negatively interpreted. Certain major topics could act as a general framework and support to the plan elements and may attract the attention of potential funding donors. Inter alia, these topics could include sustainable management of dry tropical forests, desertification control, and the conservation and development of biological diversity.
Actions concerning forest genetic resources are long-term operations, even if sometimes emergency measures are required. The continuity of these actions should thus be a concern examined at the beginning by the partners and adequate assurances should be obtained to follow up operations with time. This may require an initial limitation of ambitions when the response capacity and possibilities of national institutions are still limited. The plan should thus be applied progressively according to the capacities and priorities of countries and national institutions.
The activities mentioned in the action plan have a sub-regional vocation and thus presuppose the existence of an institution, a mechanism or a national or sub-regional entity with the capacity and will to ensure a driving force role in implementing certain activities. Although initially the technical objectives may appear limited, dependant on the response capacity at national levels, the scale of the coordination task should not be underestimated. It must be remembered that at the present time there is no cooperation programme regarding forest genetic resources common to all the countries in Sahelian and North-Sudanian Africa, and only a few rare forestry projects join together English-speaking and French-speaking countries.
The national experts gathered at Ouagadougou took note of IPGRI’s efforts with respect to the implementation of the IPGRI Sub-Saharan Regional Programme on Forest Genetic Resources (SAFORGEN), an initiative that they strongly supported. They confirmed in this the conclusions and recommendations of the training workshop on forest genetic resources held in March 1998 in Ouagadougou, during which proposals were put forward on priority themes and the functionality of such a specialized cooperation network. At the workshop in September 1998, participants recommended that this regional programme, when it is implemented and operational, play a major role in the general coordination of forest research efforts in the sub-region.
The elements of the action plan identified by countries are not limited to research activities but encompass a vast area of concerns and issues. The implementation of the plan’s elements therefore should involve numerous partners concerned by issues related to forest genetic resources, particularly national governments, local and regional authorities, regional and international organizations (both inter-governmental and non-governmental), the scientific community, the private sector, local communities and all foresters.
To mobilize as extensive participation and support as possible, it is planned to widely the distribute the State of Forest Genetic Resources in Sahelian and North Sudanian Africa and the Sub-Regional Action Plan to the main international, regional and national bodies that deal with forestry and biological diversity matters.
Objectives and outputs
Recommendations
The objective of the workshop, organized by FAO in collaboration with IPGRI and ICRAF, was to assist countries in the Sahelian sub-region to assess the status of their forest genetic resources, elaborate and propose priority actions, and make recommendations for immediate follow-up and implementation.
35 participants representing 15 countries and 9 international, regional, bi-lateral and national agencies (CIRAD-Forêt, DANIDA Forest Seed Centre, FAO, ICRAF, IPGRI, IRAD-Cameroon, UNEP, IUCN and IUFRO) took part in the workshop held at the Centre National des Semences Forestières 22 - 24 September 1998. National delegations presented country reports summarizing the status of forest genetic resources, underlining priority species and issues and making recommendations to tackle the major constraints identified. Many reports had been compiled beforehand in a draft regional synthesis, which was presented and discussed. This draft should be revised in the light of additional country reports received and recommendations formulated at the workshop. Delegations called for increased regional cooperation through integrated mechanisms, and elaborated on these priority species and operations amenable to coordinated action. Delegates identified the need for, and agreed to prepare, a Sub-Regional Plan of Action on forest genetic resources, for which the following three main objectives were specified with related activities:
1. Improved management and utilization of forest genetic resources.Resource assessment
Conservation, including protection
Sustainable utilization2. Enhancement of availability of superior germplasm
Seed supply and demand
Selection and improvement of priority species3. Enhancement of institutional capacity
Awareness raising
Institutional strengthening
Training
Exchange of experience, know how and information
The delegates highly appreciated the country-driven initiative, facilitated by FAO following the recommendations of its Committee on Forestry, and carried out in collaboration with other institutions, to support the preparation and convening of a series of regional and sub-regional workshops on forest genetic resources. They recommended that similar workshops be planned in other sub-regions of Africa.
Delegates noted the coordinated efforts of FAO, IPGRI and ICRAF in the preparation of the workshop, and recommended that such collaboration be continued towards the implementation of the Sub-Regional Plan of Action elaborated during this workshop, through appropriate mechanisms.
Delegates expressed an urgent need for increased regional collaboration and coordination of efforts among countries and institutions of the Sahel following priority objectives and activities identified during the workshop.
Delegates noted and strongly supported the efforts made by IPGRI toward the establishment of a regional programme on forest genetic resources (SAFORGEN). They recommended that this programme, when implemented and operational, would play a major role in the overall coordination of forestry research efforts in the sub-region.
The delegates called for international organizations including FAO, UNEP, IPGRI, ICRAF, as well as other regional and bi-lateral agencies, to support countries in securing appropriate funding for actions relating to the conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic resources within the sub-region.
Delegates recommended that a reference document, incorporating country information on the status of forest genetic resources, the Sub-Regional Plan of Action and the recommendations of the workshop, be prepared and widely disseminated.
They stressed that efforts should be undertaken urgently to draw the attention of policy and decision makers to the role, function and importance of forest genetic resources to fulfil the needs and requirements of present and future generations. The development of integrated strategies on forest genetic resources should be promoted at national level.
Delegates recommended that efforts be strengthened to raise awareness at community level of the importance of conservation. In particular, the compatibility of conservation and managed use of forest genetic resources should be emphasized and demonstrated.
Ouagadougou, 24 September 1998.
