FAO Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission meets in Uruguay
The FAO Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission (LAFC) held its 18th session in Maldonado, Uruguay, 6-10 December 1993. The session was attended by representatives of 16 countries and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and by observers from the Inter American Development Bank (IDB), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO).
A summary of discussions and conclusions to the major agenda items is presented below.
Implications of UNCED The participants welcomed the fact that certain countries of the region had already undertaken initiatives, some of them with external support, to implement Agenda 21. It noted that among the main implications for action were the assessment of forest resources, the integration of forestry in land-use planning, the management of protected areas, the management of watersheds and agroforestry and forestry in arid and urban areas. The importance of plant genetic resources, the role of the Commission on Plant Genetic Resources and the function of the Convention on Biological Diversity were stressed.
It was suggested that the format of national reports to the Commission on the state of forestry be revised to reflect concrete actions taken in pursuit of the UNCED recommendations, for subsequent submission to the Committee on Sustainable Development in 1995.
The participants felt that, notwithstanding the outcome of UNCED, and in particular the "forest principles" and Chapter 11 of Agenda 21, there was still a strong bias in many quarters towards forest protection in the restrictive sense. They therefore recommended that governments mount vigorous campaigns on the importance and necessity of utilizing forests soundly and sustainably as the most viable way of conserving the ecosystem.
Progress in implementation of the TFAP
The participants at the session recognized that the Tropical Forests Action Programme (TFAP) was a planning exercise that needed to be conducted at the national level and argued that member countries should give it maximum priority as a reference framework to harmonize and coordinate initiatives and actions undertaken by institutions and other parties involved in the forestry sector. Several delegations expressed their concern over the lack of funding for their respective national forestry action plans (NFAPs) and suggested that a common fund be established to help individual countries implement their plans. In particular, the IDB expressed its willingness to help formulate proposals that would facilitate access to external funding for the implementation of NFAPs.
Evolution of forestry institutions in the region
The Commission acknowledged the importance of the institutional changes that had affected, and that would continue to affect, public forestry institutions in the region.
Special attention was paid to the repercussions on the forestry sector and public institutions of the structural adjustment programmes that most of the countries in the region were implementing. There was a strong need for greater institutional efficiency and effectiveness to consolidate the lead role of public forestry institutions, and there were new demands to be met by revamping and updating training, research and extension programmes. The Commission recommended that a regional meeting be held to discuss forestry policy and legislation, and strengthening strategic planning and operational systems, given their importance for the development of forestry in the region.
Reports of technical cooperation networks
The Commission took note of the activities that had been conducted since its last session by the technical cooperation networks (TCNs) on watershed management; agroforestry systems; national parks, other protected areas and wildlife; and dendroenergy. The Commission acknowledged and reaffirmed the important contribution that the TCNs were making to the forestry sector and stressed the need to reinforce the exchange of information and experience among the countries of the region. The Commission was also informed of the establishment of a new Caribbean TCN on forestry and related environmental matters, and on the forestry activities that had been undertaken through the network on arid and semi-arid land in Latin America.
Development of non-wood forest products in Latin America and the Caribbean
Under this agenda item most delegations reported on the activities that their countries were pursuing in this area, although they pointed out that there were many obstacles to promoting these products, particularly lack of research, uncontrolled extraction, rudimentary processing and the fact that the marketing gains largely bypassed the local producers. One of the restrictions highlighted was the lack of information and the need for an exchange of information between countries.
The Commission was informed that a regional expert consultation on non-wood forest products would be held in 1994, which would provide an ideal opportunity and forum to discuss the promotion of these products.
The full report of the FAO Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission's, 18th session (in English, French or Spanish) may be obtained by writing to:
Meetings Officer
Forestry Department
FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy
New insect pest invades Africa The leucaena psyllid (Heteropsylla cubana), already a serious pest in Asia, has arrived on the African continent. Infestations were first detected in the United Republic of Tanzania in mid - 1992 and in Kenya shortly thereafter.
A member of the Psyllidae family, this tiny insect is known as the jumping plant lice. As its name suggests, it feeds on leucaena, a fast-growing multiple-use tree that has been widely planted in agroforestry programmes. Leucaena foliage is used as fodder for livestock, and its new shoots are a popular and nutritious vegetable, widely eaten in Asia. Its wood is used in construction and as fuelwood and charcoal, while the tree's ability to fix nitrogen has made it popular for intercropping. Colonies of psyllid adults and nymphs feed on new leucaena shoots and leaves, causing them to dry out. Heavy damage can cause growth reductions, branch dieback and even tree mortality. Psyllid attacks are particularly serious on giant leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala), a variety bred specially for agroforestry applications.
The leucaena psyllid is native to Mexico, Central America, the northern part of South America and the Caribbean islands where it feeds on various species of leucaena (also native to the American continent). However, it is not a serious pest thanks to a combination of factors, including the existence of natural predators and tolerant or naturally resistant strains of the tree. In 1984, infestations were first detected in Hawaii. Between 1985 and 1988, the insect spread rapidly throughout the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, Australia and the Indian subcontinent where, given the narrow genetic variety among the introduced leucaena and the absence of natural predators, it caused widespread damage to leucaena plantings. In 1991, infestations were discovered in Mauritius and Reunion, two islands in the western Indian Ocean.
Now the psyllid has gained a foothold on the African continent, where leucaena has also been widely introduced in agroforestry schemes. According to Dr L.L.L. Lulandala of the Faculty of Forestry, Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro, Tanzania, the leucaena psyllid arrived in Tanzania just as leucaena was beginning to be widely accepted as an agroforestry species. Beyond Tanzania and Kenya, there are now confirmed reports of its occurrence in Burundi, southern Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique and the Sudan. In addition, there are unconfirmed reports of the presence of insects and damage from several West African countries.
Measures for reducing psyllid populations and resultant damage include the use of leucaena strains from a more varied genetic base, particularly strains that are resistant to or tolerant of feeding, and the introduction of natural enemies (parasites and predators).
Psyllid - infested leucaena leaves
In order to address this new pest of African forestry and agroforestry, a regional workshop is being organized by the Tanzania Forest Research Institute in technical collaboration with FAO. Other collaborators include the International Institute of Biological Control (IIBC), the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) and Sokoine University of Agriculture. Funding for the workshop is being made available from the Tropical Forestry Programme of the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. The workshop is scheduled to be held in Dares-Salaam, Tanzania, during October 1994. In addition, FAO has contracted with an expert from Thailand to prepare a review of the leucaena psyllid problem in Asia to help guide integrated pest management efforts in Africa.
W.M. Ciesla
