In sub-Saharan Africa, forests and trees sustain livelihoods and nutrition of millions of people. The genetic diversity of trees offers largely untapped opportunities for preventing hunger, alleviating poverty and managing forests sustainably. Tree seed systems involve the selection, procurement, documentation, storage, testing and delivery of forest reproductive material at national or subnational levels.  

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with Bioversity International and the Forest Research Institute of Ghana, organized a three-day event in Kumasi this week. National experts of a regional network, the Sub-Saharan Forest Genetic Resources Programme (SAFORGEN), from 22 African countries, and representatives from FAO, Bioversity International, the  World Agroforestry  Centre (ICRAF), the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and the International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN) focused on the crucial role of tree seed systems in meeting the restoration commitments in the region. [read more]