Banjul, The Gambia - May 7, 2024. The annual Steering Committee Meeting on the Global Forest Transformation for People and Climate project, Tuesday convened in Banjul as part of collaborative efforts
between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to promote forest conservation initiatives and climate resilience in the subregion.

This event holds significant importance given the urgent need to address the escalating challenges facing West Africa's forests. With deforestation rates rising and climate change impacts worsening, the collaborative efforts of Sida, FAO, and ECOWAS are crucial. This meeting emphasizes the need for coordinated action to safeguard the region's invaluable forest ecosystems by convening stakeholders to review progress and plan future strategies.

The Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Rohey John Manjang, delivered a keynote address, affirming the government's unwavering dedication to sustainable forest management and biodiversity conversation commitment to sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation. Minister Manjang emphasized, "Deforestation and land degradation are a major environmental problem. However,
through sustainable forest management efforts, we can improve the productivity of our agricultural land and thereby enhance food security of
local communities and the attainment of the objectives of the National Development Plan (NDP). "

The collaborative project between the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), aims to bolster decision-making on forests and land management. This initiative supports the implementation of the ECOWAS Forest Convergence Plan by enhancing knowledge of forest dynamics, facilitating forest legal framework reform, and demonstrating best community-based forest practices. The overarching objective is to positively impact livelihoods and enhance climate change resilience across the region.

Echoing the sentiment of regional cooperation, Massandje Toure-Liste, the ECOWAS Commissioner, stated, "I invite the Representatives of the Member States and the local communities to continue to play their part in this important project by developing and implementing operational synergies that reconcile ecosystem management and climate change mitigation."

Dr. Robert Guei, the FAO Subregional Coordinator, highlighted the pivotal role of collaboration in environmental conservation, stating, " This Sida-funded project is a long-standing exemplary partnership between FAO and ECOWAS, which has led to major achievements and very significant results in several areas in West Africa ".

Joachim Beijmo - Head of Regional Development Cooperation in Africa · Swedish Embassy in Addis Ababa emphasized the importance of initiatives that focus on sustainable forestry to benefit both people and the climate and expressed satisfaction with the project's progress thus far conveying enthusiasm for the upcoming developments.

The FAO Country Representative extended a warm welcome, expressing gratitude for the collaboration between FAO and Sida in national efforts like the GRACE initiative. Through projects like GRACE, the country Office is actively restoring forest cover and promoting community resilience to climate change effects. “By actively supporting GRACE, FAO Gambia is not only demonstrating its commitment to sustainable forest and land management but also fostering local ownership and resilience-building”.

The Steering Committee Meeting serves as a platform to review project progress, discuss budget implementation, and plan for future activities, with a focus on sustaining project results beyond its completion.

At the event FAO also had a chance to launch and hand-over the Forest Knowledge Portal of West Africa, a collaborative platform designed to enhance regional data sharing and environmental management. Developed by FAO and AGRHYMET, it features foundational infrastructure for managing spatial data and metadata, with a "subsites" plugin that allows for both shared infrastructure and data ownership. The portal's launch marks a significant step towards building a collaborative ecosystem for effective data management across West Africa, with tailored sub-sites for each country, capacity-development workshops, and national virtual trainings to ensure widespread usability and sustainability.

Following the meeting, participants will later embark on a day’s field visit to the community initiative “Grassroots Adaptation Interventions for Climate Change Effects (GRACE)”, located in the Lower River region, implemented by the national NGO Freedom from Hunger Campaign (FFHC).

The progress made within the project exemplifies a concerted effort towards achieving sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation in West Africa. Through collaborative endeavours, significant strides have been taken to enhance knowledge of forest ecosystems, strengthen legal frameworks, and foster community-based initiatives. As stakeholders convene to review achievements and plan future strategies, there is a resounding commitment to continue advancing efforts that safeguard the invaluable forest resources of the region.

For more information please contact:

Ibrahima Diallo

Communications Specialist, FAO Sub-Regional Office for West Africa

Email: [email protected]

Etheine Sylva

Communications Specialist, FAO Country Office in The Gambia

Email: [email protected]

Maryia Kukharava

Project Officer (Programme, Advocacy and Outreach)

REDD+, Forests and Climate, Forestry Division

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy

Email: [email protected]

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