Forest Resources
The majority of forest production
areas, estimated at about 12 million ha, are however concentrated
in the central and north-eastern provinces. Productive forests
are estimated to contain a standing commercial volume (over 40
cm DBH) of approximately 22 million cubic meters. Given the full
list of species with potential for industrial use, this could
allow an annual cut of 500,000 cubic meters. Yet of the 118 known
commercial species, logging has been confined to the highly valuable
tree species such as Dalbergia melanoxylon (ebony), Pterocarpus
angolensis (umbila), Afzelia quanzensis
(chanfuta), Milletia stuhlmannii (jambire) and Androstachys
johnsonii (mecrusse).
Forest resources are not only
important in terms of commercial production but also for the survival
of local communities. Around 70% of the total population of 17
million in Mozambique live in rural areas and of those, most live
in the vicinity of natural forests. Local populations have always
been involved in the management of forest resources, which form
a basis for much local subsistence agriculture, healthcare, soil
and water conservation, recreation, food security, cash generation,
and house construction.
The average annual rate of deforestation
has been estimated at 4.27 % for the period 1972 - 1990. Although
there is no official figure for the last decade, this rate is
assumed to have risen significantly since the Peace Agreement
of 1992 as a result of greater levels of mobility and access to
previously insecure and unreachable areas. Poor control and monitoring
of activities within the forests, and illegal logging practices
are also believed to have led to a rise in the rate of deforestation.
Local differences in deforestation
rates are considerable. Along the coast and the corridors where
population is concentrated, rates are much higher; particularly
around Maputo (20%) and Nampula (10%). Deforestation of mangrove
forests used to average only 3.6% but in many of the areas around
the major coastal cities, where population levels are high, mangrove
forests have been almost completely destroyed or severely depleted.
There are about 46,000 ha of exotic
forest plantations (mainly pines and eucalyptus) in Mozambique
, of which 65% are located in Manica Province . These areas were
planted to supply the only processing unit for exotic species
in the country, which subsequently went bankrupt as a result of
poor management. Around Maputo , Beira and Nampula, approximately
10,000 ha of fuel-wood plantations were established but these
also experienced difficulties and were eventually abandoned due
to high production costs and unwillingness on the part of consumers
to buy anything other than the indigenous species, which have
a higher calorific value. Thus far, agro-forestry activities only
exist on a traditional or pilot basis in Mozambique .
Wildlife resources
Surveys carried out in Mozambique
during colonial times revealed a unique and great diversity of
wildlife. This resulted in the creation of many of the current
conservation and controlled hunting areas (coutadas).
Unfortunately, uncontrolled hunting during the war resulted in
a dramatic depletion of wildlife resources. Although stocks have
started to increase since the signing of the Peace Agreement in
1992, this process has been very slow.
Economic importance of the sector
The forestry and wildlife resource
base has considerable potential for generating foreign currency
income for Mozambique, without the need for high investment. It
can therefore contribute to capital accumulation and improvements
in the balance of payments.
The contribution of the forestry
and wildlife sector is also important to the subsistence economy
of rural people, who have always relied heavily on these resources
to meet a wide range of basic needs. Forestry is one of the 10
most important export sectors in the country, but the official
statistics related to GDP do not reflect the real value of the
forestry and wildlife sector in the economy of Mozambique. It
does not reflect that:
• approximately 80% of the
energy consumed in the country comes from woody biomass; the annual
consumption of this energy source is estimated at 16 million cubic
meters or the equivalent of about USD 706 million annually;
• wood energy (mainly charcoal)
remains the main source of domestic energy in urban areas, posing
a big threat to forest resources in many areas, especially those
near to towns and cities;
• an estimated 80% of the
population use meat from wildlife and fish as their main source
of animal protein;
• forests provide the principal
construction materials for housing for the majority of the rural
and peri-urban populations;
• rural people access a wide
variety of other basic needs (food, medicines, fibre, tools, grazing)
from the forests and woodlands in the country;
• forests play a key role
in food security in Mozambique, both as a source of alternative
and extractive food items, as well as a basis for fertile soils
for agricultural expansion and rotation; and
• forest- and wildlife-based
industries (wood-processing, hunting and eco-tourism) are an important
source of direct and indirect employment in the country.
Under the new legislation, twenty
four forest concessions were granted in 2001 and more are planned
for 2002. This new system is likely to eventually improve sustainable
forestry activities and lead to certification processes that do
not yet exist in Mozambique . Nonetheless, there are current problems
to be addressed, such as licences being issued illegally, a general
lack of control of the problem, local rights being ridden over,
etc. More effective implementation of the new legal frameworks
will lead hopefully to a better situation
Current support interventions
• Assistance to Community
Forestry and Wildlife Management
Potential support interventions
Mozambique's forest and wildlife
resources have a significant potential to contribute to poverty
alleviation. But these resources are threatened by deforestation
and degradation, mainly due to shifting cultivation, illegal logging
and poaching, uncontrolled firewood and charcoal production for
urban supply, and forest fires. The DNFFB/FAO project TCP/MOZ/2904
(A) - Support for the implementation of the forests and wildlife
legislation in Mozambique - implemented from 2003 to 2005, supported
the elaboration of the Participatory Law Enforcement Strategy
and its Action Plan . A second phase is required to evolve from
the planning stage into more field results and positive impacts
for law implementation improvement.
Other potential areas for future
assistance to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of sustainable
forestry development include the following:
• Participation in forestry
policy debate and support to a wider and deeper implementation
of the sector's legal framework.
• Support to programme review,
capacity building and multi-stakeholders participation for strengthening
forest and wildlife law compliance and monitoring
• Support to institutional
reform, with special attention to the aspects of decentralization
and the division of mandates between MINAG and MITUR;
• Improvement of legal framework
and steps to ensure new and effective regulations for the successful
implementation of the Forest and Wildlife law
• Continuation and development
of the community forestry process as part of a wider community-based/participatory
natural resource management process;
• Support for implementation
of specific technical actions;
• Compilation of a National
Wildlife Inventory;
• Introduction of policy
and incentives for plantation forestry;
• Development of forestry
industry;
• Development of a cadastral
record of the management and use of forests and classification
of forestry zones;
• Study of the use of wood
for fuel and development of a national strategy on wood energy
• Control of forest fires;
and
• Support for research, education
and training.
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