Changes in conditions of forest resources

The implementation of nfp, in the 5 case study countries may not have expanded the overall tree cover of the country or decelerate the rate of deforestation (Table 11). It nevertheless, attempted to quantify both parameters. Namibia did not yet witness physical improvements in the condition of forest resources, as it is still too early to manifest, and Ntsame (2001) reports that low rate of deforestation  (< 1% ) in Gabon may not be due to nfp. The supply of timber did not seem to have improved in Namibia, but capacity to control illegal harvesting has improved. Positive changes in the condition of forest resources in Namibia as a result of nfp process include: improved biomass yields in Kalahari and Mopane woodlands due to 40% reduction on wildfire incidents; stabilization of deforestation at 0.5%; quality and quantity of pastureland improved in the Caprivi region; game species restocked in newly created community-based wildlife conservancy; and quantity and diversity of valuable thatch grass increased in Caprive.

As in Namibia, impact of nfp process in Nigeria is principally on creation of conducive environment for the actualization of reforms recommended by the process, hence impact of nfp implementation on supply of goods & services, as well as in changes in conditions of forest resources are not yet evident. However  more trees are estimated to have been planted on-farm through agroforestry  programme in Nigeria, just as the area of forest reserves and that under management plans both of plantations and natural forests were increased in Sudan. However the deforestation in Sudan of 5.19 million ha. in 17 years (1983 – 2000) still leaves an annual deforestation rate of some 300 000 ha in Sudan. In general Abdel Nour (2001) asserts that the prospects for  sustained supply of goods and services from forest resources are more promising as a result of nfp process in Sudan.  It is widely acknowledged in Sudan that the nfp process aided in bringing to light the short-sightedness of previous agricultural policies which called for unqualified horizontal expansion of cropped land area. Over 8 million hectares of  Sudanese arable land were converted to cropped land by mid 1980s at the expense of forest cover, range lands and biodiversity hot spots.

There are quite a number of positive results that were not as a direct consequence of implementation of the nfp process, but have been strongly supportive of efforts to promote these useful influences on the conditions of forests across the case study countries. E.g public administration and NGOs in Senegal and Namibia have been assisting local organizations and communities in identifying and addressing local problems, this enhances community development as well as management of forests. In Namibia, establishment of community forest reserves have discouraged encroachment of forestlands

 

Table 10. Forest management parameters of the five countries in the year 2000

Country	Forest area, 2000 (‘000 ha.)	Criteria & indicators for sustainable forest management (process)	Area under Management plan		Forest in protected Area.   Global Map data (%)	Forest area certified
			000 ha.	% of total Forest		000  ha.	Scheme
Gabon	21 826	ATO	-	-	16	-	-
Namibia	8 040	DZAF	54*	n.a.p	5	54	FSC
Nigeria	13 517	ATO	832*	n.a.p	7	-	-
Senegal	6 205	DZAF	-	-	16	-	-
Sudan	61 627	NE/DZAF	-	-	10	-	-

Source: FAO, (2001). State of the world’s forests.