51. The side meeting on forestry research and education was facilitated by Prof. August Temu (ICRAF) and Dr Atse Yapi (IUFRO-SPDC and FORNESSA). Due to time constraints, extensive presentations were not possible. Rather, highlights of the main programmes and issues were given, with emphasis on the following discussion points:
• Technical forestry education in Africa is disappearing. As a result, forestry research is affected adversely in terms of lack of a “critical mass” of scientists in the national forestry research institutions taken individually.
• Post graduate education possibilities are too few, coupled with isolation of the training institutions and also with their research counterparts.
• Sub-regional harmonization of research and education programmes, with possible specialization by institutions and also by ecological sub-regions, are worth looking at.
• The impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic needs urgent and serious attention.
52. Lively discussions followed the presentations. They stressed the crucial role of research and education as the instrument by excellence for the production of the needed technologies and scientific information for the achievement of sustainable forest management and thus for sustainable development in the continent.
53. Based on their contributions, major partners such as FAO and IUFRO have been encouraged to continue their valuable support to the strengthening of forestry research capacity building and information development and dissemination, especially that available through electronic media. Finally, the meeting made the following two important recommendations:
• FAO, in collaboration with its major partners such as IUFRO, should continue their valuable support to forest research and networking in Africa.
• Future sessions of the Commission should feature permanently in their agenda forestry research and education issues.