Strengthening Cross Sectoral linkages for Halting Deforestation and building resilient agrifood systems

General information

Date: Wednesday 3rd, December, 13.30-15.00, 2025

Format: In-person and webinar

Event: African Forestry and Wildlife Week

Organized by: African Forestry and Wildlife Commission of the FAO (AFWC), UN-REDD (FAO and UNEP), AFF, AUC, AfricanYouth4Forests (AY4F), and BiG-CHANCE project

Languages: English and French (simultaneous interpretation provided)

Location: Banjul, Gambia, at the main plenary hall

Duration: 1.5 hours

 

Introduction

 

The African Forest Forum (AFF) is a Pan-African individual and institutional membership organization based in Nairobi, Kenya. It is dedicated to promoting sustainable management, use, and conservation of Africa’s Forest and tree resources. It provides a platform for analysis, advocacy, and advisory services to support the eradication of poverty, gender equality, and sustainable development. The UN-REDD Programme is the UN’s leading platform for forest-based climate solutions, aimed at reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation, enhancing carbon sequestration, and promoting biodiversity conservation and social equity. Thanks to the support from the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), UN-REDD is enhancing capacities and supporting countries in African through  implementing a three-year initiative titled “Strengthening REDD+ Implementation in Africa: Capitalizing on Lessons Learned for an Evolving Environment,” (UN-REDD/AFF initiative), in partnership with the African Forest Forum (AFF). The initiative’s objective is to build the capacities and knowledge of African countries on REDD+, enhance policy dialogue, and promote the cross-sectoral integration of REDD+ into national development strategies. It focuses on two main goals:

1. Strengthening national capacities and knowledge on REDD+; and
2. Improving coordination of sectoral policies to guide effective REDD+ strategies.

Overall, the initiative seeks to enhance REDD+ implementation and enable African countries to reduce deforestation, paving the way for unlocking results-based payments and broader financing opportunities. It focuses on three key thematic areas:

1. REDD+/Climate finance;
2. Social inclusion and Benefit Sharing mechanism; and
3. deforestation-free supply chains.

Over the past three years, a range of activities have been implemented under this initiative. These include country studies conducted in over ten African nations; policy dialogues to promote cross-sectoral coordination of the REDD+ process; Communities of Practice (CoPs); regional workshops; and learning labs designed to train stakeholders, share experiences, and build national capacities on REDD+ requirements. Topics have included sustainable supply chains decoupling commodities from deforestation (or  ‘deforestation-free’ as referred to more often by the private sector or markets), benefit sharing mechanisms, social inclusion, carbon markets, and related areas.

To date, more than fifteen countries have benefited from the project’s implementation. The three years of capacity building, knowledge generation, and policy dialogue on the three thematic areas directly align with the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission (AFWC) agenda items - particularly on "item 10: Strengthening cross-sectoral linkages for resilient agrifood systems". The lessons and outcomes from the UN-REDD/AFF initiative, in collaboration with the BiG-CHANCE project, provide valuable insights to inform discussions and recommendations under the agenda item.

In parallel, at its 24th Session in Arusha, Tanzania (October 30–November 3, 2023), the AFWC called on FAO to strengthen collaboration, resource mobilization, and project development across Africa. In response, FAO signed a Letter of Agreement with the African Forest Forum (AFF) to implement the 2024 AFWC programme, focusing on climate change and promoting forest and wildlife education and professions in Africa. AFF, on behalf of FAO, implemented activities for African Youth in Forestry education and profession.

Thereafter, AFF, in collaboration with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and the Kenyan Forest Research Institute (KEFRI), is implementing another initiative on African Youth in Forestry. Led by AFF, this project has generated significant knowledge through continental study, national workshops, and Communities of Practice. These efforts have helped identify youth-led forestry initiatives, map opportunities and challenges affecting youth engagement in the forest sector, which amplifies the voices of young Africans in forestry at both regional and global levels.

These three initiatives, the AFWC, the UN-REDD/AFF initiative  and the African Youth in Forestry programme, intend to synergize their efforts by organizing a joint side event during the African Forestry and Wildlife Week (AFWW) meeting to share their experiences, lessons learned, and knowledge for the benefit of Africa’s forestry and wildlife stakeholders.

Rationale

Africa’s forests are central to achieving global and continental climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development goals. Yet, persistent challenges such as deforestation, weak institutional cross-sectoral coordination, limited access to finance, and inadequate inclusion of key social groups, particularly women, youth, and Local and Indigenous Peoples, continue to constrain progress toward sustainable forest governance and effective REDD+ implementation. Those challenges are well aligned with the AFWC priority areas. The side event “Strengthening Cross-Sectoral Linkages for Resilient Agrifood Systems: Insights from the AFF and Partners' Initiatives” seeks to highlight the contributions and lessons learned from the partnership between the AFF, and the AFWC  and UN-REDD Programmes and SLU. In parallel, the AFWC Programme and the African Youth in Forestry Programme, jointly implemented by FAO, AFF, SLU, and KEFRI, have advanced youth engagement by documenting innovative youth-led forestry initiatives, identifying barriers to participation, and promoting intergenerational inclusion. A Global Youth Network has also been formalized, empowering a new generation of Young Forest Champions across Africa.

Organizing a joint side event during the AFWW offers a strategic opportunity to:

1. Showcase successful models of inclusive forest governance and REDD+ implementation in Africa;
2. Share key policy and technical insights from the UN-REDD/AFF initiative;
3. Amplify youth perspectives and contributions to forest and climate action; and
4. Foster cross-sectoral dialogue among governments, civil society, and development partners on scaling up equitable, inclusive, and results-based forests and agricultural solutions.
5. Inform AFWC agenda items on "10. Strengthening Cross-Sectoral Linkages for Resilient Agrifood Systems “

By convening these discussions, the side event will advance Africa’s forest and climate agenda, reinforcing the principles of inclusivity, equity, innovation, and sustainability in forest governance across the continent.

Objectives

The side event aims to:

1. Showcase the results, lessons learned, and best practices from the AFWC programmes, AFF–UN-REDD partnership project and African Youth in Forestry project on strengthening REDD+ implementation and activities for African Youth in Forestry education and profession across Africa.
2. Promote inclusive forest governance by highlighting approaches integrating gender equality, youth engagement, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, and community participation in REDD+ and broader forest initiatives.
3. Facilitate cross-sectoral dialogue and knowledge exchange among policymakers, researchers, youth representatives, and development partners on effective policy coordination and cross-sectoral integration of REDD+ and forestry governance in Africa.
4. Explore opportunities for scaling up innovative financing, technology applications, and partnerships that advance cross-sectoral  linkages for resilient agrifood systems across the continent.
5. Amplify the voices of youth and local actors in shaping Africa’s forest and climate agenda, including contributions from the African Youth in Forestry.
6. Discuss key continental actions to strengthen cross-sectoral linkages for resilient agrifood systems to inform AFWC agenda item 10.

Expected Outcomes

By the end of the side event, participants are expected to have:

1. Increased awareness of successful approaches and tools that enhance cross-sectoral REDD+ implementation and inclusive forest governance in Africa.
2. Shared understanding of policy and institutional mechanisms that promote equity, transparency, and cross-sectoral collaboration in forest and climate actions.
3. Strengthened regional partnerships among governments, civil society, youth networks, and development partners to advance integrated forest and agricultural objectives.
4. Documented insights and recommendations to guide future technical support on inclusive and results-based REDD+ implementation.
5. Commitment to action from key stakeholders to support youth empowerment, gender inclusion, and community engagement in forest management and climate initiatives.
6. Shared understanding of key continental actions to strengthen cross-sectoral linkages for resilient agrifood systems to inform AFWC agenda item 10.

Panelists

1. African Union Commission (AUC)
2. African Forest Forum (AFF)
3. FAO (UN-REDD programme and FAO RAF)
4. Chair, Youth Advisory Council, AfricanYouth4Forests
5. 3 African Country representatives

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