Forests and economies in the Near East and North Africa

On this International Day of Forests 2026, the theme Forests and economies resonates deeply in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region. Here, forests are grazing grounds, food sources, water protectors and, increasingly, fragile lifelines.

The region is confronting a difficult convergence of pressures: rising hunger, land degradation, climate extremes and economic strain. In 2024, 77.5 million people in NENA were affected by hunger. Rural communities are navigating drought, wildfire, soil erosion and shrinking opportunities. Forests and agroforestry systems, which are already limited in extent, are under stress from overgrazing, unsustainable harvesting, land conversion and climate shocks. Yet within these same landscapes lies a quiet but powerful opportunity.

Non-wood forest products: hidden drivers of rural income

Non-wood forest products (NWFPs), such as carob, cork, medicinal and aromatic plants, have long supported rural households. They contribute to food, animal feed, traditional medicine and small-scale trade. In remote areas, they are often a primary buffer against poverty. However, their economic potential remains largely underdeveloped. Value chains are fragmented, processing is limited, and market access is inconsistent. Women and youth, who play central roles in harvesting and processing, often remain excluded from formal economic structures and financing mechanisms. Closing this gap between ecological potential and economic return is essential if forest restoration is to last.

Greening Agroforestry Economies

In January 2026, the regional initiative Greening Agroforestry Economies: Strengthening Non-Wood Forest Product Chains and Smallholder Cooperatives, was launched as a two-year programme across Algeria, Jordan and Morocco, with active regional collaboration including Lebanon and Tunisia. The initiative treats forests as both ecosystems to conserve and rural economies to organize and strengthen. It links restoration directly to cooperative development, processing capacity and market access. The model is practical: organize producers, upgrade value chains and ensure that ecological recovery generates reliable income. The programme also aligns with the FAO One Country One Product (OCOP) initiative, reinforcing locally rooted value chains and promoting market-oriented, sustainable production.

The carob tree: restoration that pays

At the heart of this programme is the carob tree, resilient, drought-tolerant and well suited to Mediterranean climates. Carob stabilizes soils, withstands dry spells, reduces wildfire risk and produces pods used in food, feed and processing industries. Carob functions as ecological infrastructure and income source simultaneously. Alongside it, the initiative supports complementary products such as cork and medicinal plants to build diversified forest-based economies rather than single-product dependence.

The pilot sites: Algeria, Jordan and Morocco

In Morocco, work is concentrated in the Beni Mellal-Khenifra region, one of the country’s primary carob basins. Here, private orchards and forest stands coexist with an active network of cooperatives. Building on existing national strategies and earlier analytical work, the project strengthens cooperative governance, improves quality standards and traceability systems, and supports secondary processing so that more value remains in rural areas rather than being exported raw.

In Jordan, interventions focus on Ajloun (particularly Ain Janna), a landscape under serious ecological stress. Years of overgrazing, drought and wildfire have reduced vegetation cover and soil fertility. The project expands climate-resilient carob planting, improves fodder systems and introduces sustainable restoration practices that provide year-round feed and alternative green income sources, including honey production. As carob trees are fire-tolerant and deep-rooted, they also serve as natural firebreaks, turning restoration into risk reduction.

In Algeria, the programme works in Tlemcen, a hotspot for carob, cork oak and medicinal plants such as rosemary and lavender. Despite the abundance of resources, the value chains remain weakly organized. The initiative supports newly established cooperatives with training in governance, financial management, improved storage and processing techniques, packaging and marketing. It also strengthens participatory forest management, linking economic empowerment with long-term conservation.

A consistent approach across landscapes

Although these landscapes are different, the project’s approach is consistent. First, organize and professionalize cooperatives so they can negotiate markets, access finance and manage quality standards. Second, upgrade processing and traceability systems so products meet national and international requirements. Third, integrate restoration into production systems such as agroforestry, agrosilvopastoral models and diversified planting so that ecological recovery and income generation advance together. Finally, ensure that policy frameworks and investment planning are informed by evidence, market analysis and cross-country learning.

Women and youth are central actors in this transformation. Women often lead NWFP collection and processing, yet operate informally. Strengthening women-led cooperatives and improving access to training and markets shifts forest work from subsistence activity to recognized enterprise. Youth engagement anchors rural economies in innovation and stewardship rather than migration. Knowledge exchange ensures the model does not remain isolated. Experience from Morocco informs approaches in Jordan; lessons from Algeria contribute to regional guidance. The design anticipates replication in Lebanon, Tunisia and other forest-dependent landscapes.

Scaling what works

NWFPs also support broader bioeconomy ambitions in the region, offering renewable materials and diversified rural income. Just as importantly, forests regulate water, protect soils and buffer climate shocks, services that directly sustain agriculture and rural stability.

The success of Greening Agroforestry Economies will not be measured only by hectares restored or cooperatives trained, but by whether rural families see tangible returns. When restoration improves incomes, protection follows. The initiative is designed for replication beyond the pilot countries, with potential to scale across other NENA landscapes, linking forest restoration with livelihoods from Lebanon to Tunisia and beyond.